What is a secondary source?
A secondary source is a scholarly discussion based on primary sources. Typically, a secondary source contains original research.
Why should I use secondary sources?
Secondary sources are useful for in-depth analysis of your topic and for learning about scholarly perspectives on your topic. You can use a secondary source as a conversation partner about a topic or you can take the methodology from a secondary source an apply it to a new research question.
What are some examples of secondary sources?
Secondary sources include articles, blogs, books (often called monographs), lectures, podcasts, and scientific reports. Any kind of scholarly literature can be a secondary source.
Pro tip: Although the distinction between primary sources and secondary sources is useful, it is not absolute. A secondary source may become a primary source depending on the researcher's perspective. Consider a textbook on American history from the 1990's. If a researcher uses the textbook for a scholarly perspective on the civil rights movement, then it is a secondary source. However, if the researcher uses the textbook to as evidence of curriculum in the 1990's, then it is a primary source.
Databases are specialized collections of citations and full-text links to articles in specific subject areas. Using a database can help you limit your search more easily to a specific subject and will also give you citations to works that we don't have in the Brown Library, which you can then request from Interlibrary Loan by using the Findit! link.
Because of the interdisciplinary nature of MCM, you may want to look at other subject guides for additional databases. Listed here are just a few possible areas of interest.
Also see the Reference Works page for encyclopedias and dictionaries.
The MARG Magazine is published till today and appears four times a year. It began in 1946, and is a loose encyclopaedia of the arts of India and related civilizations.

Anonymous French Engraver. A Dance. ca. 1828. Luna Collection.
Godey's Lady's Book: Important 19th century fashion magazine with historical illustrations. To find images, use the Advanced Search screen and limit to illustrations. The various incarnations of this magazine are accessible online through the American Periodicals Series. Note: many of the original print magazines are available in the John Hay Library collections.
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