Library: ENGL 2367: Fairy Tales: Find Criticism

Literary Criticism and Primary vs. Secondary Sources

Literary criticism is a type of writing where the writer looks at a primary text and then analyzes that text. To write your own literary criticism you need to know the difference between primary sources and secondary sources. Review the boxes on this page for more detailed information on how to tell the difference between primary and secondary sources. Plus, get some tips on how to search for primary sources and secondary sources in the Columbus State Library book catalog.

Primary Sources

Use the CState catalog to find primary sources by using one of the below keywords combined with the name of the fairy tale:

charters
correspondence
diaries
early works
interviews
manuscripts
oratory
pamphlets
personal narratives
sources
speeches
letters
documents

The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm

Primary Vs. Secondary Sources Table

Primary vs. Secondary Sources
Source Type	Examples
Primary A primary source is a first person account by someone who experienced or witnessed an event. This original document has not been previously published or interpreted by anyone else.	First person account of an event Original publication Speech or lecture Original artwork Handwritten manuscript Letters or diary entries Historical documents, e.g. Bill of Rights
Secondary A secondary source is one step removed from the primary original source. The author is reexamining, interpreting and forming conclusions based on the information that is conveyed in the primary source.	Newspaper reporting on a study Review of a book Biography Analysis of Stephen Crane's "The Open Boat"

Secondary Sources

Use the CState catalog to find secondary sources by using one of the below keywords combined with the name of the fairy tale::

criticism
essays
interpretation
analysis
response
review
companion
approaches

The Hard Facts of the Grimms' Fairy Tales