Source literature
Encyclopedia
Source literature is a term with different meanings. Literature (understood as printed texts) is one kind of information source
. In a way is all literature a kind of 'source literature'. It might, for example, be cited and used as source
s in academic writings. However, if used in this broad meaning the concept becomes synonymous with literature and the term thus superfluous and meaningless.
The meaning of "source literature" is relative. From the point of view of a bibliographic index the indexed papers are "source literature". For example, in the Social Sciences Citation Index is a "source index" covering the journals being indexed. These journals are the "source literature" from the point of view of this index. But from the point of view of the indexed papers are the bibliographical references contained in the single papers "source literature".
In the humanities, the term "source literature" has a more precise meaning as published sources: Many archives, for example, publish important sources to be used by historians and other scholars as reliable editions of formerly unpublished sources. The publishing of such sources requires knowledge of text philology and other fields. But this kind of expertise put into the publishing of source literature should be differentiated from the kind of expertise needed in order to use the sources in, for example, historical research. A historian may or may not use such "source literature" and on the basis of his research publish a paper, which in the UNISIST model
is considered primary literature.
Fjordback Søndergaard, Andersen & Hjørland (2003) thus suggests that source literature is a distinct kind of literature to be distinguished from primary literature.
Information source
"Source" means data that originates from either primary of secondary source. An information source is a source of information for somebody, i.e. anything that might inform a person about something or provide knowledge to somebody. Information sources may be observations, people, speeches,...
. In a way is all literature a kind of 'source literature'. It might, for example, be cited and used as source
Source text
A source text is a text from which information or ideas are derived. In translation, a source text is the original text that is to be translated into another language.-Description:...
s in academic writings. However, if used in this broad meaning the concept becomes synonymous with literature and the term thus superfluous and meaningless.
The meaning of "source literature" is relative. From the point of view of a bibliographic index the indexed papers are "source literature". For example, in the Social Sciences Citation Index is a "source index" covering the journals being indexed. These journals are the "source literature" from the point of view of this index. But from the point of view of the indexed papers are the bibliographical references contained in the single papers "source literature".
In the humanities, the term "source literature" has a more precise meaning as published sources: Many archives, for example, publish important sources to be used by historians and other scholars as reliable editions of formerly unpublished sources. The publishing of such sources requires knowledge of text philology and other fields. But this kind of expertise put into the publishing of source literature should be differentiated from the kind of expertise needed in order to use the sources in, for example, historical research. A historian may or may not use such "source literature" and on the basis of his research publish a paper, which in the UNISIST model
UNISIST model
The UNISIST model of information dissemination was proposed in 1971 by the United Nations. UNISIST is a model of the social system of communication, which consists of knowledge producers, intermediaries, and users. These groups of people are different kinds of professionals...
is considered primary literature.
Fjordback Søndergaard, Andersen & Hjørland (2003) thus suggests that source literature is a distinct kind of literature to be distinguished from primary literature.