Which of the following is not a primary source?

• A. Diary
• B. Encyclopedia
• C. Manuscript
• D. Original research article

Answer: (B)

Primary sources are original materials that provide direct evidence about a topic, coming from the time of the event or from the researchers themselves. Diaries and manuscripts are classic examples of primary sources because they are firsthand documents. An original research article is also a primary source because it presents new data, methods, and findings created by the researchers.

An encyclopedia, on the other hand, is a secondary source. It compiles, synthesizes, and interprets information from many primary (and other secondary) sources to give an overview or a summary of a topic. It doesn’t present new evidence or firsthand data, but rather explains what is already known and points you to the sources where that knowledge comes from.

So, for gathering original evidence, you’d consult a diary, a manuscript, or an original research article; for broad context and summaries, an encyclopedia is useful, but it’s not a primary source.