Complete Name of Student
Primary sources are sources or documents which are created by an individual or at times, by a group of people. These are firsthand accounts because it is created at the time a historical event occurred. Some also call primary sources as records of original ideas and these ideas are information which have not been interpreted, commented on or been analyzed. The drawback of these is that primary sources can be biased depending on the viewpoint of the author. Primary sources may include: diaries, manuscripts, journal articles presenting new information, personal narratives, letters, speeches, pamphlets, original artwork, original essay, interviews and photographs (Walbert).
On the other hand, secondary sources are sources or documents which interprets, analyzes and comments on primary sources. Unlike primary sources, these sources are one or more steps removed from the original event which means that they can be written many years after an event by a person not directly involved in the event. Just like primary sources, secondary sources can also be biased depending on the viewpoint of the author. Secondary sources may include: book reviews, textbooks, encyclopedias, commentaries, articles that interpret previous findings and critical articles.
As for the final research project topic on workplace bullying, a primary resource could be personal narratives or diaries of workers who have personally experience bullying at some point in their working lives. Another primary resource could be a one on one interview with a worker whom I happen to know as having such experience. But of course, utmost confidentiality in all these cases should be taken into account. For the secondary resource, I could use textbooks about workplace bullying covering topics of its consequences, psychological impacts to employees and proper intervention. Articles pertaining to previous researches and findings could also be of big help. The above mentioned sources fit in their respective categories because personal narratives, diaries and interviews are firsthand accounts which means that it was directly from the person who experienced the event whereas textbooks and previous researches and findings already include comments, analysis and interpretations from the researcher or author.
It is important to use primary source documents in the final research project topic because primary source documents bring an unfiltered access to records of events, scientific and political thoughts as well as real life experiences and achievements during a specific period under study. Also they serve as a raw material pertaining to serious information or study (Bloy, 2002).
Two peer-review/Scholarly Sources
Consequences of workplace bullying with respect to the well-being of its targets and the observers of bullying by Maarit A-L Vartia
Vartia’s study investigated the effects of workplace bullying and its psychological impact on the well-being of the target and the observers. It was found out that not only the target of bullying, but also his or her immediate environment (other employees) suffer when someone is bullied in the workplace (Vartia, 2001).
I chose this source because the study would serve as a good resource in identifying the negative impact of bullying in the workplace. Also, this identifies that bullying should be regarded as a problem, not only on the target but the entire workplace.
Ways of Explaining Workplace Bullying: A Review of Enabling, Motivating and Precipitating Structures and Processes in the Work Environment by Denis Salin
Salin’s article summarizes the literature which explains workplace bullying and focuses on different organizational antecedents of bullying (Salin, 2003).
This article is relevant to the research topic because it will help better understand the logic behind bullying as well as factors associated with bullying and how it is classified.
References:
Bloy, M. (2002, December 19). The use of primary sources. Retrieved July 09, 2015, from The Victorian Web: http://www.victorianweb.org/history/primary.html
Salin, D. (2003). Ways of Explaining Workplace Bullying: A Review of Enabling, Motivating and Precipitating Structures and Processes in the Work Environment. Sage Journals.
Vartia, M. A.-L. (2001). Consequences of workplace bullying with respect to the well-being of its target and the observers of bullying. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health , 63-69.
Walbert, K. (n.d.). Reading primary sources: An introduction for students. Retrieved July 09, 2015, from Learn NC: http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/745
Why Use Primary Sources? (n.d.). Retrieved July 09, 2015, from Library of Congress: http://www.loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/whyuse.html
