Biography (Secondary Source) is defined as which of the following?

• A. A non-fiction text that an author writes about a different person's life.
• B. A diary entry written by the subject.
• C. A map of a historical site.
• D. A newspaper article about a historical event.

Answer: (A)

A biography is a secondary source because it is a non-fiction text written about someone else’s life by a writer who did not experience those events firsthand. The biographer gathers information from various sources—letters, diaries, interviews, official records, and other evidence—to craft and interpret the subject’s life. This distinguishes it from primary sources, which are direct, first-hand accounts created by people who lived through the events. For example, a diary entry is a primary source from the person who wrote it, a map is an original artifact, and a newspaper article about a historical event can be a primary source if it reports on the event at the time. Therefore, the definition that describes a biography as a non-fiction text about another person’s life written by someone else best fits.