Question

a secondary source is best defined as:
a work of autobiography written after reading a historical figure’s letters and diaries.
a thesis statement developed before one begins researching.
an artifact created during the period a historian is studying.
a work of synthesis that a historian writes after conducting research.

Explanation:

To determine the correct definition of a secondary source, we analyze each option:

• The first option: An autobiography (even after reading primary sources like letters/diaries) is still a primary - like account from the author's perspective, not a secondary source.
• The second option: A thesis statement before research is just a preliminary claim, not a source at all.
• The third option: An artifact from the studied period is a primary source.
• The fourth option: A secondary source synthesizes information from primary sources (after research), which matches the definition of a secondary source.

Answer:

D. a work of synthesis that a historian writes after conducting research.