Final answer:
Sources are categorized as primary, secondary, or tertiary based on their originality and level of detail. A dictionary is tertiary, an interview is primary, news articles and biographies are secondary, and a thesis can be either primary or secondary.
Step-by-step explanation:
The classification of sources into primary, secondary, and tertiary categories depends on their originality, relation to the subject, and level of analysis or synthesis provided. Here are the classifications for the provided sources:
- Dictionary: C. Tertiary - A dictionary is a reference book that provides meanings of words, making it a tertiary source as it digests information from primary and secondary sources.
- Interview with a witness: A. Primary - An interview with a witness provides firsthand testimony or evidence related to an event, making it a primary source.
- News article about a hero: B. Secondary - A news article reporting on events or interpreting them falls under secondary sources, as it's typically written after the events have taken place, providing context and perspective.
- Thesis about an invention: A. Primary or B. Secondary - A thesis can be a primary source if it includes original research or new findings. However, if it's analyzing existing research, it may be considered a secondary source.
- Biography of a chemist: B. Secondary - A biography analyzes and synthesizes information about someone's life, based on primary sources like interviews, letters, and other documents, thereby classifying it as secondary.