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source material

source material

16 3.7
Documents like books or letters that people use to do research
  • noun
  • /sɔrs məˈtɪrɪəl/
translation icon : material de referencia
  • The documentary relied heavily on historical source material to ensure its accuracy.
  • primary source material
  • secondary source material
  • original source material

Now, was it a play that was very faithful to the source material?

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Examples

  • Many state standards require students to understand well-known documents and interpret primary source materials.

    Academic text (2007)
  • Narrative, not fact-bites, would drive the telling, drawing heavily on primary source material to bring the story to life.

    Academic text (1991)
  • Going back to the source material is always the best.

  • So we produce source material, if you will, for context.

  • Can you talk about some of the different source material in your paintings?

    Blog text (9)
  • Each chapter concludes with an archive showing primary source materials related to the incident.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Within the discipline of history, scholarship by Native people is still largely considered primary source material.

    Academic text (2009)
  • Claire agrees: "Working in the archives was an interactive way to experience South African history using primary source materials."

    Academic text (2015)
  • Women in Mapula began to use contemporary magazines, newspapers, posters, and brochures as source material for their embroideries in 1993-94.

    Academic text (2005)
  • For her thesis, she gathered a variety of source material including books, articles, and interviews.

Synonyms

document
vssource material
2.0

A paper or electronic file that gives official information

is about collections of such items used as a foundation for work
material
vssource material
575 3.7

Information or ideas that you use to create something

focuses more on actual published documents and publications used in research
reference
vssource material
83 3.7

A book or source you check for facts

is used as foundational material for research rather than only consultation
reading material
vssource material
19 1.0

Things like books and magazines to read for information or enjoyment

is specifically about items used as a basis for research or creative work
compendium
vssource material
11 8.8

A book or guide that collects and summarizes important facts about a subject

is less about summary and more about original publications used as basis
reference book
vssource material
8 2.6

A book you use to check facts or information

is used more generally for any documents forming the basis of study
ref
vssource material
7 5.2

A source used to show where information comes from

is wider, including entire publications used as research foundations
written material
vssource material
  • Literature
3 2.3

Text created by a person, like a book or letter

is focused on informational publications serving as foundational research sources
reference work
vssource material
1 3.5

A book you use to look up facts, not to read from start to finish

is broader, covering any publications used as a research basis
sourcebook
vssource material
1 4.4

A book that collects original documents and texts for study

is any documents or publications used as a basis for research
source book
vssource material
1 4.9

A book that contains important original documents for study or reference

is broader, applying to any information sources used as a basis

How Primary

source material
16 3.7
to document
365 3.4

Surface Forms

Morphology

source + material

The meaning is directly and compositionally derived from 'source' (origin/supplier) + 'material' (content or information), so together they denote materials that serve as sources of information. This noun+noun combination follows a common, cross-linguistic compounding pattern and would be immediately comprehensible to a B1 learner who knows the two constituents.

Etymology

Source material comes from a simple image: a source is where something begins and material is the 'stuff' you use. So 'source materials' are the original 'stuff', documents and papers, that people use as the 'basis' for research or creative work.