That is good question and one that is frequently asked. Consult our guide to learn more about the differences between primary, secondary, and tertiary sources.
Keep in mind you may have a combination of source types within one publication. Take for example, the New York Times. In any given issue you would see articles reporting first person accounts - primary sources. You would also encounter articles analyzing information provided elsewhere - secondary sources. You might also encounter, though it is unlikely in a newspaper, a tertiary source. What this means is that you need to do your analysis at the article level as opposed to the publication level.
Hope this helps.
Matt Bejune
Coordinator of Library Reference and Instruction