Is a trade journal a primary source?

A trade journal can be a primary source when it contains firsthand information, such as a company announcement, an interview, original industry reporting, or comments from someone directly involved in an event. In those cases, the article provides information from a person or organization close to the original event.

A personal trading journal is also a primary source because it contains firsthand records of your own trades, decisions, results, and observations. It documents what happened from the trader's perspective rather than relying on another person's analysis.

A trade journal article is not automatically a primary source, though. If the article simply summarizes research or repeats information originally published somewhere else, it may function as a secondary source. When using a trade journal for research or SEO content, check where the information originated before deciding how to cite it.