source material

[/sɔːrs məˈtɪriəl/]
nounpl: source materials
material de origem / material de referência / material de consulta
1. Primary documents, texts, or resources used as the basis for research, writing, or creative work
The historian relied on primary source material such as letters and government documents.
O historiador se baseou em material de origem primária, como cartas e documentos governamentais.
2. Raw information or original content from which something else is derived or adapted
The screenwriter used the novel as source material for the film adaptation.
O roteirista usou o romance como material de referência para a adaptação cinematográfica.
3. References, citations, or background information consulted during the creation of a work
The student gathered source material from the library for her research paper.
A estudante reuniu material de consulta na biblioteca para seu trabalho de pesquisa.
The concept of 'source material' is crucial in both Brazilian and American academic traditions, emphasizing the importance of proper citation and research methodology. In Brazil, particularly in universities, there is strong emphasis on using 'material de origem' (primary sources) to validate academic work. In the USA and internationally, the distinction between primary and secondary source material is fundamental to academic integrity and is taught from elementary school onwards.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
primary sourcereference materialbackground materialoriginal textraw material
Antonyms / Antônimos
derivative worksecondary sourceadaptation

Regional Variations

General Brazilian Portuguese
material de origem / material de referência
Most common usage in academic and professional contexts
Rio de Janeiro
material de consulta
Slightly more casual usage in educational settings
São Paulo
material de referência / fonte de pesquisa
Used frequently in business and academic circles
Portugal
material de origem / material de consulta
Similar to Brazilian usage but may prefer 'fonte de investigação' in some contexts

Related Words

citationbibliographyreferencedocumentationresearchevidence

Related Idioms & Phrases

draw from source material
based on source material
adapt from source material
cite source material
consult source material
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