Primary Sources

Historical primary sources are artifacts in a variety of forms -- print, visual, oral, media, physical objects -- that provide first-hand knowledge and evidence of something. They bring you directly to the time and place being studied but can only tell one part of the story. Scholarly consideration involves putting the source into its historical context and connecting it to other primary and secondary sources. 

If in doubt Ask Us or contact your Subject Librarian

Large Primary Source Databases

Examples:

• Personal records, diaries, memoirs, manuscripts, letters, speeches, interviews, oral histories
• Newspapers when reporting information from witnesses
• Government Info and Law (statutes, case law, treaties, constitutions)
• Data and Statistical Sources
• Geospatial Data & Maps
• Ethnographies (print, audio, video)

When Studying a Culture or Time Period:

• Popular magazines and newspapers 
• Photographs, advertisements, cartoons, posters, postcards, playbills
• Works of art, literature, music scores, folk music
• Films, television programs, audio
• Material culture: clothing, tools, furniture, machines

If in doubt Ask Us or contact your Subject Librarian.

• In literature and philosophy your main primary source is the text you are analysing
• In music primary sources are the scores, repertoire and performances along with the historic sources. 
• In many fields such as the sciences and psychology, primary sources are the published results of research studies, experiments, clinical trials, as well as patents, technical reports and conference proceedings. 

• Secondary sources - Generally speaking, secondary sources tend to be works that use primary sources and other secondary sources to evaluate topics or phenomena. Also known as scholarly or peer-reviewed.
• Tertiary sources are Background Reference Resources such as encyclopedias, handbooks, manuals or guides.