1. Primary and Secondary
Sources
HIST 2301
Dr. Weller

2. Primary Sources
 “Primary sources are original
records created at the time
historical events occurred or
well after events in the form of memoirs
and oral histories.”
Source: American Library Association, Reference and User Services Association
http://www.ala.org/rusa/sections/history/resources/pubs/usingprimarysources#evaluating

3. Examples of Primary Sources
 Letters  Newspapers*
 Manuscripts  Government
 Diaries documents
 Journals  Photographs*
 Memoirs  Maps*
 Autobiographies  Video footage of
 Oral histories event*
 Interviews  Audio recordings
 Speeches  Research data
 Objects or artifacts
* Usually, but not always, will be a primary source

4. Secondary Sources
 “A secondary source provides „second-
hand‟ information that has been
digested, analyzed, reworded or
interpreted, and often combines information
taken from primary sources and even other
secondary sources. Secondary sources are
often written well after the events
they report on, and can put past
information into its historical context.”
Source: Windward Community College Library, Hawaii
http://library.wcc.hawaii.edu/LRU/evaluating/primarysecondary.html

5. Examples of Secondary
Sources
 Books with  Conference
endnotes and proceedings
footnotes  Literary criticism
 Biographies  Book reviews
 Reprints of artwork  Most works
 A journal/magazine incorporating
article which primary sources
interprets or
reviews previous
findings

6. Primary or Secondary
Source?
A letter written by an ordinary person
describing their experience of an event.
This and all quiz questions from Windward Community College Library, Hawaii
http://library.wcc.hawaii.edu/LRU/evaluating/primarysecondary.html

7. Primary or Secondary
Source?
A newspaper article reporting on events
that took place the day before the article
was published.

8. Primary or Secondary
Source?
Information sources such as raw data
and articles that report on original
research.

9. Primary or Secondary
Source?
A magazine article in which a staff
reporter provides an overview of a topic,
including a summary of recent
developments in research related to the
subject.

10. Primary or Secondary
Source?
An interview with your grandfather
about your great-grandfather's
childhood.
Quiz question from University of Massachusetts Library
http://www1.umassd.edu/specialprograms/info_lit/quiz_ps.html

11. Primary or Secondary
Source?
A chart from a government agency's
website, showing statistical data it
gathered.

12. Primary or Secondary
Source?
Photograph of Gettysburg, 1863

13. Primary or Secondary
Source?
Photograph of Gettysburg, present day

14. Primary or Secondary
Source?
The Handbook of Texas Online