Primary sources of materials are integral in the study of history. A primary source is a document which was written or created during the time period being researched. These sources were present during an experience or time period and offer an inside view of a particular event. Some types of primary sources include: diaries, speeches, manuscripts, letters, interviews, news film footage, autobiographies, official records, poetry, drama, novels, music, art, pottery, furniture, clothing, and buildings.
A secondary source interprets and analyzes primary sources. These sources are one or more steps removed from the event. Secondary sources may have pictures, quotes or graphics of primary sources in them. Some types of secondary sources publications include: textbooks, magazine articles, histories, criticisms, commentaries, and encyclopedia.
Primary, Secondary, & Tertiary Sources
|
Types of Sources |
Definition |
Characteristics |
Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Primary |
Original documents created or experienced concurrently with the event being researched. |
First hand observations, contemporary accounts of the event. Viewpoint of the time. |
Interviews, news footage, data sets, original research, speeches, diaries, letters, creative works, photographs |
|
Secondary |
Works that analyze, assess, or interpret a historical event, an era, or a phenomenon. Generally uses primary sources. |
Interpretation of information, usually written well after an event. Offers reviews or critiques. |
Research studies, literary criticism, book reviews, biographies, textbooks |
|
Tertiary |
Sources that identify, locate, and synthesize primary AND secondary sources. |
Reference works, collections of lists of primary and secondary sources, finding tools for sources. |
Encyclopedias, bibliographies, dictionaries, manuals, textbooks, fact books |
While primary sources are often desirable for the raw, non-interpreted information they provide, it is important to analyze them for your research. Ask yourself these questions:
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