This distinction is important because it will affect how you understand these sources. In this first video of a 2-part tutorial, we will discuss primary sources. Primary sources are most often produced around the time of the events you are studying. They reflect what their creator observed or believed about the event.
Secondary sources, in contrast, provide an interpretation of the past based on primary sources. This newspaper article is an example of a primary source. It describes a visit Nixon made to the Soviet Union in It was written the day after by a journalist who witnessed the event, and it reflects what the journalist and his editors thought their readers would care about at the time.
Another example is this pamphlet, which compiles legal testimony from a witch trial. It was published in , the same year as the trial it documents. Instead, its category depends on how you treat it, which in turn depends on your research question. For example, Black Reconstruction in America , written in by W. Diaries, letters, and other personal papers are often unique items held in archives or special collections.
One trick is to google the name of the person you're researching and the word "papers. Brainstorm and track your keywords and subject terms. Use a thesaurus to think of more keywords or older terms you may not be familiar with, but may have been commonly used during the time period you are researching.
Are the records likely to be in another language or another alphabet? Do you have expertise in this language? Knowing ahead of time might help with your search.
Think about where records might be held. Because of historical colonialism and imperialism, some communities may not have control over their own records and materials. They may be held in another country entirely. Arrange a visit to our Archives and Special Collections if your topic is related to the University or Minnesota history.
Browse our collections of online primary source databases. Searching in the Libraries collections The catalog provides many types of primary sources: original archival materials, print materials with the original texts, printed facsimiles, and online resources that link to digital facsimiles.
When searching our collection, use the Libraries' Advanced Search and enter your keywords, plus the subject term source to your search: Start with a broad search; you can always narrow it further after you begin searching.
For some topics, try a more specific subject keyword instead, for example: diaries papers personal narratives journals autobiography. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, Kitchens, Joel D. Santa Barbara, Calif: Libraries Unlimited, Presnell, Jenny L. New York: Oxford University Press, Rampolla, Mary Lynn.
A Pocket Guide to Writing in History. Salevouris, Michael J, and Conal Furay. Turabian, Kate L. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Some secondary sources may also be considered primary or tertiary sources - the definition of this term is not set in stone.
Tertiary sources are further developments of secondary sources, often summaries of information found in primary and secondary sources and collecting many sources together.
Some examples of tertiary sources are encyclopedias and textbooks. Again, this term is not set in stone - some sources may be both secondary and tertiary. Toggle navigation. Primary Sources - An Introductory Guide This site outlines what constitutes a prime research resource. The information presented here is designed to illustrate details on the value of finding and utilizing unique historical materials.
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