Primary sources are produced by participants or direct observers of an issue, event or time period. These sources may be recorded during the event or later on, by a participant reflecting upon the event. In some cases, it will be difficult to obtain the original source, so you may have to rely on copies (photocopies, microfilm, digital copies). Copies or transcriptions of a primary source still count as a primary source.
Some examples of primary sources include:
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:
Collections include:
Searching the library catalog with "subject headings" ("tags" that librarians have added to books) seems to work well.
Adding d:to a search term searches it as a subject heading.
Using d:sources searches for items that have this tag, usually books that contain primary source material.
Combine with any other topic you have in mind, example:
d:colonial period d:women d:sources (will search for primary sources by/about women in the Colonial Period)
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If you are unsure whether or not a source you have found meets the primary source requirement for a particular class or project, please ask your professor.
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