UGS 303: Visual History / Burrowes

Primary sources are produced by participants or direct observers of an event or time period. These sources may be recorded during the event or later on, by a participant reflecting upon the event.

Why would I use them?

Primary sources offer a first-hand or eyewitness account of a situation that is unfiltered by interpretation.

What are some examples?

Newspapers
Speeches
Government documents
Legal documents
Public opinion polls
Personal materials, including letters, diaries, interviews, memoirs, autobiographies and oral histories
Artifacts, including photos, paintings, drawings, films, videos, etc.

How should I use them in my research?

To analyze primary sources, ask yourself these questions:

• Who is the creator and what was their relationship to the event or issue?
• Why did the creator produce this source?
• Was the source for personal use? For a large audience?
• Was the source intended to be public (newspaper) or private (correspondence)?
• How neutral was the creator? What biases or interests might have influenced how the source was created?
• Can the source be substantiated by other primary sources? Can you confirm what the creator is saying?