Primary Sources

Primary sources are materials that contain firsthand evidence of historical events, usually recorded by someone who participated in, witnessed, or lived through the event.  It includes first hand accounts, original works, or original research published in either paper or electronic formats.  Primary sources are used to prepare secondary sources.

The following are considered primary sources:

     •  Diaries, letters, personal papers, autobiographies

     •  Photographs or original video tapes

     •  Interviews

     •  Transcripts

     •  Newspaper accounts

     •  Government records

     •  Historical records

     •  Statutes, regulations, by-laws, case law and administrative rulings 

     •  Polls

     •  Statistical data

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources are works that are not original primary sources but documents which analyze, evaluate, interpret or criticize primary sources.  These are documents that are based upon the study and analysis of primary sources.

The following are considered secondary sources:

     •  Reviews

     •  Criticisms

    •  Editorials

    •  Journal/Magazine articles providing analysis, interpretation or evaluation

    •  Newspaper accounts that report various sources of information

    •  Legal sources include: texts, periodical articles, encyclopedias, digests, citators

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