Examples of Primary Sources:

Original Documents or Documentation

Diaries, memoirs, autobiographies, blogs,
personal journals
Speeches and transcripts of speeches
Correspondence, letters, email, discussion
Books & Electronic Access to Resources threads, chat transcripts
Information Literacy Resource Series for the Magnolia Library Interviews, newspaper stories
(225) 216-8555 ● librarian@mybrcc.edu Oral histories, audio recordings
Official records, surveys, meetings, meeting
Primary & Secondary Sources minutes
Photographs, video recordings
Knowing the difference between primary and Laws, legislative hearings
secondary sources can help you as you go fur- Creative Works
ther with your research. An advanced scholar Manuscripts (poetry, drama, novels)
will tend to rely on primary sources for facts. Music
Secondary sources will be used to supplement Art
understanding or interpretation of those facts. Relics & Artifacts
Plant or animal specimens
PRIMARY SOURCES Coins
Are sources generated by a particular thing or Tools
event, created by someone who participated in
the events or directly witnessed it. A primary SECONDARY SOURCES
source will: Are sources that contain later analysis or reports
Provide first-hand testimony of particular events, created by those who have
and direct evidence of the not participated in the events or who have not
topic directly witnessed them.
Be created by those directly
experiencing the thing or A secondary source will often contain informa-
event being documented tion that has been:
Be created at the time of the Interpreted, commented upon, analyzed, ed-
events being documented ited or otherwise processed so that it no
Can include memoirs, autobiographies, and longer conveys the freshness of the original
oral histories recorded later Based on primary resources
Be in original, unedited form
Examples of Secondary Sources:
Primary sources are characterized by content — History textbooks
regardless of the format. May be in published Dictionaries
form, digital form, or microfilm/microfiche form. Encyclopedias
Book reviews
Reports, theses,
dissertations
Databases and
catalogues
Edited audio or
video content

BearEssentials/BE-Sources 20090430