Primary and Secondary Sources Historical Sources Primary and Secondary Sources
Primary Source Definition: Original materials From the time period involved Unfiltered and unchanged through interpretation or evaluation
Primary Source Examples: Artifacts Audio recordings Diaries Interviews Letters Newspaper articles written at the time Original documents Photographs Government documents Court decisions Speeches
Secondary Source Definition: Accounts written after the fact with the benefit of hindsight. Interpretations and evaluations of primary sources.
Secondary Source Examples: Biographies Journal articles Encyclopedias Textbooks Magazine and newspaper articles Many websites
Reading Primary Sources Ask Yourself: Who is the author? When was the source written/published? Who was the intended audience? What was the message/purpose of the source?