An Introduction to Primary and Secondary Sources using Chinese History

What are Primary Sources? Original records from the past recorded by people who were: o Involved in the event o Witnessed the event, OR o Knew the persons involved in the event

They can also be objects (artifacts) or visual evidence. They give you an idea about what people alive at the time saw or thought about the event. What are Primary Sources?

Primary Sources

Keep in mind that a primary source reflects only one point of view and may contain a person’s bias (prejudice) toward an event. What are Primary Sources?

Examples of Primary Sources: Books, magazines, newspapers Printed Publications

Examples of Primary Sources: Personal Records Diaries, journals, records

Examples of Primary Sources: Visual Materials Paintings, drawings, and sculpture

Examples of Primary Sources: Visual Materials photographs, film, and maps

Examples of Primary Sources: Oral Histories Chronicles, memoirs, myths, and legends passed down by word of mouth

Examples of primary sources: Songs and Poems

Examples of primary sources: Artifacts Tools, ornaments, and objects

Secondary Sources

What are Secondary Sources? Secondary sources are made at a later time. They include written information by historians or others AFTER an event has taken place.

Although they can be useful and reliable, they cannot reflect what people who lived at the time thought or felt about the event. But they can represent a more fair account of the event because they can include more than one point of view, or may include information that was unavailable at the time of the event. What are Secondary Sources?

Examples of Secondary Sources: Textbooks, biographies, histories, or newspaper report by someone who was not present

Charts, graphs, or images created AFTER the time period. Examples of Secondary Sources:

Name that Source! The following slides contain examples of primary and secondary sources. See if you can classify each example as a primary or secondary source correctly.

Classify: primary or secondary?

Classify:

How do you know which is which? Ask yourself some questions: How does the author know these details? Was the author present at the event or soon on the scene? Where does this information come from—personal experience, eyewitness accounts, or reports written by others? Are the author's conclusions based on a single piece of evidence, or have many sources been taken into account?

The End of Slideshow Primary and Secondary Sources