Primary and Secondary Sources
When writing a research paper you will likely need to use primary sources or secondary
sources, or, very commonly, both. It is useful to understand the differences between these two
types of sources.
Primary Sources…
• are firsthand accounts created at the time a historical event occurred, or are records of
original ideas.
• consist of information that has not been analyzed, commented on, or interpreted.
• can be biased, depending on the view-point of the author.
• are valuable because they give an exact account of historical events or new ideas.
Examples of Primary Sources are:
• diaries
• photographs
• interviews
• manuscripts
• personal narratives
• letters
• speeches
• pamphlets
• original artwork
• original essays and literary works
• journal articles presenting new
information
• maps
Secondary Sources…
• offer commentary, analysis, or interpretation of primary sources.
• are written many years after an event, or by people not directly involved in the event.
• are often written by people who have an expertise in the field.
• can be biased, depending on the view-point of the author.
Examples of Secondary Sources are:
• book reviews
• textbooks
• encyclopedias
• documentaries
• commentaries
• critical articles
• articles that interpret previous
findings
• books that are not firsthand
accounts, such as biographies and
histories
The following questions can also help you decide if a source is primary or
secondary…
• How does the author know the details (dates, times, names) present in their work? Were
they present at the event? Is their information first-hand, or does it come from documents
written by others?
