Primary and Secondary Sources

A primary source is first-hand information from a person who witnessed or participated in an event. It may also be scientific data, statistics, or an official transcript of a government proceeding. A secondary source is a description by a person usually not present at the event and relying on primary source documents for information. Secondary sources usually analyze and interpret.

The distinctions between primary and secondary sources can be ambiguous. An individual document may be a primary source in one context and a secondary source in another. Time is a defining element. For example, a recent newspaper article is not usually a primary source; but a newspaper article from the 1860s may be a primary source for civil war research.

Some examples of primary sources:

To locate primary sources in the library:

• Find primary sources in the footnotes and bibliographies of secondary source books and articles.
• Browse the shelves in your subject area.
• To locate research data and reports in the sciences and social sciences, use one of the subject specific databases or indexes for that discipline.
• Consult a reference librarian for assistance

See Reading, Writing and Researching for History for an excellent discussion on reading primary and secondary sources.

Adapted from Primary & Secondary Sources, CBB Library and IT Consortium