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Finding Primary Sources

A guide to finding primary sources for History research.

Evaluating Documents

Whether using primary or secondary sources, in print or online, an essential step in the research process is evaluating your sources.  Good scholarship requires careful reading and critical analysis of information.

Basic evaluation criteria for all sources include include the following questions, which were adapted from The Information-Literate Historian by Jenny L. Presnell (New York:  Oxford University Press, 2007):

Author Authority 
Who created the item?  What is his or her affiliation?  What is his or her relationship to the information contained in the source?

Audience and Purpose
Who is the intended audience?  Why was the item created?

Accuracy and Completeness
Is the evidence reliable?  Are the important points covered?  How does the source compare to other similar sources?

Footnotes and Documentation
Are the author's sources clearly identified with complete citations to allow you to find the original source yourself?

Perspective and Bias
How do the author's bias and perspective inform the arguments and evidence presented?

Documents as Primary Sources

Documents as Primary Sources

Primary source documents can encompass all formats of the written word. They can be letters, diaries, newspapers, speeches, interviews, memoirs, fliers, manifestos, reports, handbills, government documents, or other types of texts.  They can be in the original -- often hand-written -- form (usually located in the library's special collections departments), or published in print or online.  Documents are usually considered to be primary sources if they were created during or close in time to the event being discussed by someone with direct personal knowledge or involvement.

letter Letters (hand-written, typed, or electronic) are used as a primary resources by researchers because they offer intimate accounts of events by participants. Prior to the widespread use of email, letters were a principal means of communication. Scholars interested in examining the colonial history of the U.S. government have used the published collections of letters by significant historical figures such as Thomas Jefferson. The letters of lesser known people, such as civil war veterans, have been used by social historians to attempt to understand how national issues affect people in a personal way. Search the catalog using the keyword "correspondence", eg. Henry Viii and correspondence or war and correspondence.

diaries Diaries have a function similar to letters. They are often cited to demonstrate the non-public opinions of people and offer added insight to historical figures and historical events.  Keep in mind that the diaries of leading figures such as US presidents or politicians may have been written with an eye toward publication.  The diaries of average people, neither famous nor powerful, are valuable for their insights into everyday life. Search the catalog using the keyword "diary" and the topic, eg. civil war and diary.

news Newspaper articles, often referred to as the first rough draft of history, can be used to examine how events were immediately translated to the public since they are usually based on a combination of interviews and first hand accounts.  Newspapers are available in their original print editions (and may be in poor condition), in microfilm, online on freely available websites (such as the Brooklyn Daily Eagle) or in subscription databases like ProQuest Historical Newspapers.

news Speeches are also an important source of primary information. Periodicals such as Vital Speeches of the Day, which is available in print and online through a subscription database, can help explain how national and international issues are articulated to the public.  In the 19th century, and to a lesser extent today, newspapers would regularly publish the full text of speeches by prominent national leaders.

interview Interviews, often published in periodicals, newspapers, and monographs, are another important primary source.  Interviewees directly share their opinions on events and ideas.  Diplomats and statesmen, for example, can provide revealing insights into international affairs that go beyond typical newspaper accounts.

government document Government documents are important primary sources. Books, pamphlets, reports, statistics, surveys, serials, congressional debates and testimony, national laws and international treaties, and other documents published by local, state, and federal government agencies represent a rich source of information for researchers on virtually every subject.   Consult the catalog of the U.S. Government Publications to find sources.  

memoir Memoirs are another important primary source. Many people, especially those who are well known and/or are involved in national and international events, write their memoirs when they retire from the limelight, providing detailed background information on past events. Search the catalog using the keyword "memoir ", eg. Churchill and memoir, or try a SUBJECT search and look for the term Personal Narratives.

Pamphlets

Pamphlets can be a great resource for discovering the ideas being promoted at a point in time to sway opinions.  Often sporting dramatic graphics, vivid cover art, persuasive text, and an urgent  message, pamphlets are worth seeking out, despite their ephemeral quality.  Pamphlets were relatively cheap to produce and abundantly published, but are often neglected in libraries. 

Despite their abundance, pamphlets can be difficult to find in libraries because they have not been cataloged individually in many cases. Researchers will find collections of pamphlets in bound sets or topical collections of microfilm (Spanish Civil War, economics, anarchism, socialism, communism, etc.), but will usually have limited access in the library catalog to individual titles.

The collections of the Center for Research Libraries and ConnectNY libraries, have wonderfully rich collections of pamphlets.  Look for cataloged pamphlets and subject collections of pamphlets in ConnectNY.  Many of these collections are on microfilm and can be delivered to Le Moyne within a few business days.

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