A primary source may be a document, an image, or an artifact that provides firsthand account or evidence about a topic that s being studied.They are considered original sources of information and relied upon as credible forms.
Examples of primary sources include documents, diaries, manuscripts, interviews, audio recordings, videos, photographs, court records, memoirs, speeches, polls, newspaper clippings published at the time of study and artifacts (furniture, costumes worn during the time period),
Let's examine the different types of primary sources:
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Categories |
Example of Sources |
Information |
|
Visual & Audio Materials |
Photos, artwork, films, recordings, artifacts, posters, furniture, and clothing worn during the time period |
Contain facts and shows how the world is viewed by individuals or by groups |
|
Data |
Statistics, formulas, census records, and experiments |
Contain raw data; results are reported |
|
Published Materials |
Articles, memoirs, autobiographies, legal documents, birth certificates, poems, email, proclamations, and technical reports |
Information provided was written or created by someone with firsthand knowledge or experience at the time of the event. In the case of scientific research, new information, new thoughts, or discoveries are provided. |
A secondary source analyzes, interprets, discusses, or summarizes a primary source. A primary source contains "first-hand information" while a secondary source contains "second-hand" information.
For example:
A tertiary source provides brief information on a topic. They may define a word, describe an object, person, or event in short, provide an overview of many topics, or summarize a series of events. Tertiary sources summarizes information found in primary and secondary sources.
Examples include: