An Introduction to
Primary and Secondary Sources
Primary Sources
What are primary sources?
Examples:
What are 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.
Examples of primary sources
include:
Books, magazines,
newspapers
Examples of primary sources:
Diaries,
journals,
records
Personal Records
Examples of primary sources:
Paintings, drawings, Visual Materials
sculpture
Examples of primary sources:
Visual Materials
photographs, film,
maps
Examples of primary sources:
Oral Histories
Chronicles, memoirs, myths,
legends passed down by word
of mouth
Examples of primary sources:
Songs and Poems
Examples of primary sources:
Artifacts
Tools, ornaments, objects
Secondary Sources
What are secondary sources?
Examples:
 Publications such as:
Textbooks
Magazine articles
Histories
Criticisms
Commentaries
Encyclopedias
Examples of secondary sources:
Textbooks, biographies,
histories, newspaper
report by someone who
was not present
Examples of secondary sources:
Charts, graphs, or images
created AFTER the time
period.
PAST
P = Purpose: What was the object used for? What
does the text say? What does the picture show?
A=Author: Who created this?
S=Slant: Is there bias? What is the point of view
or frame of reference of the source.
T= Time Period:
When was it created? What is
the historical context or what was happening at the
time it was created?
Facts and opinions
Facts vs opinions
Historians must distinguish these two when
using it as evidence
Myths and legends can tend to have elements
of the two
E.g. The Trojan Horse
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td1uPq
9K--E
Historical Investigation
When historians investigate the past, various
factors are involved
Why?
Preservation and Destruction
Preservation vs destruction
Source can be destroyed or preserved
accidentally and/or deliberately
Makes its difficult for historians
Previous generations – archeologist were
more ‘treasure hunters’ and destruction of
sources was common
E.g. Charles of Bourbon
Technology
Advances in technology – greater discoveries
for historians and archeology
Can overcome some of the difficulties of
inquiries into the past
These include Medical imaging, Computergenerated imaging
Medical Imaging
Use of CT scans
(computerized tomography)
Can determine the cause of
death; growth; diet
DNA testing – analyse
movement of ancient peoples
From later 1970s –
microscopic wear and
residues on ancient Australian
stone tools and their uses.
Computer-generated imaging
Cgi used to interpret and present
information
They use 3-D graphics and animation
reconstruct whole artefacts from fragments
or data collected in the field
Protects actual evidence from damage
Images can be spread around
Lidar imaging
Uses laser strapped to the underside of a
helicopter
Map landscapes, physical features and other
objects
Laser fire rapid pulses at the land below
Used to map formerly hidden sites
E.g. lost city of Mahendraparvata, deep in
the Cambodian jungle
Name that Source!
Using the Primary and Secondary
Sources worksheet, visit the examples set
up on the tables. Determine which items
are classified as a primary or secondary
sources. Please write down the item
number and name in the area provided on
your worksheet.
Primary
Secondary
Places to find primary AND
secondary sources:
• Library of Congress
www.loc.gov
• Montana Memory
Project
http://montanamemory.org/
• Local Museums
• Gale databases (school
resources)
• School or public library
card catalog
• Google
• YOUR LIBRARIANS
Internet resources for primary
sources:
Library of Congress: The research library that
serves the United States Congress, but which is
the de facto national library of the United States. It
is found at www.loc.gov .
Montana Memory Project: The Montana
Memory Project provides access to digital
collections from numerous Montana libraries and
historical repositories relating to Montana’s
cultural heritage and government. It is found at
www.montanamemory.org .
Gale Databases
2 ways to find ‘Gale databases’:
1) On school computers, look in the ‘high
school favorites’ folder…click on Gale
History in Context
2) When logged into the school website, click
on the high school tab; click on FOR
STUDENTS; click on library; click on
U.S. History in Context
Using GOOGLE for primary
sources
To find primary documents on the web, try
the following internet search
topic + “primary source”
Summary
It is important to determine the type of
information you are looking at.
Primary sources are original sources of
information
Secondary sources summarize, analyze, or critique
primary sources
Both primary and secondary sources can be good
sources of information, but you need to critically
evaluate them.
When all else
fails…..
Ask one of our librarians for
help!!!!
We are “super sleuths” with a
heart !
The End