Identifying Sources

Secondary sources are books and articles written by scholars investigating a research topic using primary sources.

Primary sources are first-hand accounts by participants of a particular event or historical time period. Examples of primary sources include:

Memoirs and Diaries
Speeches
Correspondence
Autobiographies
Interviews
Papers of a political party, agency, or association
Government documents (e.g. congressional hearings and reports)
Articles in magazines and newspapers contemporary of the event
Ethnographic materials
Statistics and Censuses
Documentaries contemporary of the event
Art works and music contemporary of the event

There are two categories of primary sources: unpublished primary sources (available only in archives and special collections) and published primary sources, available more widely in libraries.

For Soc 101, you will most likely be using published primary sources, such as newspaper articles. If you wish to use unpublished primary sources, consult with Professor Valiani before visiting archives or special collections to discuss the feasiblity of your project.

Books as Primary Sources | Articles as Primary Sources | Government Documents as Primary Sources