In history what is the difference between a primary and secondary source

Secondary Sources Search this Guide Search. Secondary Sources. Primary vs. Secondary Sources Primary Secondary Primary sources provide direct or firsthand evidence about an event, person, or object.

How can I tell if something is a primary source? What is this about? When was it written? Who is the targeted audience? Some examples of primary sources include: Newspaper articles Diaries Letters Memoirs and autobiographies Speeches Photographs Novels, poems Government documents. They often attempt to describe or explain primary sources. Scholarly journals, although generally considered to be secondary sources, often contain articles on very specific subjects and may be the primary source of information on new developments.

Primary and secondary categories are often not fixed and depend on the study or research you are undertaking. If exploring how an event affected people at a certain time, this type of source would be considered a primary source. If exploring the event, then the opinion piece would be responding to the event and therefore is considered to be a secondary source. Secondary sources offer an analysis, interpretation or a restatement of primary sources and are considered to be persuasive. Submit your question online.

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College of Charleston Libraries Ask Us! Warning: Your browser has javascript disabled. Without javascript some functions will not work, including question submission via the form. What's the difference between primary and secondary sources? Toggle menu visibility. Ask Another Question. Answered By: Gretchen Scronce. Last Updated: Mar 09, Views: Primary and Secondary Sources Primary sources are the raw materials of historical research - they are the documents or artifacts closest to the topic of investigation.

Examples include: Bibliographies also considered tertiary Biographical works Commentaries, criticisms Dictionaries, Encyclopedias also considered tertiary Histories Journal articles depending on the disciple can be primary Magazine and newspaper articles this distinction varies by discipline Monographs, other than fiction and autobiography Textbooks also considered tertiary Web site also considered primary The guide linked below provides definitions, general and specific examples of primary and secondary sources in the humanities and the sciences.