Primary and Secondary Sources

The basis of studying history.

What is a Primary Source?

• A first hand account or physical object that was written or created during the time period being studied.

Examples of Primary Sources Include:

• Advertisements• Census Records• Court Records • Political Cartoons

What problems do Primary Sources pose for researchers?

• Are they authentic to the time period and account?

• Do they present with any bias?• Are they reliable?

What is a Secondary Source?

• An account or object created by someone using information from primary and other secondary sources.

What are some examples of Secondary Sources?

• Textbooks• Biographies

How do you decide the effectiveness of a source?

• Start with the author– Who are they?

• Who is this intended for? Will this create a bias?

• Is the content reliable? Validated by other sources?

• What is the person’s goal in creating it?