Name(s) Date PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SOURCES Just liko professional historians, itis important that you research both primary and secondary sources when ‘eating your project. Both types of information are going to help you understand your topic and build your argument, SECONDARY SOURCES Calling a source “secondary” doesr't mean it's less important. In fact, it fs best to begin your research with secondary sources so you can learn important background information and historical context about your topic. Books, articles, interviews, media productions, or any other source that seeks to explain and interpret an event atter the fact are all secondary sources. The writer is not an eyewitness to or a participant in the event. ‘Secondary sources are usually published books or articles by authors who base their Interpretation on primary PRIMARY SOURCES Primary sources are connected to an event by time or participation. They include any historical evidence that ‘comes to us directly from the time period or event we are studying. With primary sources, there is no ‘middle man” involved. That is, no historian eaited the soures or attached his or her ov views to It before It reached us. ‘Archival documents, manuscript collections, diaries, personal collections, and photographs all are primary sources. So are newspaper, magazine, or journal articles of the era, if they are first hand accounts written or taken at the time of the event. Even memories or recollections ofa participant count as primary sources! Below, some frequently-used sources are classified as primary or secondary. © Autobiographies © History textbooks © Government records © Documentaries ‘+ Photographs © Interviews with echotars © Interviews with participants ‘* Books about the topic wilten by historians ‘¢ Manuscript collections ‘© Atticles about the topic © Newspapers from the era, twritten by an Most web sites ‘author who witnessed the event © Letters ‘¢ Many other types of sourcest '* Music of the time period © Attifects Many other types of sources! COULD IT BE BOTH? Sources can be primary or secondary depending on how you use i. For example, web sites may usualy be ‘secondary, but iit were created by a participant inthe historical event to recount ihe experience, it could be primary. For the purposes of your National History Day bibfogrepiy, each source you use should ony be listed once, as EITHER primary or secondary. You should think cca about how you are using each source and categorize it correctly. Use your annotation to explain why you categorized as either primary or secondary.