What is a Primary Source?

Primary Sources

Primary sources are original materials or firsthand accounts. Primary sources are firsthand information, original data, and can be used to prepare derivative works.

Primary source examples:

  • artifacts, photographs
  • diaries, autobiographies
  • correspondence
  • interviews, speeches
  • literature, other manuscripts
  • original records and documents
  • patents
  • surveys
  • original research

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources interpret facts (and should provide cited references). Secondary sources are one step removed from the original source. They usually describe, summarize, analyze, evaluate, or are based upon primary source materials.

Secondary source examples:

  • books and articles that discuss or interpret primary sources
  • biographies
  • commentaries
  • review articles, literary criticism
  • textbooks

Primary Sources

TIPS FOR FINDING PRIMARY SOURCES

1. Consult the Contacts section of a report on CQ Researcher database.

screenshot of contact list from CQ researcher report on veterans' struggles

2. Use the Google search tool for searching within a web site or domain type.

To search within government web domains, add site:.gov to your search terms. To search within a particular website, add site: followed by the URL to your search terms.

3. When reading articles, watch for references to primary sources.

screenshot of article abstract showing reference to a primary source