A primary source is a document or piece of evidence written or created during the time period you are studying. A primary source allows you to examine evidence firsthand without being affected by other opinions.
Types of Primary Sources:
The Library of Congress' Digital Collections contain numerous photographs, videos, manuscripts and documents, which can be valuable primary sources for many kinds of research.
Many historical newspapers, which can be useful primary sources, may be found through the site Chronicling America, the National Digital Newspaper Program.
A secondary source describes or analyzes a primary source. These sources are one step removed from the actual event and allow you to understand what scholars and other experts know about your topic.
Types of Secondary Sources:
| Primary Source | Secondary Source |
| A 1901 passenger list of a ship carrying immigrants into Ellis Island | Book analyzing the immigrant experience at Ellis Island |
| The Pentagon Papers, an official report from the U.S. Dept. of Defense about Vietnam | Magazine article examining the impact of the The Pentagon Papers report on Americans' views on U.S. involvement in Vietnam |
| Nighthawks, a painting by artist Edward Hopper | A critique of the painting, Nighthawks, in an art magazine |
| A New York Times newspaper article of the JFK assassination from the time period, November 1963 | The Wikipedia entry for the JFK assassination |
| State of the Union Address by the President of the United States | Newspaper article that critiques the State of the Union Address |
| Text of the No Child Left Behind Act | Magazine article that discusses schools failing to meet obligations of the No Child Left Behind Act |
| Journal article on DNA research that explains the methodology and results of an experiment conducted by the researchers | A newspaper article that summarizes new DNA research |
| News footage of the September 11th terrorist attacks | Article examining people's reactions to the images of the September 11th terrorist attacks |
| A letter written by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War | Book that analyzes Lincoln's writings |
| The movie, The Wizard of Oz | Website examining the symbolism of the movie, The Wizard of Oz |
| The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. - book written by MLK that details his own life | King: A Biography - book written by a researcher that examines MLK's life |
| Brown County, WI wetlands map | Book on wetlands preservation |
| Slave diary from 1831 | A book published in 2009 that examines the daily lives of slaves in the American South |
| A journal article on breast cancer where the researchers explain the methodology and results of their experiment | A journal article that provides commentary and reviews several research experiments studying breast cancer |
(Used with the permission of the Cofrin Library, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay, from their Research Guide: "Primary & Secondary Sources").
