Primary Sources

Primary sources are directly related to an issue or event. Therefore, it is highly desirable that researchers access as many relevant primary sources as possible. However, keep in mind that every text has potential for bias or some hidden agenda. As a consequence, even a "private" diary or allegedly "factual" account can have misrepresentations of events.

Fiction, of course, does not have to adhere to facts, but novels and plays have been used as historical markers. Some even have been known to have definitive descriptions of historical events. For example, An Infamous Army by Georgette Heyer has what is considered an extremely accurate depiction of the Battle of Waterloo.

Examples of primary sources:

• private diaries
• photographs
• direct results of research
• laws--(U.S. Constitution)
• novels, poems, plays
• movies, screenplays
• interviews with the person(s) directly involved
• contracts
• a report written by a witness of an event (composed that day); for example, newspaper articles describing that day or previous day's events;
  "contemporary" accounts
• musical score
• results of an experiment or a poll
• documents directly relevant to an event or issue
• artifacts--tools, clothing, furniture, buildings, etc.
• letters
• annual reports of companies
• speeches
• autobiographies (ripe for misrepresentation, although some are frankly truthful)
• paintings, sculptures, carvings, posters, other art work
• textiles (fabrics)

When writing a paper about a work of fiction, the novel, play, or poem is your primary source for information; secondary sources (critical studies, etc.) may help explain or interpret the text, but the text itself should be used as the main basis for any proofs and persuasions.

A secondary source is one that describes an event or issue from a distance. Good secondary sources use primary sources to compile their information. Examples of secondary sources are encyclopedias, handbooks, guides, textbooks, and many (if not most) non-fiction books and articles.

Identify primary sources in SAGE (CSU's online catalog--should work in most others as well)

The LCSH subdivision most useful for identifying primary sources written by individuals (diaries, personal journals, and memoirs) is "personal narrative." Also useful are "diaries" and "correspondence" (for letters). If there are any materials, they can be identified within a time period or historical event. For example (some of the identified items may include secondary materials) do a SUBJECT search for:

Time period/event (usually war or other conflict):

18th-19th Century
United States History French and Indian War, 1755-1763 Personal narratives.
United States History Revolution, 1775-1783 Personal narratives
United States History Revolution 1775 1783 Personal Narratives British
Mexican War, 1846-1848 Personal narratives.
United States History Civil War, 1861-1865 Personal narratives
United States History Civil War, 1861-1865 Personal narratives, Confederate
[state] History Civil War, 1861-1865 Personal narratives
Spanish-American War, 1898 Personal narratives

20th Century

Soviet Union History Revolution, 1917-1921 Personal narratives World War 1914-1918 Personal narratives World War 1914 1918 Personal Narratives American World War 1914 1918 Personal Narratives British World War 1914 1918 Personal Narratives French World War 1914 1918 Personal Narratives German Spain History Civil War, 1936-1939 Personal narratives. World War 1939-1945 Personal Narratives World War 1939-1945 Personal Narratives American World War 1939 1945 Personal Narratives British World War 1939 1945 Personal Narratives Canadian World War 1939 1945 Personal Narratives French World War 1939 1945 Personal Narratives German World War 1939 1945 Personal Narratives Italian World War 1939 1945 Personal Narratives Japanese

World War 1939 1945 Personal Narratives Jewish World War 1939 1945 Personal Narratives Polish World War 1939 1945 Personal Narratives Russian Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) Personal narratives. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) Netherlands Personal narratives Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) Poland Personal narratives Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) Poland Warsaw Personal narratives Korean War, 1950-1953 Personal narratives, American Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975 Personal narratives Vietnamese Conflict 1961 1975 Personal Narratives American Vietnamese Conflict 1961 1975 Personal Narratives Vietnamese Persian Gulf War 1991 Personal Narratives American Yugoslav War, 1991-1995 Personal narratives, American.

21st Century
September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001 Personal narratives

Profession or as part of historical movement (Correspondence has been abbreviated to "Corr" in this section):

Actors [g a*] Corr African Americans Corr Air pilots Corr Architects United States Corr Artists [g a*] Diaries [Author name] Diaries [Author name] Corr Authors Corr Authors Corr [g a*] [century] Authors, American 19th century Diaries Authors, American 20th century Diaries Authors, English 19th century Diaries Authors, English 20th century Diaries Authors, French 20th century Diaries Authors, German 20th century Diaries Authors, Russian 20th century Diaries Authors, Scottish 18th century Diaries Composers Corr Composers [g a*] Corr Composers United States Diaries. Critics [g a*] Corr Diplomats Corr Diplomats Great Britain Corr Diplomats Great Britain Diaries Dramatists, [g a*] [century] Corr Editors [g a*] Corr Explorers United States Diaries Feminists [g a*] Corr Generals United States Corr Great Britain Kings and rulers Corr Historians United States Corr

Humanists Italy Corr Humorists, American 20th century Corr Immigrants United States Corr Journalists Corr Journalists United States Diaries Judged United States Corr Lawyers United States Corr Legislators United States Corr Musicians Corr Nobility Great Britain Corr Novelists [g a*] [century] Corr Novelists, American 20th century Diaries Novelists, English 18th century Diaries Novelists, English 20th century Diaries Painters [g a*] Corr Philosophers [g a*] Corr Physicists Corr Pioneers California Diaries Pioneers West US Corr Pioneers West US Diaries Poets [g a*] [century] Corr Poets, American 20th century Diaries Poets, English 19th century Diaries Presidents Spouses United States Corr Presidents United States Corr Prime Ministers Great Britain Corr Prisoners of war United States Diaries Psychoanalysts [g a*] Corr Psychologists United States Corr Publishers and publishing United States Corr

Sailors United States Corr Sailors United States Diaries Soldiers [state] Corr Soldiers Great Britain Corr Soldiers Great Britain Diaries Soldiers New York (State) Diaries Soldiers United States Diaries Soldiers United States Corr Statesmen Great Britain Corr Statesmen Great Britain Diaries Statesmen Rome Corr Statesment United States Corr Statesmen United States Diaries Trappists United States Corr Wives United States Corr Women authors [g a*] [century] Corr Women authors, American 19th century Diaries Women authors, American 20th century Diaries Women [g a*] Corr Women [g a*] Diaries Women poets, American 20th century Corr Women southern states Corr   * [g a*] = geographic area, usually a country, but may be a state, region, or city

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URL: http://manta.library.colostate.edu/howto/primsour.html • Modified: 2007-07-26

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