What is a Primary Source?

A primary source is that which provides firsthand information, direct evidence, or original data on a topic. It is the material on which other research is based. Primary sources tend to be contemporary to the events or conditions under examination, but in some circumstances may be written or created at a later time (e.g. autobiographies, memoirs, or oral histories).

Examples of primary sources include original manuscripts, technical reports, diaries, memoirs, letters, photographs, drawings, posters, film footage, sheet music, interviews, government documents, public records, eyewitness accounts, conference proceedings, works of literature, statistical data, speeches, emails, tweets, and web pages.

Primary sources are usually characterized by their content, not their format.  It typically does not matter whether they are in their original format, in digital form, or in print form.

How to Search for and Evaluate Primary Sources

How to Google for Primary Sources

How to Evaluate Primary Sources on Cultural Heritage Websites

How to Evaluate Social Media as a Primary Source

Selected Primary Resources: Websites