NHDPrimary versus Secondary Sources

What is the difference between primary and secondary sources?

SourcesYou must use at least 10 sources for this project. At

least five of these sources must be primary sources. So what is the difference between primary and

secondary sources? Let’s find out.

Secondary Source – A source created using primary and secondary sources. It

is not time specific.

Primary Source – A source created by an eyewitness or participant of the historical

event. It is time specific; think 1st hand account.

Here is a list of different types of sources. Categorize each source as Primary or as

Secondary by making a list for each type. Remember that each source may or may

not appear in both categories

Biography Newspaper article Photograph

Speech Film / Video Personal Letter

Diary/ Journal Painting Autobiography

Magazine article Audio File Web Site

Biographies are always secondary sources

Autobiographies are always primary sources

Wow, she was a lot different then. Imagine how you will

change in the next few years.

Newspaper articles can be primary or secondary depending on the date.

Photograph can be primary or secondary depending on when it

was taken

Speeches are primary sources

http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/day-of-infamy/images/infamy-radio-address.wav

Films / Videos are primary sources

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VqQAf74fsE

Personal Letters are primary

sources

Diaries/ Journals are primary sources.

Paintings can be primary or secondary, but are usually primary.

Magazine articles can be primary or secondary depending on when

they were written.

Audio Files are primary sources

http://www.fu-berlin.de/en/sites/kennedy/dokumente/rede_audio/index.html

Web Sites are almost always secondary sources.

Remember search engines like Google are not sources. The results they give will lead you to sources.

Historians do not use tertiary sources like encyclopedia or web

sites like Wikipedia.