ImagesOUTSIDE THE U OF M
Primary sources are records generated by a particular event or time period, by those who participated in or witnessed it.
Primary sources contain the original information and are usually the place where the original information first appears. They allow us to make personal connections to the past. Primary information does not include later analysis or interpretation, rather it provides evidence used by historians to support an interpretation of the past.
Though many primary sources have been transcribed and published, primary sources are usually in the original language (though some have been translated into English). So, for example, most primary material from the Russian Revolution is in Russian rather than English.
If you are not sure where to look for primary sources on your topic, you may find some listed in footnotes and bibliographies of secondary sources that you are using. Many times these secondary sources will refer to primary sources or at least make the search easier by providing important personal names, dates, titles, issuing agencies, etc. Two indexes that make this process a bit simpler are America: History and Life, and Historical Abstracts, which are linked from our Secondary Sources page.
Primary Sources: Selected ResourCes for History Day Projects
CourseLib page for Hist4961 (Major Paper) includes a good section on Primary Sources.
Primary sources in books at the University of Minnesota
Archives collections at the University of Minnesota
Resources on the Web from other institutions
Television News Archive (Vanderbilt University) - FAQ
Living Witnesses - 1/2 hour downloadable video excerpts from Holocaust testimonials
Primary Sources Reproduced in Books
To search for books that are primary sources
- Go to MNCAT
- Go to the Advanced Search mode
- Change the setting in the left hand boxes as indicated below:
- Enter your topic keywords as General Keywords
- Enter one of the following terms as All Subject keywords *
sources
diar? (retrieves diary and diaries)
diaries
papers
personal narratives
journals (as a subject keyword)
autobiography
Some books are collections of primary (and secondary) sources.
Here are just a few examples:
American History: Original and Secondary Source Readings
Wilson Library Reference Quarto E178.1 .A49245 2003 non-circulating
Debating Historical Issues in the Media of the Time (series)
- The Antebellum era : primary documents on events from 1820 to 1860 / Copeland, David Wilson Library Reference E301 .D43 2003 Non-Circulating
- The Civil War : primary documents on events from 1860 to 1865 / [compiled by] Ford Risley. Wilson Library Reference E464 .C54 2004
- The Reconstruction era : primary documents on events from 1865 to 1877 / Dickerson, Donna Lee, book 2003 Wilson Library E668 .D545 2003
- The Revolutionary era : primary documents on events from 1776 to 1800 / Humphrey, Carol Sue. book 2003 Wilson Library Reference E203 .H88 2003
ARCHIVE COLLECTIONS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
Archives Units in Elmer L. Andersen Library
As you do MNCAT searches you may see materials that are held at one of our Archives or Special Collections on campus. The University of Minnesota Libraries has eleven collections of rare and unique research materials. Eight of these units are in the Elmer L. Andersen Library. Each unit's home page gives instructions for visiting and accessing archival collections and contact information for the unit and its staff. All collections are available to both university researchers and the public.
Working with Manuscripts is a very helpful page written by the staff of the Social Welfare History Archives in Elmer L. Andersen Library.
Finding Aids is a term often used in archives and manuscripts collections. These aids are what you'll be using (instead of catalogs or indexes) to identify materials in more detail before requesting the what you need. Visit Online Finding Aids.
Primary Sources on the Web from other institutions
National Archives and Records Administration Database
Our Documents The Our Documents initiative provides on-line access to 100 milestone documents of American history. It is a cooperative effort among National History Day, The National Archives and Records Administration, USA Freedom Corps, and The Corporation for National and Community Service.
Sites Suggested by the Minnesota Historical Society HISTORY DAY Web Site Scroll down on the MNH page to the section called "On-line Access to Primary and Secondary Sources"
Making of America Cornell University.
Commack Public Library CPL Internet Gazette article on "Primary Sources".
Electronic Text Collections Hanover College
Historical Text Archive compiled by Professor Donald J. Mabry, Mississippi State University
Possible Formats
Format is only one possible indication that the source is a primary source.
Some original primary sources might be reproduced in books or journal articles. Unless you need information that depends on the original format, reproductions generally are acceptable for you to use. If you aren't sure, ask your teacher.
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memoirs |
IS this really a Primary Source?
Ask these questions about the work:
- Who created it?
- What was the original purpose of the source?
- Did the creator have firsthand knowledge of the event or focus?
- What biases or hidden agendas did the creator have?
- Is the document meant to persuade or inform?
- Was the source originally meant to be private or public?
- When was the source created? Soon after the event or years later?
GUIDES
University of Minnesota
- Access to the Hidden Library: Microform Collections U of M Western European studies
- Microform Resources for Historical Research in Twin Cities Libraries
Location: Wilson Library Reference Quarto D5 .W35x 1989 - Help Finding Microforms at the U of M including a photo glossary of terms
Guides from Other Institutions
- Primary Source Archives for History Day Research Minnesota Historical Society
- Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Sources James Cook University
- Using Primary Sources on the Web American Library Association
- Evaluating Primary Sources Library of Congress
Page Coordinator: Susan Gangl