What is a Primary Source?
Primary sources are the raw materials of history. They are unique materials that are created at the time of a historical event that serve as proof of historical facts.
Primary sources:
- provide firsthand evidence about a historical event or period in which the creator of the source was an actual participant in or a contemporary of a historical moment.
- capture the words, the thoughts and the intentions of the past. Primary sources enable the researcher to get as close as possible to what actually happened during a historical event or time period.
- can be used to determine how we know about historical events, or cultural trends. How do we know about a moment once it is passed? By the evidence it leaves behind.
- are used by historians, who, by applying critical thinking skills, develop an interpretation of a historical event.
Primary vs Secondary Sources in Four Minutes
Digital Repositories
A selection of digital repositories of primary sources, courtesy of Laura Smith.
It's All About Context
There is nothing that definitively makes a source "primary" or "secondary" - it's all about the relationship between your research topic and the source material. The same source can be a primary source OR a secondary source, depending on how you are studying it.
For example, Stephen Oates' 1977 biography of Abraham Lincoln, With Malice Toward None: A Life Of Abraham Lincoln, could be considered a
- Secondary Source, if you are studying the life of Lincoln
- Primary Source, if you are studying texts accused of plagiarism
Primary and Secondary Sources in the Humanities and Social Sciences
Primary and Secondary Sources in the Sciences
Finding Primary Sources
There are lots of places to start searching for primary sources in the Humanities and Social Sciences. Below are some places to start your search.
Library Search
Library Search finds items in the UConn Library Collection, including archival materials, print materials with original text, printed facsimiles, and online resources that link to digital facsimiles.
For help finding primary sources using Library Search, see the Using the Library Search (Catalog) to Find Primary Sources tab.
Archives
Archives & Special Collections holds over 1000 collections of archival materials and primary sources. Primary sources from cultural institutions around the state of Connecticut can also be found in the Connecticut Digital Archive.
Research Guides
Library Subject Specialists create Research Guides that provide information and instruction on research within specific subjects. Each guide varies, and may include primary source databases and other helpful resources in that field. For additional help finding primary sources in a subject, contact the subject specialist profiled in the specific research guide.
Selected Primary Source Library Databases and Websites
- Historical Newspapers from ProQuestSearch for historical articles in a variety of major American and international newspapers published between 1764-2019. See more info for complete list of newspapers included.
- Manuscript Women's Letters and DiariesIncludes personal writings of women of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, displayed as high-quality images of the original manuscripts.
- Popular Culture in Britain and America, 1950-1975Includes manuscripts, images, and video content highlighting popular culture from 1950-1975.
- Revolution and Protest OnlineIncludes scholarly books and articles, documentary films and interviews covering revolutions, protests, and social movements from the French Revolution to the Arab Spring.
- Women and Social Movements in the United States, 1600-2000Includes books, images, essays, book and website reviews, and other primary sources covering various women's and social movements between 1600-2000.
- Black Freedom Struggle in the United States: A Selection of Primary SourcesSelect primary source documents related to critical people and events in African American history. Contains approximately 1,600 documents focused on different phases of Black Freedom.
- Connecticut Digital ArchivesWide range of digital resources for scholars, students and the general public from UConn, the Connecticut State Library and other Connecticut institutions and agencies in Connecticut.
- Library of Congress Digital Collections339 digital collections from the Library of Congress; includes photos, manuscripts, audio, film, and more.
- Primary Source Sets (Digital Public Library)Primary source collections exploring topics in history, literature, and culture developed by educators
Library Search finds items in the UConn Library Collection
Search Using Primary Document-Related Terms
Add words that identify types of primary sources. These are often part of the Subject Heading, a search option in Advanced Search. These terms may include:
| personal narratives | correspondence | interview | letters |
| sources | speeches | diaries | manuscripts |
| (Note that some terms work better than others depending on the topic) | |||
In the Advanced Search, type your topic on the 1st line. On the 2nd line, change the Any field drop-down to Subject and use of the the subject headings that specify primary sources.
Search Using Date
Narrow your search to the year of publication to find contemporary materials.
Search Using Author
Search a person's name as an author (changing the Any field drop-down to Author). Search by author, not as a subject or keyword, as that will find materials about the person, not works by the person.
