History: Primary Sources

In history, primary sources are created during the time you're studying. They could be written sources created during the time such as letters, diaries, newspapers, posters, or pamphlets that give information about an event or what it was like to live during that time. They could be objects or images that the viewer can analyze to get information about the historical event or period. Or they could be government or other institutional reports created during the time or raw data.    

Secondary sources use primary sources and give them context, analyzing and interpreting them. They often come in the form of scholarly or popular articles, retrospective news pieces, or books. Click on the "Find Books" or "Find Articles"  tabs to learn more about finding them. 

What type of primary sources will be most useful for your research?  Below are some examples of primary sources where to find them. 

Letters, memoirs, and journals: These may be in books in our library catalog; OR or you may find personal papers in archives. See a guide to local archives and museums and selection of digital collections. 

Newspapers and magazines: The library's online newspaper databases may have articles for your topic and time period. Read the blurbs below each database to see what time periods are covered.  

Films: Find films online or by clicking on the "video" tab on the library's homepage. 

Census data: The library's database Statista compiles reports and graphs of data, including historical data. You can also search the U.S. Census website.  Finding census data can be tricky so don't hesitate to make an appointment or contact a librarian for help. 

Keep in mind that our current language and vocabulary doesn't always match that of the past (e.g. if looking for newspaper articles on African American history, you may need to also search "black" and/or "negro").  Keep a notepad nearby and note terms you find while searching so you can try them in different search tools.

Written accounts of events that describe what was witnessed or experienced are important primary source resources for historical research. These sources include memoirs, journals, diaries, and letters.

Library catalogs use standard terms to describe these kinds of materials so that researchers can find them more easily.

Below are some common terms used for this type of resource and some example searches.  To find resources on your topic, search the catalog using one of the below phrases with your topic. For example, personal narratives and civil war. You can also use one of the searches below and simply add "and your topic" to the search box.

Another category of primary sources that you may want to consider is artwork.  Posters, political cartoons, and other artistic renderings can often provide unique insights and perspectives.  Use these sample searches to find posters, cartoons, and more.

Check the below newspaper databases for your topic, checking first to see if the database includes newspapers in your timeframe and geographic area.  

Each of these databases works slightly differently and can be tricky to use, but a librarian can help! Make an appointment or come by to talk to us if you have any questions at all. 

For genealogical research, try the National Archives and Records Administration guide, or search the library's Ancestry Library database. 

Governments generate and collect huge amounts of data and reports. Think about which governments are likely to have the information you need: Federal, state, local, or tribal governments? Which branches? Legislative, executive, or judicial? A librarian or your professor can help you think this through. 

Examples of information from the US government's legislative branch can include: committee hearings with congressional testimony and the text of congressional legislation. Secondary sources may include reports such as those by the Congressional Research Service and committee reports from Congress. 

Examples of information from the US government's judicial branch can include cases and documents from federal courts including the Supreme Court. You can search for cases in Nexis Uni. Hein Online also has a large library of documents generated by federal and state courts. 

The US government's executive branch's generates massive amounts of data and reports through by Federal agencies (such as the Environmental Protection Agency, The Department of Justice, the FBI, the Census Bureau and literally hundreds of others). Because there are so many agencies that generate data it may be useful to try several search strategies.

There are several government hubs for information.

data.gov includes datasets generated by the federal government.

science.gov includes the results of scientific research from US Federal agencies.

data.census.gov is the census bureau's portal for information about the US population. 

You can also try a Google advanced search in the .gov domain for your topic. The search pictured below is also very effective if you are searching for the US military perspective on a topic, in which you can try a search in the .mil domain. This search can also work well if you are looking for information from other governmental or non-governmental units, such as .eu (European Union), .un (United Nations), . gov.uk (government of the United Kingdom), and others. 

For a full guide to navigating the university's archives and special collections, check out the research guide below.