Primary Source Data

• What is primary source data?
• Why is the use of primary source data so effective?
• What sources of primary source data are online?

What is Primary Source Data?

A primary source is first-hand information from a person who witnessed or participated in an event. It may also be scientific data, statistics, or an official transcript of a government proceeding. A secondary source is a description by a person usually not present at the event and relying on primary source documents for information. Secondary sources usually analyze and interpret.

The distinctions between primary and secondary sources can be ambiguous. An individual document may be a primary source in one context and a secondary source in another. Time is a defining element. For example, a recent newspaper article is not usually a primary source; but a newspaper article from the 1860's may be a primary source for civil war research.

Some examples of primary sources:

• Diaries, memoirs, letters
• Official documents and records
• Original manuscripts
• Period newspapers
• Legal cases, transcripts, minutes, hearings
• Interviews, oral histories, personal narratives
• Research data and reports
• Statistics