History Research Guide

In History, a primary source is a work, document or record created at the time of an event or by a person who directly witnessed or experienced that event. Primary sources are contemporary, first-hand accounts or descriptions of events, people, things or environments.

• Examples:
  • diaries, photographs, letters, journals, newspaper articles
  • government documents (ex. census forms, military service records, school attendance records)
  • creative works (ex. songs, poems, paintings, novels).