William L. Clements Library
Understanding Primary Sources
What are Primary Sources?
Primary sources are first-hand accounts created at the time of a historical event or at a later date by a participant. The Clements Library collections include books, manuscripts, letters, diaries, newspapers and magazines, maps, photographs, and artwork. Primary sources provide the raw materials for the study of history, often used in combination with later interpretations by scholars.
Questions to Ask
Primary sources provide the evidence used by historians to draw conclusions about historical themes and trends. As you study a source, ask yourself questions to learn about the creators, the purpose of the document and its historical significance.
- Who wrote this? When? Why?
- Whom is this directed to?
- What are the assumptions and values of the group of people who distributed and received this document?
- What does the language tell us about the document, its authors, and its audience? Group membership? Connections?
- What purpose is this document trying to serve or what goal is it seeking?
- What can we learn about the way this document was produced and distributed?
Further Resources:
Society of American Archivists: Glossary of Terminology