Primary sources can be defined as "those closest, in time or connection, to any subject of investigation." [Richard Maruis, A Short Guide to Writing about History, 8th ed., 2012, p.14]
These include
- Letters, diaries, memoirs, speeches, and other first person accounts
- Certain government publications, such as Congressional hearings
- Official accounts by people in authority, such as reports from the Secretary of the Navy or captain of a ship
- Oral histories or interviews
- Manuscript collections
- Most newspaper or periodical articles from the time of the event
- Other material from the time such as photographs or pamphlets
Primary Source Tip Sheets:
