Different Uses of Primary and Secondary Sources

How to Use Different Types of Resources in Writing History Essays

May 6, 2009

Different types of sources have different uses when writing historical nonfiction.

Any historical research you need or want to do will involve an examination of many different sources. Sometimes a teacher will specifically say that you need a specific kind, namely primary or secondary sources. Here’s a quick explanation of each of these and their uses.

Primary Sources

A primary source is something that was created at the time you are researching. Examples of these include:

While many assume that a primary source is inherently “old,” this is not necessarily the case. If you are researching the Roman emperors or King Henry VIII, then yes, your primary sources will be old, but if your topic is the Vietnam War or the presidency of Bill Clinton, then your primary sources may well be younger than you!

Primary sources are an excellent resource for writers of history, because they allow for a unique look at life and opinions of the time. For example, if you are interested in researching what life was like for women in Early Modern England, you could try to find the diary of a woman who was alive in your period to see what exactly she experienced and how she felt about her life. If you were interested in how the public felt about President Lyndon B Johnson, you could examine newspaper articles written during his presidency.

Of course, primary sources don’t have to be written documents; they can also be physical artifacts, such as pottery, furniture, or even whole buildings. For example, for hundreds of years little was known about the city of Troy, and many believed it to be a legend. Late in the nineteenth century, though, archaeologists found ruins of what is now believed to be the ancient city, and much has been learned in the time since.

You can find primary sources at museums, like the Smithsonian, or at a variety of websites.

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources, on the other hand, are works that were created about the topic at a later time. This can include books, articles, or videos, or replicas of artifacts. These are useful if you need an introduction to the topic, or want a general overview. They were written by other historians based on their own primary research, so are very useful in helping you find primary sources for your own work. Look in the bibliographies of your secondary sources to find which primary sources they used, then try to find any good ones for your own research.

While secondary sources are usually trustworthy, it’s almost always better to find primary sources when writing in history. This is because many historians have a hard time keeping their own biases out of their works, and by examining the primary sources yourself you can avoid this problem. (Of course, authors of primary documents would have their own biases as well, so don’t forget to be critical in your examinations!)

Secondary sources are easier to find. They can be bought online at stores like Amazon.com, or borrowed from your local library.

The copyright of the article Different Uses of Primary and Secondary Sources in Historical Methodology is owned by Sara McCleary. Permission to republish Different Uses of Primary and Secondary Sources in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.