1 / 28

An Introduction to Primary and Secondary Sources

Learn about primary sources, which offer an inside view of historical events, and secondary sources that analyze them. Discover examples and how to differentiate between them. Find where to locate both types of sources, including online resources.

hammonsr
Download Presentation

An Introduction to Primary and Secondary Sources

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. An Introduction toPrimary and Secondary Sources

  2. Primary Sources

  3. What are primary sources? • A primary source is a document or physical object which was written or created during the time under study. These sources were present during an experience or time period and offer an inside view of a particular event.

  4. Examples: Original Documents (excerpts or translations acceptable): diaries, speeches, manuscripts, letters, interviews, news film footage, autobiographies, official records Creative Works: poetry, drama, novels, music, art Relics or Artifacts: pottery, furniture, clothing, buildings

  5. What are primary sources? • Keep in mind that a primary source reflects only one point of view and may contain a person’s bias (prejudice) toward an event.

  6. Examples of primary sources include: Books, magazines, newspapers

  7. Examples of primary sources: Personal Records Diaries, journals, records

  8. Examples of primary sources: Visual Materials Paintings, drawings, sculpture

  9. Examples of primary sources: Visual Materials photographs, film, maps

  10. Examples of primary sources: Oral Histories Chronicles, memoirs, myths, legends passed down by word of mouth

  11. Examples of primary sources: Songs and Poems

  12. Examples of primary sources: Artifacts Tools, ornaments, objects

  13. Secondary Sources

  14. What are secondary sources? • A secondary source interprets and analyzes primary sources. These sources are one or more steps removed from the event. Secondary sources may have pictures, quotes or graphics of primary sources in them.

  15. Examples: • Publications such as: • Textbooks • Magazine articles • Histories • Criticisms • Commentaries • Encyclopedias

  16. Examples of secondary sources: Textbooks, biographies, histories, newspaper report by someone who was not present

  17. Examples of secondary sources: Charts, graphs, or images created AFTER the time period.

  18. PAST • P = Purpose: What was the object used for? What does the text say? What does the picture show? • A=Author: Who created this? • S=Slant: Is there bias? What is the point of view or frame of reference of the source. • T= Time Period: When was it created? What is the historical context or what was happening at the time it was created?

  19. Name that Source! Using the Primary and Secondary Sources worksheet, visit the examples set up on the tables. Determine which items are classified as a primary or secondary sources. Please write down the item number and name in the area provided on your worksheet.

  20. Primary

  21. Secondary

  22. Places to find primary AND secondary sources: • Library of Congress • www.loc.gov • Montana Memory • Project • http://montanamemory.org/ • Local Museums • Gale databases (school • resources) • School or public library • card catalog • Google • YOUR LIBRARIANS

  23. Internet resources for primary sources: • Library of Congress: The research library that serves the United States Congress, but which is the de facto national library of the United States. It is found at www.loc.gov . • Montana Memory Project: The Montana Memory Project provides access to digital collections from numerous Montana libraries and historical repositories relating to Montana’s cultural heritage and government. It is found at www.montanamemory.org .

  24. Gale Databases 2 ways to find ‘Gale databases’: On school computers, look in the ‘high school favorites’ folder…click on Gale History in Context When logged into the school website, click on the high school tab; click on FOR STUDENTS; click on library; click on U.S. History in Context

  25. Using GOOGLE for primary sources • To find primary documents on the web, try the following internet search • topic + “primary source”

  26. Summary It is important to determine the type of information you are looking at. Primary sources are original sources of information Secondary sources summarize, analyze, or critique primary sources Both primary and secondary sources can be good sources of information, but you need to critically evaluate them.

  27. When all else fails….. Ask one of our librarians for help!!!! We are “super sleuths” with a heart !

  28. The End

More Related