Research Guides: ARHU 158: Explorations in Arts and Humanities: Primary Sources

Primary Sources

Primary sources are usually defined as first hand information or data that is generated by witnesses or participants in past events. Primary sources are characterized not by their format but rather by the information they convey and their relationship to the research question. The interpretation and evaluation of these sources becomes the basis for other research.

Evaluating whether something can be used as a primary source depends on two things:

Proximity to the source
- Ideally the best type of source material comes from a person or process that is closest in time or proximity to the event, person or place under study. Usually the creator of this type of primary source is an eyewitness who left a record for personal or procedural purposes. Reliability of sources declines as one get farther in time and proximity.
Questions asked
- Determining whether a source is a primary source often depends on the questions asked of it by the researcher.

For Example
A history text from the 1950s about the rise of Catholicism in America is usually considered a secondary source. However, a researcher investigating prevailing attitudes about religion in the 1950s may consider this work a primary source.

Streaming Video

American History in Video
Provides the largest and richest collection of video available online for the study of American history, with 2,000 hours and more than 5,000 titles on completion. The collection allows students and researchers to analyze historical events, and their presentation over time, through commercial and governmental newsreels, archival footage, public affairs footage, and important documentaries.
Films on Demand Master Academic Collection
Streaming video service of almost 12,000 full length videos of high-quality educational titles. Subject sets featured are: business & economics, humanities & social sciences, science & mathematics, health & medicine. This collection also includes thousands of video clips and a collection of archival films & newsreels. Special features allow users the ability to organize and bookmark clips, create and share playlists; most videos available with closed-captioning and interactive transcripts; may be viewed through most mobile devices.

Digitized Primary Source Databases

Many primary sources are digitally available in specially curated databases. To locate these databases start with the Libraries' Database Finder. Most of these databases will be listed under the “Browse Database by Type” categories of Archives and Manuscripts, Newspapers and Periodicals Current (1990-), Newspapers and Periodicals Historical (pre 1990), and Primary Sources.

Guide to British and US Primary Sources

Guide to British & U.S. Primary Sources
This guide provides information about American and British primary source material available at the University of Maryland Libraries. It covers electronic, microform, and Special Collections resources. The electronic and microform materials cover the period between ca. 1500 and 2000.

Primary Sources In University of Maryland Special Collections

The Research Using Primary Source guide was developed by the University of Maryland Libraries' Special Collections. It will clarify how to locate, access, and use primary sources, particularly at the University of Maryland and it's Special Collections