A primary source is an original object or document- the raw material or first-hand information, source material that is closest to what is being studied. Primary sources vary by discipline and can include historical and legal documents, eye witness accounts, results of an experiment, statistical data, pieces of creative writing, and art objects. Primary sources such as research articles often do not explain terminology and theoretical principles in detail. Thus, readers of primary scholarly research should have foundational knowledge of the subject area. Use primary resources to obtain a first-hand account to an actual event and identify original research done in a field. The definition of a primary source only makes sense in the context of a specific discipline or field of inquiry. In the humanities and the arts, a primary document might be an original creative work. It might be a part of the historical record written about, or in proximity to, an event. Primary sources are available here primarily for use in high-school and university/college courses. From the outset the site took a very broad view of the sources that should be available to students and as well as documents long associated with a 'western civilization' approach to history also provides much information on Byzantine, Islamic.
Primary resources contain first-hand information, meaning that you are reading the author’s own account on a specific topic or event that s/he participated in. Examples of primary resources include scholarly research articles, books, and diaries. Primary sources such as research articles often do not explain terminology and theoretical principles in detail. Thus, readers of primary scholarly research should have foundational knowledge of the subject area. Use primary resources to obtain a first-hand account to an actual event and identify original research done in a field. For many of your papers, use of primary resources will be a requirement.
Primary Sources Examples
Examples of a primary source are:
- Original documents such as diaries, speeches, manuscripts, letters, interviews, records, eyewitness accounts, autobiographies
- Empirical scholarly works such as research articles, clinical reports, case studies, dissertations
- Creative works such as poetry, music, video, photography
How to locate primaryresearch in NCU Library:
Primary Sources Morse Code
- From the Library's homepage, begin your search in Roadrunner Search or select a subject-specific database from the A-Z Databases.
- Use the Scholarly/Peer-Reviewed Journal limiter to narrow your search to journal articles.
- Once you have a set of search results, remember to look for articles where the author has conducted original research. A primary research article will include a literature review, methodology, population or set sample, test or measurement, discussion of findings and usually future research directions.