Primary source
Original source created at the time under study.
A primary source, also called an original source, is an artifact, document, diary, manuscript, autobiography, recording, or any other source of information created at the time under study. It serves as an original source of information about a topic and is distinguished from secondary sources, which interpret, analyze, or comment on primary sources. The classification of a source as primary or secondary is relative and depends on the historical context and the purpose of the study.
Quick Facts
- Field
- History
- library science
- journalism
- and other academic disciplines
- Key distinction
- Relative to secondary sources; depends on context and use
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
In scholarly writing, classifying sources as primary or secondary helps determine their independence and reliability. Primary sources are considered to have the most direct connection to the past and are often preferred in historical writing; if none are available, secondary sources should be used only with great caution. The distinction is subjective and contextual, so precise definitions are difficult to make. For example, a memoir is a primary source when used to study its author's life but becomes a secondary source if used to investigate broader cultural or social conditions.
Did You Know?
- A book review becomes a primary source when it contains the opinion of the reviewer about the book rather than a summary.
- In some cases, a source is identified as primary because no copy of the original source material exists, or it is the oldest extant source for the information cited.
- In the humanities, a primary source can be created after the time period studied by individuals reflecting on their involvement in the events.
- In scientific literature, a primary source is the original publication of a scientist's new data, results, and theories.
More in Historiography & Methods
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