Primary Sources
Immediate, first-hand accounts of a topic, from people who had a direct connection with it.
- Examples: Diaries, letters, speeches, photographs, raw data, original research reports, works of art, laws, court cases.
Secondary Sources
One step removed from primary sources. They cover the same topic but add a layer of interpretation and analysis.
- Examples: Textbooks, magazine articles, histories, criticisms, commentaries, encyclopedias.
Note: Whether a source is primary or secondary can depend on how you use it. A textbook is usually secondary, but if you are studying how history education has changed, old textbooks become primary sources.