There is a wealth of excellent primary sources available to researchers online, in books, and from online databases. Use the landing page of this guide to find out more about how to identify a primary source and how to use it in your research. Use the tabs across the top to find primary sources in all formats for each given topic area.
A primary source documents shows direct, immediate or firsthand knowledge of a subject or event. Primary source documents are written at the time or on the scene where an event occurred.
Secondary sources lack direct knowledge of a topic or event. These include biographies, monographs, and general periodical articles. Secondary sources are written by people who did not witness or experience an event but may have a great deal of knowledge about the topic.
