Research links and tips
Web-based research - evaluate the website!
When using a website for research, make sure it is a credible source.
View a slide show that gives you basic Web Evaluation tips!
Primary Sources
Q. What is a primary source?
A. The Princeton University Library has a pretty good definition:
A primary source is a document or physical object which was written or created during the time under study, or offers a first-hand account. These sources were present during an experience or time period and offer an inside view of a particular event. Some types of primary sources include:
- ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS (excerpts or translations acceptable): Diaries, speeches, manuscripts, letters, interviews, film footage, autobiographies, official records
- CREATIVE WORKS: Poetry, drama, novels, music, art
- RELICS OR ARTIFACTS: Pottery, furniture, clothing, buildings, uniforms, weapons, jewelry, etc.
- INTERVIEWS and STATEMENTS: Recordings, films, videos or transcripts of first person accounts.
Examples of primary sources include:
- Diary of Anne Frank - Experiences of a Jewish family during WWII
- The Constitution of Canada - Canadian History
- A journal article reporting NEW research or findings
- Weavings and pottery - Native American history
- Plato's Republic - Women in Ancient Greece
Selected Primary Source websites:
American Memory http://memory.loc.gov
From the Library of Congress, the American Memory project is a collection of digitized documents, photographs, recorded sound, moving pictures and text from the Library of Congress Americana collections. There are over 70 collections included in the project. Go the the American Memory website and search a particular topic or browse through the collections.
Library of Congress http://www.loc.gov
From the website: "The Library of Congress is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution and serves as the research arm of Congress. It is also the largest library in the world, with millions of books, recordings, photographs, maps and manuscripts in its collections." There are many digital collections contained within the LOC's website, and all concern government and life in the U.S. since our nation began.
Secondary Sources
Q. What is a secondary source?
A. Anything that is not a primary source.
Secondary sources describe what happened after the fact. While the Declaration of Independence is a primary source, an article or book written about it is a secondary source.
It is important to evaluate secondary sources (see above) with a critical eye, to judge how reliable they are.
Reliable secondary sources include:
- Newspapers
- Books (except for self-published books)
- Databases
- e-Books
- News websites (like CNN and BBC)
- Websites that are fact-checked or written by experts (see above)
Most research is a combination of primary and secondary sources. Secondary sources can help us understand primary sources better.
National Archives http://www.archives.gov/
Explore our nation's history through official documents, photographs and records.
Museums - Most museums worldwide have digital collections that include primary sources. These might include artifacts, photographs, sound recordings, paintings, photo, film, letters, documents, etc.
Most websites have a combination of primary and secondary sources - it is up to you to evaluate the kind of source you are using. If you are unsure about your source, ask the librarian or your teacher for help.