Primary Sources
One Place to Go = Google!
Trick # 1 - Use good search terms!
Suggested Search Terms For Primary Sources
Audio Recording
Clothing, costumes
First-hand
Government Documents
Letters
Interview
Journal or diary
Photograph
Song or Lyrics or Concert
Speech
Television Broadcast, TV show
Video Recording
Combine with keywords related to your topic.
Name of a person directly involved (ex. Malcolm X, MLK)
Name of a movement (ex. Civil Rights, Women's Movement)
Name of a group or organization (ex. NY Yankees, NOW)
Name of a place (ex. Little Rock, Arkansas; Normandy, France)
Name of an event (ex. Korean War, March on Washington)
Remember to use the following format for sources without a citation!
Hint: this is on your Source Sheet!
Author/Organization. "Article Title." Source Title. Date Updated, URL. Date of Access.
Trick # 2 - Use a Video Database!
Classroom Video on Demand
YOUTUBE CITATION FORMAT:
Creator Last Name, First name. "Title of video." Youtube, uploaded by __________, date published, URL.
*Note: The creator may be a person (last name, first name), or an organization such as The New York Times or CNN. If the person/organization who created the video is the same as the one who published it, then skip the creator and begin the citation with the video title.
Trick # 3 - Stick to the databases to find primary sources
Once you search for your topic in ABC-CLIO...
Click on FILTERS. Then select the types of sources you want under Media and/or Documents. You may want to check the following:
Photos & Illustrations
Videos
Visuals
Speeches
Political, Government and Court Documents
Cultural Documents
Letters & Narratives
Facts on File American History Online makes it super easy...
After searching for your topic, just click on Primary Sources!
Or try out our newest database - NewsBank!
Directions: Browsing NewsBank Directions: Searching NewsBank
Click the search tab
Type your topic
Limit by date (just need the years)
Sort by "best match"