Primary sources are original sources of information that have not yet been filtered through analysis, examination or interpretation. Typically, primary sources are contemporary to the events and individuals being researched. Much more information may be found in the guide Primary Sources in History.
Primary sources differ both in content and format from discipline to discipline. Below are examples of primary sources used by:
A secondary source is not an original source. It has no direct physical connection to the person or event being studied. Examples of secondary sources might include: history books, articles in encyclopedias, prints of paintings, replicas of art objects, reviews of research, academic articles.
Secondary Sources are sometimes categorized as:
It is often difficult to distinguish clearly between primary and secondary sources. Some evidence can be both, at the same time. The first edition of Encyclopaedia Britannica was a secondary source when first published in 1768; but today it is a primary source to historians.