Anatomy of a Primary Source

Introduction

A primary source is anything which can be considered evidence for a particular period of history and can include written texts, oral testimony, music, paintings, architecture, or material remains such as tools, furniture and dress. Most historians rely largely on written sources, called documents. As primary sources, documents need to be distinguished from secondary sources, such as a textbook (a book written by a professional scholar for students) and more advanced research texts called monographs (a book written by a professional scholar for other academic researchers and upper-level students of history), or articles published by professional scholars in research publications (periodicals, journals). In general, secondary sources rely on the selection, interpretation and analysis of primary sources to make an argument about the past. Bear in mind that no single document can ever render a complete account of the past – usually historians use many different sources, and different kinds of sources to make their argument stronger.

Documents rarely “tell their own story”. They require analysis and interpretation by historians – this is your job. Since every document is different and also sheds light on a variety of matters, it will be necessary for you to select one topic that can reasonably discussed given your text(s). In a structured argument, your paper should describe accurately the information contained in the document(s) and what can be learned from them. Your paper should not simply paraphrase or retell the source text(s), but must organize a selection of material into an argument.