Primary Sources
Primary Sources: information in its original,
first-hand presentation. Often used in historical research, primary sources
enable the researcher to return to the past and get as close as possible to
an historical event or time period. Examples of primary sources include:
Diaries
Speeches
Interviews
Opinion polls, surveys, census data
Letters
Memos, email messages
Manuscripts
Memoirs and autobiographies
Birth and death records
Texts of court decisions, statutes, state propositions, etc.
Original artwork
Articles and books that describe an event or time period written at the time
the event(s) occurred. Often written by eye-witnesses or
journalists.
Articles presenting data and results of newly conducted scientific
experiments
A primary source