Primary Sources

Primary Sources

Some definitions of primary sources:

* Primary sources are original materials on which other research is based

* They are usually the first formal appearance of results in the print or electronic literature (for example, the first publication of the results of scientific investigations is a primary source.)

* They present information in its original form, neither interpreted nor condensed nor evaluated by other writers.

* They are from the time period (for example, something written close to when what it is recording happened is likely to be a primary source.)

* Primary sources present original thinking, report on discoveries, or share new information.

Some examples of primary sources:

* scientific journal articles reporting experimental research results

* proceedings of Meetings, Conferences and Symposia.

* technical reports

* dissertations or theses (may also be secondary)

* patents

* sets of data, such as census statistics

* works of literature (such as poems and fiction)

* diaries

* autobiographies

* interviews, surveys and fieldwork

* letters and correspondence

* speeches

* newspaper