What is a primary source?
Answer
Primary sources provide first-hand testimony or direct evidence concerning a topic under investigation. They are created by witnesses or recorders who experienced the events or conditions being documented. Often these sources are created at the time when the events or conditions are occurring, but primary sources can also include autobiographies, memoirs, and oral histories recorded later. Primary sources are characterized by their content, regardless of whether they are available in original format, in microfilm/microfiche, in digital format, or in published format.
Common examples of primary sources include: newspaper or magazine articles, artifacts, diaries, government documents, paintings, photographs, speeches, advertisements, interviews, maps, and literary works.