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Primary Source Research LibGuide: Places to find Primary Sources

Primary Source Research Databases and Sites


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Primary Source Research Tips

Tips on finding and using primary sources

1. First gather background knowledge of your topic: who, where, what, when. 
2. Check out our history databases with built in primary sources: ABC-CLIO and GALE in Context 
3. Use our list of primary source databases found in the box below. 
4. Use Google: type in your topic + archives. This can lead you to museum sites, libraries, and heritage organizations.

What to think about when analyzing and using a primary source

1. What type of document am I using as a primary source: a letter, a diary entry, a news report, a photograph, a recording...?

2. When was it written and/or created?

3. Who wrote or created this document and why? 

4. Who was the intended audience for the document at the time it was created?

5. What does the document tell you or show you about the topic you are researching? 

6. What is the historical context of the document? What was going on in politics, society, economics, at the time it was created?