Primary Sources

When you use primary source materials in your research, you are responsible for interpreting, investigating, and contextualizing your selected sources.

Just like evaluating and reading scholarly articles, the close reading of primary sources found in your research is a skill you will develop the more you practice! Because primary sources can take a variety of forms, it is important to have a wide range of tools to use to analyze these materials. When you have a strong understanding of how to work with primary research materials, you will be well equipped to analyze anything from official documents and correspondence to sheet music and photographs!

Below is a list of questions to help you get started with critically engaging with a primary source. You do not need to be able to answer every question, and every question may not apply to every material type. However, if you cannot answer a question, consider why you can't or what additional materials may help you answer these questions:

Historical Context

• About the author:
  • Who made this?
  • What else can you find from this creator?
  • Why is this author a credible or authoritative source for this research?
• Place it in time:
  • When was this made?
  • What significant historical events were occurring around the time this was made? Think global, regional, and local to the primary source.
  • What historical events are associated with this source? 
  • Is the association between this source and these historical events obvious by the content of the source? If not, why do you think they are associated?
• Location of creation:
  • What do you know about where this was made?
  • If you do not know a specific place of origin, why do you think that might be?
  • Was the place of creation part of a different country or territory when it was created?

Motivation for Creation

• Look at the content:
  • Who was the intended audience for this source?
  • How does the content reflect the author's perspectives and biases?
  • What evidence is provided?
  • Does the author build a formal argument? Why do you think they did or did not?
• Look into the medium:
  • What purpose did this type of document, image, or object serve in the culture and time period this was created?
  • Does anything stand out as different or unique compared to similar primary sources?
  • What resources can you find to learn more about this medium in the culture and time period this source was created? Can they give you any insights into the significance, intended purpose, or underlying messaging of this source?
  • How publicly was this source meant to be shared? 
  • How do you think you are interpreting this source differently than the intended audience because of your academic, temporal (time-related), or cultural contexts?
• Find more sources:
  • What other sources have you found related to your research topic?
  • What conflicts and what is consistent between your sources? Why do you think these differences exist?
  • What additional primary or secondary sources do you think would help you contextualize or analyze these sources? Where can you look for them?

Current Location

• Why was it preserved:
  • Why do you think this is considered important for historical preservation?
  • How could this source be useful to other research topics or research in other disciplines?
  • Do you think this source will still be useful for research in 50 years? Do you think it may be valued or perceived differently in the future?
• Why is it in its particular repository:
  • Does this source match the theme, location, or other collections of the repository is held by? What connections can you make across this repository's collections?
  • What can you find out about the provenance, or the history of the ownership of this source? Was it donated, purchased, or left to this repository in someone's will? Are there any gaps in the ownership records, and if so, what do you think that means?

These resources are available through the Lyman Beecher Brooks Library. We hope that they can help you learn more techniques for analyzing and using primary sources in your research.