Primary Document Definition

Primary documents don't have to be old.

A primary document is one which is authored by a person who was personally involved in the event under study, such asa memoir, a journal or a government decree. Primary documents are also called primary sources or original sources.

Secondary Sources

Primary sources are distinct from a secondary sources, which are authored by someone who may have had access to primary documents, but did not experience the event directly. Secondary sources include textbooks and other academic studies.

Significance

The value of primary sources lies in their immediacy. A primary source provides direct and unfiltered information on the topic of study, allowing the reader to experience the event as personally as possible.

Considerations

On the other hand, this does not mean that primary sources are necessarily more accurate or "true" than secondary sources. Primary documents tend to be influenced by "source bias," that is, a strong tendency on the part of the author to present the material in a particular way. Secondary sources tend to be much better at balancing information, especially scholarly works that undergo peer review.

Types

Examples of primary sources include memoirs, journals, private correspondence, photographs, statistical studies and the data of scientific experiments. The precise definition of primary vs. secondary sources varies slightly from discipline to discipline.

Expert Insight

Primary sources require special treatment to guard against forgeries and data fabrication.

References

• Primary Sources at Yale University: What Are Primary Sources?
• University of Nevada: "What Is a Primary Source?
• Library of Congress: Using Primary Sources

Resources

• American Literature Association: Using Primary Sources on the Web
• Repositories of Primary Sources