Writing Your Paper Approaches to Research For information on how to do research in general, check Research Strategy . Primary source material is a key part of historical research. A primary source is a document in which an event is described by its witnesses. A secondary source interprets and analyses primary sources.
Secondary sources are one step removed from the event.
Encyclopedias, Dictionaries Consult encyclopedias and dictionaries to get an overview of the topic and brief information about people, dates, events, trends, concepts and terminology. Encyclopedia of American Economic History REF HC103.E52 Signed articles dealing with historiography, chronology, economic growth, the institutional framework, and the social framework. Many of the articles have extensive annotated bibliographies. Encyclopedia of American Facts and Dates REF E174.5.C3 Over 15,000 facts and dates, arranged in a concurrent and chronological order from 986 to 1986. Includes bibliographical references with primary and secondary sources.