A primary source is a firsthand testimony or direct evidence concerning a topic under investigation. Primary sources are written or created during the time period being studies, or by a person directly involved in the event. The nature and value of the sources cannot be determined without reference to the topic and question it is meant to answer. Primary sources offer an inside view of a particular event or time period. A Secondary source interprets and analyzes primary sources.
Secondary sources are one step removed from the primary sources.
Access Tools Access tools help locate primary and secondary sources. Copyright Widener University 2000. These pages maintained by Webmaster .