Written sources are those that take the form of text. Historians utilize them to recreate ancient, medieval, and contemporary history. Government newspapers, gazettes, diaries, reference books, and official communication are examples of written sources that provide historical information. Archaeologists also make use of written sources for their study of human culture through the examination of material remains (such as architecture, art, and technology) that survive long after their creators. In academic contexts, written sources include works of literature, such as poems and novels, as well as articles, essays, and reports. In research journals, these sources are published along with the names of the authors and the dates when the materials were first produced or received from other institutions. In academic conferences, papers are given short abstracts so that attendees can decide whether they want to read them. If they are interested, they can request that the author provides them with a copy of the paper. Written sources play an important role in historians' efforts to reconstruct past events. They provide evidence about what people believed about the world around them and how they reacted to events. By reading accounts of famous people's thoughts and actions, we get a sense of how they perceived themselves and their surroundings. We can also learn about causes and consequences of events from scholars who lived at the time they occurred.