History 101 & 102 / American History Web Course WEB MODULE: Information Literacy / Library Skills
Developed by the Chesapeake College Library in conjunction with the History Department / © 2007 Last updated 5/17/07
Contents
Biography Resources
Electronic Databases
Other Resources
Part 1 -- Three Types of Sources in Historical Research
Here, in Part 1, you learn the differences between primary, secondary and tertiary research source
Types of Sources: There are
three types of sources that you might use in your paper:
- Primary sources
- Secondary sources
- Tertiary sources
- Primary sources are original
material, and they can be quite old. For example: diaries, letters,
photographs, trial transcripts, works of literature, newspaper
articles dating back in history (the Library makes available
New York Times Historical
Newspapers digitized back to 1851).
- Example: The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, written by Benjamin Franklin, himself.
- Secondary sources are written
about or contain information from primary sources. For example:
biographies, journal articles,
dissertations, monographs.
- Example: The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin, a biography about Benjamin Franklin, written by Gordon S. Wood.
- Tertiary sources are
compilations or collections of information from primary and
secondary sources. For example: almanacs, encyclopedias, fact
books.
- Example: An article in Encyclopedia Britannica written about Benjamin Franklin.
End of Part 1. Continue to Part 2: Finding Source Material >
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