A primary source is a document or piece of evidence written or created during the time period you are studying. A primary source allows you to examine evidence firsthand without being affected by other opinions.
A secondary source describes or analyzes a primary source. These sources are one step removed from the actual event and allow you to understand what scholars and other experts know about your topic.
| Primary Source | Secondary Source |
|---|---|
| A 1901 passenger list of a ship carrying immigrants into Ellis Island | Book analyzing the immigrant experience at Ellis Island |
| The Pentagon Papers, an official report from the U.S. Dept. of Defense about Vietnam | Magazine article examining the impact of the The Pentagon Papers report on Americans' views on U.S. involvement in Vietnam |
| Nighthawks, a painting by artist Edward Hopper | A critique of the painting, Nighthawks, in an art magazine |
| A New York Times newspaper article of the JFK assassination from the time period, November 1963 | The Wikipedia entry for the JFK assassination |
| State of the Union Address by the President of the United States | Newspaper article that critiques the State of the Union Address |
| Text of the No Child Left Behind Act | Magazine article that discusses schools failing to meet obligations of the No Child Left Behind Act |
| UW Board of Regents Meeting Minutes | Blog post that comments on activities of the UW Board of Regents meeting |
| Journal article on DNA research that explains the methodology and results of an experiment conducted by the researchers | A newspaper article that summarizes new DNA research |
| News footage of the September 11th terrorist attacks | Article examining people's reactions to the images of the September 11th terrorist attacks |
| A letter written by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War | Book that analyzes Lincoln's writings |
| The movie, The Wizard of Oz | Website examining the symbolism of the movie, The Wizard of Oz |
| The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. - book written by MLK that details his own life | King: A Biography - book written by a researcher that examines MLK's life |
| Brown County, WI wetlands map | Book on wetlands preservation |
| Slave diary from 1831 | A book published in 2009 that examines the daily lives of slaves in the American South |
| A journal article on breast cancer where the researchers explain the methodology and results of their experiment | A journal article that provides commentary and reviews several research experiments studying breast cancer |