What is a primary source?
Answer
Primary sources are immediate, first-hand accounts of a topic from people who have a direct connection to it. They serve as original evidence or direct testimony regarding a subject. Examples of primary sources include:
- Texts of laws and other original documents
- Newspaper reports written by reporters who witnessed an event or quoted people directly involved
- Speeches, diaries, letters, and interviews—what the people involved actually said or wrote
- Original research studies
- Datasets and survey data, such as census or economic statistics
- Photographs, videos, or audio recordings that directly capture events