Not sure how to tell the difference between primary and secondary sources? The simple definition is that primary sources provide direct, eyewitness evidence of an event, while secondary sources provide a summary, analysis, or interpretation of events or someone's else's research. Most scholarly, peer-reviewed journal articles and books written by scholars will be considered secondary sources, while most statistical data and news reporting from the time period will be considered primary sources. Here are some examples of what are considered primary and secondary sources.
| Primary Sources | Secondary Sources |
| Diaries, personal journals, and letters | Histories, encyclopedias, dictionaries, and bibliographies |
| Factual newspaper and magazine articles written at the time | Newspaper and magazine articles that interpret an event |
| Government records, announcements, and publications | Criticisms, commentaries, and editorials |
| Speeches, radio broadcasts, and video recordings from that time | Scholarly journal articles (other than original research) |
| Interviews with and autobiographies by people who lived during that time/witnessed that event | Books that provide commentary or context on a topic |
|
Original research articles |
Textbooks |