About primary sources for humanities
Primary sources are first-hand accounts of an historical event or topic, created by people who were present at the time or event. Primary sources are considered authoritative and examples include:
- Diaries
- Government records
- Interviews
- Letters
- Manuscripts
- Objects
- Oral histories
- Photographs
- Speeches
- Creative works of art
Using this guide
Our guide is designed to help you:
- Find primary sources
- Understand the purpose of primary sources
- Apply advanced searching strategies
Get help
Get help from a librarian when you need support beyond what you can find in this guide. Bookings are available for students, educators, and researchers.
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