writing in the disciplines

reading primary and secondary sources

Historians distinguish between two types of sources: primary and secondary. A primary source is a first-hand account or interpretation of the past. Such sources may include personal memoirs, oral histories, paintings, newspaper articles, diaries, or any other artifact that was produced during the time or event under examination. A secondary source is a second-hand account or interpretation of the past. Such sources may include journal articles, monographs, or scholarly books.

It is important to note that there can be some overlap between these two categories. For instance, a historian may use a secondary source as a primary one, as when writing a historiography.

strategies for reading primary sources

strategies for reading secondary sources