| Primary sources are materials created during a given historical period and offer an inside view of a particular event including the ideas, thoughts, and attitudes of the individuals, organizations, or governments involved. Primary sources record someone's actual experience and are the foundation for scholarly research. |
Secondary Sources use primary sources to answer research questions, solve problems, and interpret the past. The authors or creators of these sources were not present at the time of the event they seek to explain. |
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Examples of Primary Sources:
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Examples of secondary sources:
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These are just a few examples. Don't see what you're looking for here? There are hundreds of digital collections publicly available to you. Need something with a more international focus? Try locating the national archives of the country associated with your research subject area. Similarly, identify universities in the geographic location in which the historic event happened or the historic figure lived. They may have digitized content readily available to you.
If you would like assistance don't hesitate to contact the Reference Desk at 302-857-6180 or e-mail LibRef@desu.edu for research assistance.