Primary sources are first-hand or contemporary accounts that serve as original evidence documenting a
time period, event, people, idea, or work. Primary sources are evidence used in research along
with secondary & tertiary sources to support your hypothesis. Primary sources can be found in
analog, digitized, and born-digital forms. Whereas secondary sources are someone else's interpretation,
primary sources are open to your interpretation (Guidelines for Primary Source Literacy, 2018).
Explore this guide for information on:
- Finding primary sources on the University Library Website
- The best subject specific databases for locating primary sources in the humanities and sciences
- Online archives
- Understanding archives: Did you know CSUS has its own archive with many interesting historical collections that you can view and examine?
- Analyzing primary sources
- Citing primary sources