What Are Primary Sources? Primary Sources Are

Primary Sourceswhat Are Primary Sources Primary Sources Are Document

Primary Sourceswhat Are Primary Sources Primary Sources Are Document

Primary Sources What are Primary Sources? ï‚· Primary sources are documents or artifacts created during a historical event or by someone who personally witnessed a historical event. ï‚· Primary sources can take many forms, including: o First-hand accounts—oral histories, memoirs, diaries, letters, interviews, etc. o Media accounts—newspaper or television report o Political or legal documents—Congressional Records, Presidential Papers, Court rulings, Speeches, census or tax records o Artistic works—Photographs, paintings, sculptures, films o Artifacts—clothing, buildings, pottery ï‚· All primary sources, except first-hand accounts, must have been created at the time of the historical event that you are researching. ï‚· First-hand accounts must be an explanation of the historical event that you’re researching by someone who personally witnessed the event.

Where Can I find Primary Sources? There are many places to find primary sources online, like websites for archives and museums. Here are some places where you can find primary sources: Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, History Matters, National Security Archive, FBI Archive, Foreign Relations of the United States, Tenement Museum, Herbert Hoover Library, Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, Harry S. Truman Library, Dwight D. Eisenhower Library, John F. Kennedy Library, Lyndon B. Johnson Library, Richard Nixon Library, Gerald Ford Library.

Secondary Sources What are Secondary Sources? ï‚· Secondary sources are accounts of historical events written after the event took place and by individuals who did not personally witness them. ï‚· They are based on primary sources and backed up by other secondary sources. ï‚· Often, the term “secondary source†is used interchangeably with the terms “academic source†or “scholarly source.† You should usually interpret instructions that ask for secondary sources as asking you for a peer-reviewed journal article or book. Where do I find Secondary Sources? ï‚· Secondary sources are the product of the analyses of primary sources, with context provided by secondary sources. ï‚· They are generally written by professional historians or students to build on the work of other historians. ï‚· The best place to find secondary sources for your work is the Ashford University Library.

What separates a Secondary Source from a Primary Source? ï‚· Secondary sources and memoirs and oral history interviews are all created after a historical event happened. ï‚· The important difference is that secondary sources are not first-hand accounts, like memoirs or oral history interviews. What about textbooks and encyclopedias? Are they Secondary Sources? ï‚· Textbooks, encyclopedias and other reference works, and most documentaries and educational websites are not secondary sources because they are based only on secondary sources. They are called tertiary sources. ï‚· Although they provide some good general information that can help students begin the research process, they are generally not acceptable for use in university-level work.

WK3 Final Project Framework Worksheet This worksheet will help you prepare for your final project by organizing the information that you’ll need for your final paper and walking you through the process of defining your topic, researching and analyzing primary and secondary sources, crafting a thesis, and creating an annotated bibliography. Once you have completed the worksheet submit it to the online classroom for grading. After your instructor has graded the worksheet, please be sure to use it and the feedback provided to you by your instructor as you construct your final project. 1. Statement of Topic: What topic will you be researching for your final project? You have the choice of: · African Americans · Native Americans · Women · Immigrants You must choose only ONE of the above groups. Which group have you chosen? ________________ 2. Events You will need to choose at least 4 specific events that you plan to discuss in your final project. You should choose events that show how life in the United States changed over time for the group that you chose. Two events must be from the period between 1877 and 1945 and two events must be from the period 1945 to the present. On this worksheet and in your final project, be sure to discuss the events you’ve chosen in the order that they happened. This will help you put together a project that makes historical sense. Event 1: 1877 to 1945 Event: ___________________________________________________________________ When: When did the event happen? Did it happen on a specific date? During a specific decade? _________________________________________________________________________ Where: Where did the event happen? In a specific city, state, or region of the country? Throughout the country? _____________________________________________________________________________ Who: Who were the main people involved in the event? What specific group of people was involved? Are there specific individuals associated with this event? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Why: What events or issues contributed to this event happening? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ How: How is this event historically significant? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Event 2: 1877 to 1945 Event: ________________________________________________________________________ When: when did the event happen? Did it happen on a specific date? During a specific decade? _____________________________________________________________________________ Where: Where did the event happen? In a specific city, state, or region of the country? Throughout the country? _____________________________________________________________________________ Who: Who were the main people involved in the event? What specific group of people was involved? Are there specific individuals associated with this event? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Why: What events or issues contributed to this event happening? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ How: How is this event historically significant? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Event 3: 1945 to the present Event: _______________________________________________________________________ When: When did the event happen? Did it happen on a specific date? During a specific decade? ___________________________________________________________________________ Where: Where did the event happen? In a specific city, state, or region of the country? Throughout the country? _____________________________________________________________________________ Who: Who were the main people involved in the event? What specific group of people was involved? Are there specific individuals associated with this event? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Why: What events or issues contributed to this event happening? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ How: How is this event historically significant? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Event 4: 1945 to the present Event: ________________________________________________________________________ When: when did the event happen? Did it happen on a specific date? During a specific decade? ____________________________________________________________________________ Where: Where did the event happen? In a specific city, state, or region of the country? Throughout the country? _____________________________________________________________________________ Who: Who were the main people involved in the event? What specific group of people was involved? Are there specific individuals associated with this event? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Why: What events or issues contributed to this event happening? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ How: How is this event historically significant? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Sources You will need to locate two primary sources and two secondary sources related to your topic. Use the primary source analysis tool for help with analyzing primary sources. Primary Sources APA Citation for Primary Source 1: Provide the APA citation for your source. Here are some examples of APA citations. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Annotation for Primary Source 1: Provide an annotation explaining what the source is, where it came from, what this source can tell us about your topic, what questions it raises, and how this source will help you prove your thesis. Be sure to clearly identify which specific event this source relates to. Here are some examples of annotations . ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ APA Citation for Primary Source 2: Provide the APA citation for your source. Here are some examples of APA citations. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Annotation for Primary Source 2: Provide an annotation explaining what the source is, where it came from, what this source can tell us about your topic, what questions it raises, and how this source will help you prove your thesis. Be sure to clearly identify which specific event this source relates to. Here are some examples of annotations . ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Secondary Sources APA Citation for Secondary Source 1: Provide the APA citation for your source. Here are some examples of APA citations. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Annotation for Secondary Source 1: Provide an annotation explaining what the author's thesis is, how they prove their thesis, and how this source will help you prove your thesis. Be sure to clearly identify which specific event this source relates to. Here are some examples of annotations . ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ APA Citation for Secondary Source 2: Provide the APA citation for your source. Here are some examples of APA citations. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Annotation for Secondary Source 2: Provide an annotation explaining what the author's thesis is, how they prove their thesis, and how this source will help you prove your thesis. Be sure to clearly identify which specific event this source relates to. Here are some examples of annotations . ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Thesis Statement Once you have analyzed your sources, consult the AWC’s “Thesis Statement †and use the writing center's Thesis Generator to craft a thesis on your topic, based on your findings from your sources. Please remember that there are primary listed in the Week3 Discussion Board 1. You are free to use one or more of those primary sources or you may find your own. You are also welcome to use the secondary sources throughout the course listed as “recommended sources.†Thesis: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Paper For Above instruction

Primary sources are essential for understanding historical events because they provide firsthand accounts and direct evidence from the period studied. These sources include documents, artifacts, recordings, and other materials created at the time of an event or by witnesses of that event, offering invaluable perspectives that secondary sources may lack. For example, a soldier’s diary from World War II or a photograph from the Civil Rights Movement can shed light on personal experiences and societal conditions, emphasizing the importance of primary sources in reconstructing accurate historical narratives (Brodsky, 2019).

Accessing primary sources has been facilitated significantly through digital archives and repositories maintained by institutions such as the Library of Congress, National Archives, and various specialized museums and collections. These platforms enable researchers and students to explore original documents, photographs, speeches, and recordings online, thereby democratizing access and expanding opportunities for historical inquiry (Lowenthal, 2017). In particular, online resources like the Library of Congress Digital Collections and the National Archives Catalog provide extensive digitalized primary resources spanning multiple eras and regions of U.S. history.

Secondary sources, on the other hand, are analyses and interpretations produced after the events have occurred. These sources include scholarly articles, books, and essays authored by historians and experts who analyze primary data within broader historical contexts. Unlike primary sources, secondary sources do not originate from witnesses but synthesize information to offer critical perspectives, interpret trends, and evaluate the significance of events (Tosh, 2016). For example, a history textbook summarizing the Civil Rights Movement or a peer-reviewed journal article analyzing the causes of the Great Depression exemplifies secondary sources’ role in contextualizing and explaining primary data.

Distinguishing secondary from primary sources is fundamental in historical research. Primary sources are created during or immediately after an event by witnesses or participants, making them invaluable for authenticity and immediacy. In contrast, secondary sources interpret, analyze, or synthesize primary data and are typically produced later. For instance, a newspaper article reporting on an event as it unfolded is primary, whereas a scholarly article written decades later discussing the event is secondary (Greer, 2018).

Regarding textbooks and encyclopedias, they fall into the tertiary category, as they compile and summarize secondary sources, often distilling vast amounts of information into more accessible formats. While useful for initial orientation or background, tertiary sources generally do not provide the depth and specific evidence necessary for graduate-level research. As such, academic research emphasizes primary and secondary sources to ensure accuracy, detail, and analytical depth (Miller, 2020).

The research process often begins with defining a clear and focused topic. For instance, selecting a specific group such as African Americans, Native Americans, women, or immigrants allows for a more structured investigation. Once the topic is chosen, identifying key events—at least four—spanning different periods, provides a chronological framework to observe how experiences and societal conditions evolved over time. For example, for African Americans, events like the Emancipation Proclamation (1863), the Harlem Renaissance (1920s), the Civil Rights Act (1964), and the election of Barack Obama (2008) illustrate significant milestones from different eras.

Further, the research involves acquiring relevant primary and secondary sources. This includes analyzing documents like speeches, photographs, letters, or legal records, and reviewing scholarly sources that contextualize or interpret these materials. For example, a primary source might be Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, which vividly captures the Civil Rights Movement’s spirit, while secondary sources could analyze its impact within broader socio-political frameworks (Branch, 1998).

Crafting a strong thesis statement synthesizes the findings from the sources, articulating a clear argument or perspective about the historical development of the chosen group. For instance, a thesis might argue that “The trajectory of African Americans’ civil rights experiences demonstrates a persistent fight for equality, marked by significant milestones that reflect changing societal attitudes and legal frameworks.” The thesis guides the research narrative, underpinning the selection and interpretation of sources.

References

• Branch, T. (1998). Parting the waters: America in the King years. Simon & Schuster.
• Brodsky, M. (2019). The importance of primary sources in history. Journal of Historical Methods, 27(3), 45-59.
• Greer, T. (2018). Primary vs. secondary sources in historical research. Historical Perspectives, 34(2), 112-117.
• Lowenthal, D. (2017). The heritage crusade and the Spoils of History. Cambridge University Press.
• Miller, R. (2020). The role of tertiary sources in academic research. Journal of Academic Inquiry, 12(1), 50-65.
• Tosh, J. (2016). The pursuit of history: Aims, methods, and new directions. Routledge.