Finding Secondary Sources for Historical Research   Tags: course_guides, history, secondary_sources  

Contact the Reference Desk!
Phone: 262.472.1032
E-mail: Ask a Librarian
Chat: Ask a Librarian

Reference Desk Hours
Summer 2013

Monday-Thursday*
9 AM - 9 PM
Friday
9 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday
CLOSED
Sunday
Noon - 8 PM

*Closed July 4

When doing historical research, it is important to distinguish between primary and secondary sources:

Secondary sources are written by someone who was not present during the event or condition under discussion. Authors of secondary sources use primary sources or other secondary sources to gather their information.

"Primary sources provide first-hand testimony or direct evidence concerning a topic under investigation. They are created by witnesses or recorders who experienced the events or conditions being documented. Often these sources are created at the time when the events or conditions are occurring, but primary sources can also include autobiographies, memoirs, and oral histories recorded later. Primary sources are characterized by their content, regardless of whether they are available in original format, in microfilm/microfiche, in digital format, or in published format." (What Are Primary Sources? Yale University)

For information about finding primary source materials, see the Finding Primary Sources for Historical Research user guide.