Finding Primary Sources

From WSUWiki

This article is intended to assist in locating primary source material both within and outside the WSU Libraries.

Contents 1 Definition 2 WSU Library Materials 2.1 Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC) 3 WSU Wiki Articles for World Civilizations 4 Primary Sources outside WSU Libraries

Definition

A primary source is a work that was created at or near the time of the person/event being studied. One way to think about primary sources is that they are the original sources that other research or works are based on. Examples include diaries, scientific experiment results, statistics, creative writing, speeches, government documents, etc. Further, primary sources are the actual works of the people being studied (i.e. the writings of Albert Einstein, Dialogues of Plato, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Guggenheim, Journals of Lewis and Clark).

WSU Library Materials

These first two titles, Reading About the World, were created specifically for the World Civilizations Courses, they contain many primary source entries.

• Reading About the World, Vol. I Print copy CB 5 R38x 1996 v.1

• Reading About the World, Vol. II Print copy CB 5 R38x 1996 v.2

• The Education Library (in Cleveland Hall) has several primary source materials published by the Jackdaw company; these can be found using the keyword search "jackdaw". Currently, we have around 4 sources that will be found with this search but we're working on having other materials published by Jackdaw re-cataloged to make them easier to find.

Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC)

• The Libraries' Manuscripts Archives and Special Collections department has a large collection of primary source materials. The collection of primary source materials available in MASC generally relate to the history of the Northwest. MASC is not the best place to be searching for primary source materials for topics related to the ancient world. For primary source materials related to topics of the ancient world try some of the sources listed below.

WSU Wiki Articles for World Civilizations

• Primary Sources on the Web for World Civilizations 111 (1500 CE to the present)

• Primary Sources on the Web for World Civilizations 110 (origins to 1500 CE)

Primary Sources outside WSU Libraries

• Internet Medieval Sourcebook By Fordham University's Center for Medieval Studies.

I've found this to be a very valuable source for World Civilization topics --Sborrelli 14:59, November 29, 2006 (Pacific Standard Time)

• American Memory: Historical Collections for the National Digital Library The Library of Congress' digital collection of the American Experience.

• Avalon Project: Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy From the Yale Law Library.

• EuroDocs: Western European Primary Historical Documents Links to Western European historical documents.

• Making of America: 19th c. books and magazines Making of America is a digital library of primary sources in American social history from the antebellum period through reconstruction.

• Valley of the Shadow A digital archive of primary documents (letters, diaries, newspapers, church records, census records) for two communities, one Southern, one Northern, that span the Civil War and Reconstruction eras.

• University of Idaho’s listing of repositories of primary sources A listing of over 5000 websites describing holdings of manuscripts, archives, rare books, historical photographs, and other primary sources for the research scholar.

• Project Gutenbergis a collection of over 20,000 free electronic books.

• The Perseus Digital LibraryThis collection of source material put together by Tufts University is browsable by time period or location.