organization :: types

Primary Sources

These are original works, which cover a broad range of materials. They can be:

1. Original research published as journal articles,
2. Original theories, ideas etc.,
3. Diaries, memoirs, research notes, data sets etc.,
4. Surveys, questionnaires, and
5. E-mails and opinion polls.

For example: A caveman drew a picture of a mammoth on the wall in his cave. A 21st Century scientist stumbled upon the cave and discovered the picture. He then studied the drawing and developed a theory to reconstruct the life of the caveman who drew the picture thousands of years ago. He published his findings in a professional journal. Both the original drawing and his paper are considered as primary sources.