Primary Sources - ENG 241 - British Literature I - Research Guides at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College

What is a Primary Source?

A primary source is an artifact, a document, a recording, or other source of information that was created at the time under study. It serves as an original source of information about the topic (the first version). A primary source can be a person with direct knowledge of a situation.

So when should someone use primary sources? To read eyewitness accounts or view photographs or video of an event instead of relying on a summarized explanation; to interpret data yourself instead of relying on another's interpretation; to reflect on and analyze works of literature or art instead of relying on another's opinion; to verify claims made in secondary sources.

pictures of primary documents

Some examples of primary sources include:

works of art
historical artifacts
original published results of an experiment
newspaper articles written at the time of the event
peer-reviewed articles
autobiographies
first-hand interviews
letters
historical documents
Photographs, maps, postcards, posters
Diaries, journals, letters, speeches
Government records (census, marriage, military)
Creative works (songs, plays, novels, stories, paintings, drawings, sculptures)
Artifacts (Coins, furniture, tools, clothing)
Audio or video recordings (e.g. radio, television programs)
Internet communications (email, listservs, websites, tweets, blogs)
Original documents (e.g. birth certificate, will, marriage license, trial transcript)
Patents
Proceedings of meetings, conferences, and symposia
Records of organizations, government agencies (e.g. annual report, treaty, constitution, government document)
Survey research (e.g. market surveys, public opinion polls)
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Original research article with raw data

Where can I find primary sources through RCCC?

Some good places to start would be some of our databases:

Remember, however, that primary sources are original sources. Asking for interviews, checking museums or other places that specialize in local history, or looking through government documents are all great ways to research using primary sources.

American Antiquarian Society (AAS) Historical Periodicals Collection: Vols. 1-5
Composed of five chronological Series spanning from 1684 to 1912, the AAS Historical Periodicals Collection is one of the premier digital libraries documenting American life from the Colonial Era through the Civil War and Reconstruction and into the early 20th century. The scope of the collection is vast with over 6,500 full-text titles, featuring over 10 million pages of digitized content representing more than two dozen languages.
DigitalNC
Explore the history and culture of North Carolina through original materials from cultural heritage repositories across the state.
Films on Demand
Films On Demand is a state-of-the-art streaming video platform that makes it easier than ever to incorporate outstanding educational programs from Films Media Group into your content management systems, online lesson plans, distance learning courseware, or electronic card catalog system.
Infobase American History
American History is an indispensable resource for student research. Spanning our nation’s history—from prehistory to the present day—American History was developed and curated by leading editors and scholars in the study of American history. It is composed of a variety of learning assets, including articles, images, primary source documents, timelines, videos, and slideshows.
Infobase Ancient and Medieval History
Ancient and Medieval History provides thorough coverage of world history from prehistory through the mid-1500s, with special Topic Centers on key civilizations and regions, including the ancient Near East, ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, ancient Rome, ancient and medieval Africa, ancient and medieval Asia, the Americas, medieval Europe, and the Islamic World. Each civilization’s history is brought to life through articles, videos and slideshows, primary sources, and more.
Kanopy
Kanopy is an on-demand streaming video service for educational institutions that provides 12 million students and faculty with access to more than 26,000 films each year. Kanopy works directly with filmmakers and film distribution companies to offer award-winning collections including titles from PBS, BBC, Criterion Collection, Media Education Foundation and more. Kanopy is headquartered in San Francisco, California and has offices in Sydney, Australia.
North American Women's Letters and Diaries
Women's writings from the Colonial period to 1950. Includes writings by Abigail Adams, Louisa May Alcott, Susan B. Anthony, Clara Barton, Dorothea L. Dix, Julia Ward Howe, and more.
InfoBase Polling the Nations
Polling the Nations is an online database of public opinion polls containing the full text of 700,000+ questions and responses, from 18,000+ surveys and 1,700+ polling organizations, conducted from 1986 through the present in the United States and more than 100 other countries around the world.
Salem Press eBooks
Collection of eBooks in Literature, Careers, History, Immigration, and Primary Sources.
Sanborn Maps North Carolina
Digital Sanborn Maps, 1867-1970, provides access to large-scale maps of North Carolina towns and cities.
Slavery in America and the World: History, Culture & Law
This HeinOnline collection brings together a multitude of essential legal materials on slavery in the United States and the English-speaking world. This includes every statute passed by every colony and state on slavery, every federal statute dealing with slavery, and all reported state and federal cases on slavery.
HeritageQuest
Treasury of American genealogical sources: unique primary sources, local and family histories, and finding aids. Includes historical census, PERSI, Revolutionary War records, and more.

Where can I find some primary sources online?

Avalon Project - Documents in Law, Diplomacy, and History from Yale Law School
Yale Law School’s Avalon Project provides a database of documents such as laws, treaties, declarations, constitutions, speeches and statements from ancient history to the 21st century. Documents are organized by time period and by topic.
British Pathe
About British Pathé – Who We Are
British Pathé is considered to be the finest newsreel archive in the world and is a treasure trove of 85,000 films unrivalled in their historical and cultural significance. Spanning the years from 1896 to 1978, the collection includes footage from around the globe of major events, famous faces, fashion trends, travel, science and culture.
Digital Public Library of America
Discover 34,090,282 images, texts, videos, and sounds from across the United States
Digital Public Library Source Sets
Primary source collections exploring topics in history, literature, and culture developed by educators — complete with teaching guides for class use.
Euro Docs
EuroDocs: Online Sources for European History
Selected Transcriptions, Facsimiles and Translations
Internet Archive
A non-profit library of millions of free books, movies, software, music, websites, and more.
The Library of Congress: American Memory
American Memory provides free and open access through the Internet to written and spoken words, sound recordings, still and moving images, prints, maps, and sheet music that document the American experience. It is a digital record of American history and creativity. These materials, from the collections of the Library of Congress and other institutions, chronicle historical events, people, places, and ideas that continue to shape America, serving the public as a resource for education and lifelong learning.
The Tudor Society
All about the Tudors with primary sources, newsletters, quizzes, and more.
New York Public Library Digital Collections
Explore 749,089 items digitized from The New York Public Library's collections. This site is a living database with new materials added every day, featuring prints, photographs, maps, manuscripts, streaming video, and more.

RCCC Presentation and Useful Link Sheet

Primary Source Presentation - Summer 2019
Powerpoint presentation about defining, finding, and using primary sources across the curriculum.
Primary Source Link Sheet
Handout used in Summer Institute, 2019, with useful links to primary sources in the Library's databases and on the web.

ENG 241 - British Literature I: Primary Sources

New All-in-One Search

What is a Primary Source?

Where can I find primary sources through RCCC?

Where can I find some primary sources online?

RCCC Presentation and Useful Link Sheet