Some suggestions for where to find primary sources:
A place to start:
American Decades: Primary Sources - this source has a variety of primary sources such as transcripts, ads, reports related to big historical events in the last century. The library also has this sources in print in the reference area: REF E169.1 .A471977 2004
For articles:
Academic Search Complete - there are some publications, including the Congressional Digest, Vital Speeches of the Day, The Nation, and Foreign Affairs indexed back to before 1945 - most results will be from between 1975-2013.
Newspaper Source Plus- 860 full-text newspapers, but only back to 2002
Ethnic NewsWatch - Ethnic NewsWatch is a current resource of full-text newspapers, magazines, and journals of the ethnic and minority press, providing researchers access to essential, often overlooked perspectives. The database now also contains Ethnic NewsWatch: A History, which provides historical coverage of Native American, African American, and Hispanic American periodicals from 1959-1989.
Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports - A collection of the research reports produced for the US Congress by the Congressional Research Service. Topics include agriculture policy, counterterrorism operations, banking regulation, veteran’s issues and much more. Documents described as "overviews" or "legislative chronologies" would not qualify as primary sources.
**Vital Speeches of the Day - this is a great resource for finding speeches by prominent people. This title is available in full text in Academic Search Complete from 1934 to the present. The library also owns Vital Speeches of the Day in print back to 1958.
**If you are looking for pictures - of clothing or household items or people from a certain era, Life has a lot of photographs and we have Life magazine from 1937-1972 and 1990-2000 in print and 1978-1990 in microfiche
The databases above are the best ones for your project, but to see a list of all the library databases, go here.
Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature we have this index back to 1901. This is just an index, so if you find an article that you like, you will need to check our journal list to see if we own the magazine or journal you need.
New York Times Index - we have this index back to 1955 and we have the New York Times on microfilm back to 1955. You may want to search the archive at NYtimes.com instead of using the printed index and then get the article from the microfilm.
Los Angeles Times Index - we have this print index back to 1972 and we have the newspaper back to 1972 in microfilm.
Books:
Use the "All Fields" search and try one of these options (depends on your topic)
Your topic and the word "sources" Example: Vietnam sources
The name of a person and the word "speeches" Example: John F. Kennedy speeches
The name of a person and the word "correspondence" Example: Jackie Robinson correspondence
The name of a person and the word "interviews" Example: Gloria Anzaldua interviews
Oral Histories
In the First Person
Internet Sources
Click on the Find Websites tab above to find online sources we recommend for this project.
For some research assignments, it is important to use primary sources, instead of or in addition to secondary sources. What’s the difference?
Primary sources are original documents or objects—first-hand information or the raw material. These original documents are often diaries, letters, memoirs, journals, speeches, or interviews. They may also include published pieces such as newspaper or magazine articles, as long as they are written soon after the fact and not as historical accounts. Eye witness accounts, photographs, audio or video recordings, research reports in the natural or social sciences, or original literary or theatrical works are also considered primary sources.
Secondary sources interpret primary sources. Secondary sources include comments on, interpretations of, or discussions about the original material. You can think of secondary sources as second-hand information. Secondary source materials can be articles in newspapers or popular magazines, book or movie reviews, or articles found in scholarly journals that evaluate or criticize someone else’s original research.
Examples of Primary and Secondary Sources
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|
Primary Source |
Secondary Source |
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Art |
Original artwork |
Article critiquing the piece of art |
|
History |
Slave diary |
Book about the Underground Railroad |
|
Literature |
Poem |
Treatise on a particular genre of poetry |
|
Political Science |
Treaty |
Essay on Native American land rights |
|
Science or Social Sciences |
Report of an original experiment |
Review of several studies on the same topic |
|
Theatre |
Videotape of a performance |
Biography of a playwright |
Need more help? Visit our guide for Primary Sources.
Article from May 4, 1957 by Dalton Trumbo in The Nation
Mr. Stripling: Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party, Mr. Dmytryk?
Mr. Dmytryk: Well, Mr. Stripling, I think that there is a question of constitutional rights involved here. I don't believe that you have—
The Chairman: When did you learn about the Constitution? Tell me when you learned about the Constitution?
Mr. Dmytryk: I will be glad to answer that question, Mr. Chairman. I first learned about the Constitution in high school and again—
Mr. McDowell: Let's have the answer to the other question.
Mr. Dmytryk: I was asked when I learned about the Constitution.
Mr. Stripling: I believe the first question, Mr. Dmytryk, was: Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the Communist Party?
Mr. Dmytryk: All right, gentlemen, if you will keep your questions simple, and one at a time, I will be glad to answer.
Mr. Stripling: That is very simple.
Mr. Dmytryk: The Chairman asked me another question.
The Chairman: Never mind my question. I will withdraw the question.
Mr. Dmytryk: I have been advised that there is a question of constitutional rights involved. The Constitution does not ask that such a question be answered in the way that Mr. Stripling wants it answered. I think that what organizations I belong to, what I think, and what I say cannot be questioned by this Committee.
Mr. Stripling: Then you refuse to answer the question?
Mr. Dmytryk: I do not refuse to answer it. I answered it in my own way.
Mr. Stripling: You haven't answered whether or not you are a member of the Communist Party.
Mr. Dmytryk: I answered by saying I do not think you have the right to ask—
Mr. Stripling: Mr. Chairman, it is apparent that the witness is pursuing the same line as the other witnesses.
The Chairman: The witness is excused.