Exercise

Can you find these words? Sources, Primary, Secondary

A Y H M Y R A D N O C E S P U

Y U O I Q P G A E E Y D T I W

A S O U R C E S T Y S I O H F

E H J K Ñ V P J O N C I E N T

F H F I B H T G Y R A M I R P
 CHAPTER 2:
HISTORICAL SOURCES
 Learning Objectives:

1. Differentiate primary sources from secondary and tertiary sources

2. Identify examples of primary and secondary sources
3. Discuss the criteria for evaluating primary and secondary sources
4. Analyze some historical documents published in the Philippines.
Historical Methodology
It comprises certain techniques and rules that
historians follow in order to properly utilize sources
and historical evidences in writing history.
Three major steps in historical research

01 02 03

Presentation of facts in a readable

Collection of data through Criticism of the data,
form involving problems of
primary and secondary including the internal and
organization, composition,
sources. external examination.
exposition and interpretation
 Historical Source
is original source that contain important
historical information. These sources are
something that inform us about history
at the most basic level, and these
sources used as clues in order to study
history.
 Classification of Historical Sources

01 02 03

Primary Sources Secondary Sources Tertiary Sources

Considered as contemporary accounts of
an event, personally written or narrated
by an individual who directly experienced
or participated in the said event
—Primary Sources
Examples of Primary Sources
Diaries Poems
Letters Novels
Interviews Plays
Oral Histories Music
Photographs Maps
Yearbooks Family Scrapbook
Examples of Primary Sources

Government documents
Autobiographies
Event programs and brochures
Film or TV news from time period
Clothing and other artifacts
Newspaper articles
Serve as interpretations or readings of primary
sources. The author usually incorporates his
insights and interpretations thus detaching the
original value of the component of the study
—Secondary Sources
Examples of Secondary Sources

Books
Articles
Websites
Biographies
Documentaries
Based on a collection of primary and
secondary sources

—Tertiary Sources
Examples of Tertiary Sources

Textbooks
Dictionaries and Encyclopedias
Manuals, Guidebooks, Directories, Almanacs
Indexes and Bibliographies
 Note:
Generally, there are only two classifications of historical sources as
primary or secondary sources. The tertiary sources are lumped into
the secondary sources. So the examples given in the tertiary sources
are classified rather in secondary sources.
Sources can be both classified as primary and secondary

1. Intellectual history topics.

For example, although scholarly journal articles are usually considered secondary
sources, if one's topic is the history of human rights, then journal articles on
human rights will be primary sources in this instance. Similarly, research on the
thinking of a scholar will include her published journal articles as primary sources.

2. Historical topics.
Magazine articles are secondary sources, but for someone researching the view
of judicial punishment in the 1920s, magazines from that time period are primary
sources. Indeed, any older publication, such as those prior to the 20th century, is
very often automatically considered a primary source.
Sources can be both classified as primary and secondary

3. Newspapers may be either primary or secondary.

Most articles in newspapers are secondary, but reporters may be considered as
witnesses to an event. Any topic on the media coverage of an event or
phenomenon would treat newspapers as a primary source. There are so many
articles and types of articles in newspapers that newspapers can often be
considered either primary or secondary.
The following could be both primary and secondary depending on the context
and use

Photographs
Paintings
Movies
Posters
Oral histories
 Criticism of Data

is the practice of verifying the authenticity of

evidence by examining the physical characteristics;
consistency with the historical characteristic of the
time when it was produced, and the materials used
for the evidence.
External Criticism

is the examination of the truthfulness and factuality

(credibility) of the evidence. It looks at the content of
the source and examines the circumstance of its
production. It could be done by looking at the
author, its context, agenda, the purpose behind its
Internal Criticism creation.
Evaluation of Primary and
Secondary Sources
Most scholars use the following questions to evaluate the
validity and credibility of sources of historical accounts.
1. How did the author know about the given details? Was
the author present at the event? How soon was the
author was able to gather the details of the vent?
2. Where did the information come from? Is it a personal
experience, an eyewitness account or a report made by
another person?
3. Did the author conclude based on a single source or on
many sources of evidence?
Direct questions may include the following;

1. How did the author know about the given details? Was
the author present at the event? How soon was the
author was able to gather the details of the vent?
2. Where did the information come from? Is it a personal
experience, an eyewitness account or a report made by
another person?
3. Did the author conclude based on a single source or on
many sources of evidence?
Six Points Inquiries to Evaluate Primary Sources
(Garraghan, 1946)

1. Date- When it was produced?

2. Localization- Where did it originate:?
3. Authorship- Who wrote it?
4. Analysis- What pre-existing material served as basis for its
production?
5. Integrity- What was its original form?
6. Credibility- What is the evidential value of its content?
Secondary sources must be used for the following
(Gottaschalk, 1969)

1. Deriving the setting wherein the contemporary evidence

will fit in the grand narrative of history.
2. Getting leads to other bibliographic data
3. Acquiring quotations or citations from contemporary or
other sources
4. Deriving interpretations with a view of testing and
improving them but not accepting them as outright truth.
Secondary sources from Indirect Witnesses: Things to
Consider (Gottaschalk, 1969)

1. On whose primary testimony does the secondary witness

base his statements?
2. Did the secondary witness accurately report the primary
testimony as a whole?
3. If not, in what details did he accurately report the primary
testimony?
Secondary sources from Oral Tradition: Things to Consider
(Garraghan, 1950)
1. Broad conditions stated.
• The tradition should be supported by an unbroken series of
witnesses, reaching from the immediate and first reporter of
the fact to the living mediate witness from whom we take it
up, or to the one who was the first to commit it to writing.
• There should be several parallel and independent series of
witnesses testifying to the fact in question.
Secondary sources from Oral Tradition: Things to Consider
(Garraghan, 1950)
2. Particular conditions formulated.
• The tradition must report a public event of importance,
such as would necessarily be known directly to a great
number of persons.
• The tradition must have been generally believed, at least
for a definite period of time.
• During that definite period it must have gone without
protest, even from persons interested in denying it.
Secondary sources from Oral Tradition: Things to Consider
(Garraghan, 1950)
• The tradition must be one of relatively limited duration.
[Elsewhere, Garraghan suggests a maximum limit of 150 years, at
least in cultures that excel in oral remembrance.
• The critical spirit must have been sufficiently developed while the
tradition lasted, and the necessary means of critical investigation
must have been at hand.
• Critical-minded persons who would surely have challenged the
tradition — had they considered it false —must have made no
such challenge.
Three Preconditions before historical source is considered
(Howell and Prevenier, 2001)
1. It must be comprehensible at the most basic level of vocabulary,
language and handwriting.
2. It must be carefully located in accordance with place and time. Its
author, composer and writer and the location where it was
produced/published should n]be noted for the checking of authenticity
and accuracy.
3. The authenticity of the source must always be checked and
counterchecked before being accepted as a credible source in any
historical findings. Subtle details such as the quality of paper used, the
ink or the watermark of the parchment used and the way it was
encoded.
Cases of Forgery and Misleading in the Philippines
1. Ambeth Ocampo’s discovery of the alleged draft of Jose Rizal’s third
novel. The Makamisa. The stack of writings was labelled Borrador del
Noli Me Tangere. Upon scrutinity, the novel was not connected to the
Noli Me Tangre and El Filibusterismo.
2. Roman Roque who forged the signature of Gen. Urbano Lacuna that
led to the captivity of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. Roque also forged the
signature of Jose Rizal in the great retraction controversy.
3. The supposed autobiography of Josephine Bracken written on
February 22, 1897, which asserts her marriage to Rizal under Catholic
rites was also forged. The penmanship of Bracken was entirely
different from the autobiography.
Seeven Factors to consider in Evaluating Internal Criteria
(Howell and Prevenier, 2001)
1. The genealogy of the document- refers to the development of
the document. The document may be original, a copy or a copy
of the copy.
2. The genesis of the document- includes the situations and the
authorities during the document’s production.
3. The originality of the document- includes the nature of the
document whether it is an eye/eyewitness account or merely
passing of existing information.
4. The interpretation of the document- pertains to deducing
meaning from the document.
Seeven Factors to consider in Evaluating Internal Criteria
(Howell and Prevenier, 2001)

5. The authorial authority of the document- refers to the

relationship between the document’s subject matter and its
author.
6. The competence of the observer-refers to the author’s
capabilities and qualifications to critically comprehend and
report information.
7. The trustworthiness of the observer- refers to the author’s
integrity-whether he or she fabricates or reports truthfully.