An Introduction to

Primary and Secondary Sources

Primary Sources
What are primary sources?
Are materials produced by people or
groups directly involved in the event
or topic being studied. These people
are either participants or eyewitnesses
to the event.
What are primary sources?
A primary source is a document or physical
object which was written or created during
the time under study. These sources were
present during an experience or time period
and offer an inside view of a particular event.
What are primary sources?
Keep in mind that a primary
source reflects only one point
of view and may contain a
person’s bias (prejudice)
toward an event.
Formally there are 8 cluster of
examples of these primary sources:
1. Photographs that reflects social conditions
of historical realities and everyday life.
2. Old sketches and drawing that may
indicate conditions of life in the past.
3. Old maps that may reveal how space and
geography were used for trade routes,
structural buildings etc.
4. Cartoons for political/social expression.
5. Material evidences of the prehistoric past like
cave drawings, and ancient writings.
6. Statistical tables, graphs and charts.
7. Oral history or recordings by electronic
means.
8.Published or unpublished primary documents,
eyewitnesses accounts and other written sources.
Examples of primary sources
include:
Books, magazines,
newspapers
Examples of primary sources:
Diaries, Personal Records
journals,
records
Examples of primary sources:
Visual Materials

Paintings, drawings, sculpture

Examples of primary sources:
Visual Materials
photographs,
film, maps
Examples of primary sources:
Oral Histories

Chronicles, memoirs, myths,

legends passed down by word
of mouth
Examples of primary sources:
Songs and Poems
Examples of primary sources:
Artifacts

Tools, ornaments,
objects
Secondary Sources
What are secondary sources?
A secondary source interprets and
analyzes primary sources. These
sources are one or more steps
removed from the event. Secondary
sources may have pictures, quotes or
graphics of primary sources in them.
What are secondary sources?
Gottschalk simply defines secondary
sources as “the testimony of anyone who is
not an eyewitness- that is of one who was
not present at the event of which he tells”
Examples:
 Publications such as:
Textbooks
Magazine articles
Histories
Criticisms
Commentaries
Encyclopedias
Examples of secondary
sources:

Textbooks, biographies,
histories, newspaper
report by someone who
was not present
Examples of secondary
sources:

Charts, graphs, or images

created AFTER the time
period.
 PAST
P = Purpose: What was the object used for? What
does the text say? What does the picture show?
A=Author: Who created this?
S=Slant: Is there bias? What is the point of view or
frame of reference of the source.
T= Time Period: When was it created? What is
the historical context or what was happening at the
time it was created?
 Summary
It is important to determine the type of information
you are looking at.
Primary sources are original sources of information
Secondary sources summarize, analyze, or critique
primary sources
Both primary and secondary sources can be good
sources of information, but you need to critically
evaluate them.
 The End

References:

Candelaria, John Lee P., Alporha, Veronica C.(2018). Readings in Philippine History, Quezon City: Rex Printing Company, Inc
 
Torres, Jose Victor., (2018). Batis, Sources in Philippine History, Quezon City: C & E Publishing, Inc.