Primary Sources- How to Find Them

So you have been tasked with locating and analyzing a primary source. Now that you know what a primary source is, how do you go about finding one? The first step in primary source research is to change your mindset.

Primary source research is not about searching, it's about browsing Think about going shoe shopping online or at a store. How do you know if you have the right shoes to buy unless you know the exact brand and style you want? You typically go find your size, you browse the options in front of you, and if you're at the store you try a few on.

You might find a pair you weren't looking for, or find exactly what you need in five minutes. You may leave with two pairs of shoes or a pair of boots when you went in for sneakers. This is the kind of mindset to have for primary source research.

You know now that primary sources include letters, diaries, creative works, and newspapers. It is likely you will read or browse through many sources before finding one that fits your interests and needs. A general internet search works most of the time if you already know what you're looking for with regards to a primary source.

For example searching for the code of Hammurabi from ancient Mesopotamia brings you what you need right away because you know the title and the historical era of the item you're looking for. However, wanting to browse entries from the diary of Jane Addams is a little more complicated and can be a little more frustrating. While you don't have to be a librarian to analyze these results from a web search you still have to sift through different websites that may have items you want but don't let you look at them because they cost money, aren't complete, or are inaccessible to you.

Searching and browsing digital repositories, on the other hand, limits your results already to primary sources that are freely available for you to interact with and analyze. All digital repositories are different but there are common elements that you should know about how they are organized. They are all organized by date and clearly marked.

This allows you to choose a range orange or a historical era that you are researching in order to find your primary source. They're also organized by location, so whether you're looking for a certain spot in the world or in the United States you can filter down to find what you need that way. They are also itemized by tag or subject heading these tags are used to describe the item and there are multiple tags per item so that you can browse through multiple items with the same subject and find a primary source that's interesting to you.

While you don't have to use the site suggested check with your professor or your librarian before going too far along in this assignment. You want to ensure that what you are analyzing is in fact a primary source. Good luck and enjoy discovering primary sources!