short essay about primary sources

• Primary Sources
• Definitions
• Documents - Printed & Published
• Objects and Artifacts
• Sound Recordings
• Visual Materials
• Digitized Sources
• Locating Sources
• Sources By Subject
• Evaluating Sources
• Documenting Sources / Copyright
• Research Tips
• Using Archives This link opens in a new window

Primary Sources Definition

What are primary sources .

Primary sources enable the researcher to get as close as possible to the truth of what actually happened during an historical event or time period. Primary source is a term used in a number of disciplines to describe source material that is closest to the person, information, period, or idea being studied.  A primary source (also called original source ) is a document, recording, artifact, or other source of information that was created at the time under study, usually by a source with direct personal knowledge of the events being described. It serves as an original source of information about the topic.

Similar definitions are used in library science , and other areas of scholarship. In journalism, a primary source can be a person with direct knowledge of a situation, or a document created by such a person. Primary sources are distinguished from secondary sources , which cite, comment on, or build upon primary sources, though the distinction is not a sharp one.

Newspaper Research

• Historical Newspapers (ProQuest) This link opens in a new window Includes the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, LA Times, Christian Science Monitor, and more. Newspapers are in PDF format and provide a visual representation of the newspaper.
• ProQuest Central This link opens in a new window Includes both newspapers and scholarly journals
• Historical Newspapers The Guardian and The Observer Search The Guardian (1821-2003) and its sister paper, The Observer (1791-2003)
• New York Newspaper Archive This link opens in a new window Access New York Newspaper Archives and discover stories of the past with NewspaperArchive.com. The archive covers New York history from 1753-2023, with lots of content from smaller, local newspapers. Articles have been scanned as PDFs and include images and advertisements, and are full text searchable.
• America's Historical Newspapers This link opens in a new window America's Historical Newspapers includes articles from local and regional American and Hispanic American newspapers from all 50 states. Coverage dates from 1690 to the early 20th century. Articles have been scanned as PDFs and include images and advertisements, and are full text searchable.
• American Periodicals Series Online This link opens in a new window includes digitized images of the pages of American magazines and journals published from colonial days to the dawn of the 20th century, 1740-1940.
• Times Digital Archive (London) This link opens in a new window Provides full-text access to back issues of The Times newspaper. Dates of coverage: 1785 to 2006.
• Hispanic American Newspapers, 1808-1980 This link opens in a new window Hispanic American Newspapers, 1808-1980 provides access to searchable digitized copies of newspapers printed in the U.S. during the 19th and 20th centuries for a Hispanic readership. It features hundreds of monolingual and bilingual newspapers in Spanish and English, including many obscure titles from the 19th century.
• Global Newsstream This link opens in a new window Full text of 300+ U.S. and international news sources. Includes coverage of 150+ major U.S. and international newspapers such as The New York Times and the Times of London, plus hundreds of other news sources and news wires.
• Gale Newspaper Sources This link opens in a new window The Gale NewsVault is a portal to several historical collections of British newspapers and periodicals. It enables full-text searching across several titles simultaneously, including the Times of London, Financial Times, and Times Literary Supplement, along with aggregate newspaper and periodical collections covering the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.
• Access World News This link opens in a new window Access World News provides the html full text and, for some titles, the pdf "as printed" visual representation, of articles from a variety of national and international news sources, including newspapers, digital-native news websites, television and radio transcripts, blogs, college and university newspapers, journals, magazines, and some audio and video. Most international titles are English language. Dates of coverage vary from title to title, but primarily span the late 20th century to present.

The Billy Rose Theatre Collection

TITLE: [Scene from Othello with Paul Robeson as Othello and Uta Hagen as Desdemona, Theatre Guild Production, Broadway, 1943-44]   http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Robeson_Hagen_Othello.jpg SOURCE:Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540

The Billy Rose Theatre Collection of The New York Public Library is one of the largest and most comprehensive archives devoted to the theatrical arts. This image is a work of an employee of the United States Farm Security Administration or Office of War Information domestic photographic units, created during the course of the person's official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain.

• Billy Rose Collection NYPL The Billy Rose Theatre Division of The New York Public Library is one of the largest and most comprehensive archives devoted to the theatrical arts.
• New York Public Library Archives & Manuscripts On this site, you can search The New York Public Library's vast holdings, initiate a research visit, submit a query to an archivist, and access digitized material. Most Broadway shows can be viewed in the special collections. You will need a NYPL library card to view them.
• ArchiveGrid This link opens in a new window Thousands of libraries, museums, and archives have contributed nearly a million collection descriptions to ArchiveGrid.
• WorldCat - FirstSearch (OCLC) This link opens in a new window Search for books and more in libraries in the U.S. and around the world. Indicates when NYU Libraries holds a copy of a book and shows you nearby libraries with holdings.
• Internet Archive Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library offering free universal access to books, movies & music, as well as 456 billion archived web pages.
• Archives Unbound This link opens in a new window NYU is currently subscribing 14 collections:African America, Communists, and the National Negro Congress; Federal Response to Radicalism; Federal Surveillance of African Americans; Feminism in Cuba - 19th through 20th century archival document; Global Missions and Theology; India from Crown Rule to Republic; Testaments to the Holocaust (Documents and Rare Printed Materials from the Wiener Library, London); The Hindu Conspiracy Cases (Activities of the Indian Independence Movement in the U.S., 1908-1933); The Indian Army and Colonial Warfare on the Frontiers of India; The International Women’s Movement (The Pan Pacific Southeast Asia Women’s Association of the USA, 1950-1985); The Middle East Online - Arab-Israeli Relations; The Middle East Online - Iraq; U.S. and Iraqi Relations: U.S. Technical Aid; and, Witchcraft in Europe.

Historical Databases

An advert for P.T. Barnum's "Feejee Mermaid" in 1842 or thereabout. Author: P. T. Barnum or an employee, Source: Newspaper advert commons.wikimedia.org/ wiki/File:Barnum_mermai... This image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired.

• America: History and Life with Full Text This link opens in a new window ndexes literature covering the history and culture of the United States and Canada, from prehistory to the present. The database indexes 1,700 journals and also includes citations and links to book and media reviews. Strong English-language journal coverage is balanced by an international perspective on topics and events, including abstracts in English of articles published in more than 40 languages. Publication dates of coverage: 1964 to present.
• Historical Abstracts with Full Text (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window Covers the history of the world (excluding the United States and Canada) from 1450 to the present, including world history, military history, women's history, history of education, and more. Indexes more than 1,700 academic historical journals in over 40 languages. Publication dates of coverage: 1955 to present.
• Theatre in Context Collection This link opens in a new window O’Dell’s Annals of the New York Stage, the Oxford University Press Companion series, and Greenwood’s American Theatre Companies series are just a few of the many in-copyright sources included in the Theatre in Context Collection. Placed alongside thousands of playbills, posters, photographs, and related theatrical ephemera, users will be able to paint a more comprehensive picture of the life and evolution of dramatic works.
• Shakespeare Collection This link opens in a new window The Shakespeare Collection provides access to general reference data, full-text scholarly periodicals, reprinted criticism, facsimile primary source material and the full-text annotated works from The Arden Shakespeare. Users can view page images of the First Folio, key Quartos, and major editions and adaptations of Shakespeare's works, plus works by Shakespeare's contemporaries and promptbooks from the 17th to the 20th century.
• Black Thought and Culture This link opens in a new window Contains 1297 sources with 1100 authors, covering the non-fiction published works of leading African-Americans. Particular care has been taken to index this material so that it can be searched more thoroughly than ever before. Where possible the complete published non-fiction works are included, as well as interviews, journal articles, speeches, essays, pamphlets, letters and other fugitive material.
• Periodicals Archive Online This link opens in a new window Provides full-text and full-image access to hundreds of journals published in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and areas of general popular interest. Each periodical is covered back to its first issue, regardless of when it began publication. International in scope, PAO covers periodicals in a number of Western languages.
• Accessible Archives This link opens in a new window Includes the following collections: African American Newspapers, The Civil War Part I. A Newspaper Perspective, The Pennsylvania Genealogical Catalog, Pennsylvania Newspaper Record, South Carolina Newspapers, and The Liberator. ** Within these collections are papers such as The Charleston Mercury, The Christian Recorder, The Colored American, Douglass Monthly, Frederick, Douglass Paper, Freedom's Journal, Godey's Lady's Book, The Liberator, The National Era, The New York Herald, The North Star, The Pennsylvania Gazette, The Pennsylvania Packet, The Maryland Gazette, Provincial Freeman, Richmond Enquirer, The South Carolina Gazette, The Gazette of the State of South Carolina, The South Carolina Gazette and Country Journal, The South Carolina and American General Gazette, Weekly Advocate.
• Early English Books Online (EEBO) This link opens in a new window Early English Books Online (EEBO) contains digital facsimile page images of virtually every work printed in England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and British North America and works in English printed elsewhere from 1473-1700. Searchable full text is also available for a subset of the collection.
• Eighteenth Century Journals This link opens in a new window Eighteenth Century Journals brings together rare journals printed between 1685 and 1835, primarily in the British Isles (with some publications from India, the Caribbean, and Europe). Users can view and download page images and search transcribed full text for all journals in the collection.
• C19: The 19th Century Index This link opens in a new window C19: The 19th Century Index provides bibliographic coverage of nineteenth-century books, periodicals, official documents, newspapers and archives from the English-speaking world. This database includes the Wellesley Index to Victorian Periodicals (1824-1900), Poole's Index to Periodical Literature, Palmer's Index to The Times, the Nineteenth Century Short Title Catalogue, and more.
• Sixties: Primary Documents and Personal Narratives 1960 - 1974 This link opens in a new window This resource consists of diaries, letters, autobiographies and other memoirs, written and oral histories, manifestos, government documents, memorabilia, and scholarly commentary. With 150,000 pages of material at completion, this searchable collection is a resource for students and scholars researching this period in American history, culture, and politics.
• African American Archives (via Fold3) This link opens in a new window This full text resource offers access to original documents that reveal a side of the African American story that few have seen before.
• African American Experience This link opens in a new window Full-text digital resource exploring the history and culture of African Americans, as well as the greater Black Diaspora. Features access to full-text content from more than 400 titles, 3,000 slave narratives, over 2000 images, 5,000 primary sources, and 250 vetted Web sites.

Letters & Diaries /Oral Histories

• Oral History Online This link opens in a new window Provides in-depth indexing to more than 2,700 collections of Oral History in English from around the world. The collection provides keyword searching of almost 281,000 pages of full-text by close to 10,000 individuals from all walks of life.
• American Civil War: Letters and Diaries This link opens in a new window This database contains 2,009 authors and approximately 100,000 pages of diaries, letters and memoirs. Includes 4,000 pages of previously unpublished manuscripts such as the letters of Amos Wood and his wife and the diary of Maryland Planter William Claytor. The collection also includes biographies, an extensive bibliography of the sources in the database, and material licensed from The Civil War Day-by-Day by E.B. Long.
• British and Irish Women's Letters and Diaries This link opens in a new window Includes 10,000 pages of diaries and letters revealing the experiences of approximately 500 women. The collection now includes primary materials spanning more than 300 years. The collection also includes biographies and an extensive annotated bibliography of the sources in the database.
• North American Immigrant Letters, Diaries and Oral Histories This link opens in a new window North American Immigrant Letters, Diaries and Oral Histories includes 2,162 authors and approximately 100,000 pages of information, so providing a unique and personal view of what it meant to immigrate to America and Canada between 1800 and 1950. Contains contemporaneous letters, diaries, oral histories, interviews, and other personal narratives.
• North American Women's Letters and Diaries This link opens in a new window North American Women's Letters and Diaries includes the immediate experiences of 1,325 women and 150,000 pages of diaries and letters.

Gale Primary Sources

• Gale Primary Sources This link opens in a new window Gale Artemis is a groundbreaking research environment that integrates formerly disparate digital collections to enable innovative research. Gale Artemis provides an unprecedented, seamless research experience that helps students find a starting point, search across a wide array of materials and points in time, and discover new ways to analyze information.

Victorian Popular Culture

• Victorian Popular Culture This link opens in a new window An essential resource for the study of popular entertainment in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This innovative portal invites users into the darkened halls, small backrooms and travelling venues that hosted everything from spectacular shows and bawdy burlesque, to the world of magic and spiritualist séances. ** The resource is divided into four self-contained sections: Moving Pictures, Optical Entertainments and the Advent of Cinema; Music Hall, Theatre and Popular Entertainment; Circuses, Sideshows and Freaks; Spiritualism, Sensation and Magic

Historical Image Collections

commons.wikimedia.org/ wiki/File:Cushman_in_Ha... , The American actress Charlotte Cushman advertised in William Shakespeare's Hamlet at the Washington Theater in 1861.  Author:Washington Theater, SOURCE:Public Library of Congress. this image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired.

• American Broadsides and Ephemera This link opens in a new window American Broadsides and Ephemera offers fully searchable images of approximately 15,000 broadsides printed between 1820 and 1900 and 15,000 pieces of ephemera printed between 1760 and 1900. The remarkably diverse subjects of these broadsides range from contemporary accounts of the Civil War, unusual occurrences and natural disasters to official government proclamations, tax bills and town meeting reports. Featuring many rare items, the pieces of ephemera include clipper ship sailing cards, early trade cards, bill heads, theater and music programs, stock certificates, menus and invitations documenting civic, political and private celebrations.
• Early American Imprints, Series I. Evans, 1639-1800 This link opens in a new window Search or browse the books, pamphlets, broadsides and other imprints listed in the renowned bibliography by Charles Evans.
• Early American Imprints, Series II. Shaw-Shoemaker, 1801-1819 This link opens in a new window Search or browse the books, pamphlets, broadsides and other imprints listed in the distinguished bibliography by Ralph R. Shaw and Richard H. Shoemaker. 1801-1819
• American Antiquarian Society (AAS) Historical Periodicals Collection (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window Provide digital access to the most comprehensive collection of American periodicals published between 1691 and 1877. Included digitized images of American magazines and journals never before available outside the walls of the American Antiquarian Society. The collection is available in five series: Series 1 (1691-1820) - Series 2 (1821-1837) - Series 3 (1838-1852) - Series 4 (1853-1865) - Series 5 (1866-1877)

Link to Bobst Special Collections

• NYU Special Collections Bobst Library's Special Collections department houses significant archival resources including materials from the Downtown Collection, which documents New York City's downtown arts scene from the 1970s through the early 1990s. Maria Irene Fornés and Richard Foreman are among the many artists whose materials are housed in the Downtown Collection.
• Fales It is especially strong in English literature from the middle of the 18th century to the present, documenting developments in the novel. The Downtown Collection documents the downtown New York art, performance, and literary scenes from 1975 to the present and is extremely rich in archival holdings, including extensive film and video objects.
• Tamiment One of the finest research collections in the country documenting the history of radical politics: socialism, communism, anarchism, utopian experiments, the cultural left, the New Left, and the struggle for civil rights and civil liberties.

Guide to International Collections

• SIBMAS International Directory of Performing Arts Collections and Institutions

Books Containing Primary Source Documents

• The mediaeval stage by Chambers, E. K. (Edmund Kerchever), 1866-1954 Call Number: Online versions avail.
• The Elizabethan stage by Chambers, E. K. (Edmund Kerchever), 1866-1954 Call Number: PN2589 .C4 1965 4 vol. plus online version avail
• The diary of Samuel Pepys by Pepys, Samuel, 1633-1703 Call Number: Avail. online
• A history of theatrical art in ancient and modern times. by Mantzius, Karl, 1860-1921 Call Number: PN2106 .M313 1970 4 vol. also internet access
• Ben Jonson by Ben Jonson Call Number: online access
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• Last Updated: Mar 25, 2024 4:51 PM
• URL: https://guides.nyu.edu/primary

• How it works

The Importance of Primary Sources in Research

Published by Alvin Nicolas at November 6th, 2023 , Revised On November 6, 2023

In research, sources function as the guiding stars that illuminate our path. Among these, primary sources stand out as the original beacons of direct information. At their core, primary sources are the raw, unedited materials or records related to a topic, offering first-hand accounts or direct evidence without any intermediate filtration. They serve as the foundational bricks for our understanding of various subjects.

What are Primary Sources?

Primary sources refer to original, unmediated documents or records that have not been altered or transformed by interpretation or commentary. They provide first-hand accounts, evidence, or direct testimony concerning a subject or event under investigation. These sources were either created during the time of the event or phenomenon they describe or later on by witnesses or participants in the events.

Examples of Primary Sources Across Disciplines

A few examples of primary sources include the following. 

Historical Studies

• Diaries and Journals: Personal accounts of individuals, providing insights into daily life, personal reflections, and experiences during a specific time period. Anne Frank’s diary is a famous example.
• Letters and Correspondence: Personal or official communications between individuals. Think of the letters exchanged between prominent historical figures, like the Adams family letters.
• Official Documents: Treaties, constitutions, and laws that reflect decisions and policies of their time. For instance, the U.S. Constitution is a primary source.

Social Sciences

• Interviews: Direct oral or written communications where individuals provide their personal perspectives, memories, or experiences.
• Surveys and Questionnaires: Raw data collected to analyse patterns, beliefs, or behaviours in a population.
• Oral Histories: Recorded recollections of individuals about past experiences or events, often collected by researchers.

Natural Sciences and Medicine

• Raw Data: Results from experiments, observations, and trials. For example, the data collected during a clinical trial.
• Lab Reports: Detailed accounts of experiments, including methodologies , observations, and initial conclusions.
• Specimens: Physical samples, such as tissue samples, rocks, or chemicals, used in experiments.

Arts and Literature

• Original Manuscripts: Drafts or final versions of literary works, songs, or plays. Shakespeare’s original play scripts are primary sources.
• Artworks: Paintings, sculptures, and other forms of art in their original form.
• Recordings: Original audio or video recordings of performances, speeches, or events.

Other Disciplines

Photographs and films: visual documentation of events, places, or people., maps: depictions of geographical landscapes, boundaries, and locations from a specific time., newspaper clippings from the time of the event: initial reports of events, though it is essential to note potential biases or perspectives of the publication..

Using primary sources allows researchers, scholars, and enthusiasts to interact with original material unaltered by third-party opinions or interpretations. This direct connection can be likened to having a first-hand conversation with the past, offering a purity that can be considered more trustworthy. 

When secondary sources are consulted, the original information has often undergone a process of distillation, where certain aspects might have been emphasised while others might have been ignored or overlooked. Being untainted by such external influences, primary sources present an authentic voice that can be invaluable for genuine historical or factual comprehension.

Comprehensive Insight

Primary sources often provide a richness and depth of information that secondary sources may lack. Whether it’s a personal diary from a particular era, a set of original data, or testimony, primary sources grant a granular view of events, feelings, and circumstances. 

This in-depth perspective can give readers a more nuanced understanding of an event or period. Moreover, primary sources can often reveal details about daily life, personal perspectives, and societal norms that might not be prominent or even present in broader historical narratives, ensuring that researchers have a thorough and multifaceted grasp of their subject.

Encourages Critical Thinking

Engaging with primary sources demands a higher degree of cognitive engagement from the reader or researcher. Unlike secondary sources, where the information has been processed, analysed, and often synthesised for consumption, primary sources require the individual to actively analyse, interpret, and draw their own conclusions. 

This process fosters critical thinking skills, encouraging individuals to question the source’s reliability, contextualise the information within broader historical or societal frameworks, and identify potential biases or limitations of the material. In this way, primary sources offer original information and cultivate a more rigorous and discerning approach to research and understanding.

Unbiased Information

While it is crucial to recognise that no source, primary or secondary , is entirely devoid of bias, primary sources generally present raw and unedited information. Secondary sources, by their nature, have been processed to some extent, often reflecting the authors’ or editors’ perspectives, interpretations, or intentions. 

Primary sources, in contrast, are closer to the original event, person, or data, thereby minimising the layers of potential distortion. For researchers aiming for an accurate view of a particular subject, primary sources can offer a more direct and less adulterated pathway to understanding.

Challenges with Primary Sources

Some of the difficulties associated with using primary sources are listed below. 

Accessibility

One of the major challenges when working with primary sources is their accessibility. Not all primary sources are readily available to every researcher or enthusiast. Some documents, artefacts, or materials may be housed in specific archives, libraries, or private collections requiring special access permissions. 

Even when they are available, they may be fragile due to age or other factors, limiting their handling and use. Furthermore, some sources, especially older ones, may have deteriorated, faded, or become damaged over time, making them difficult to read or analyse.

Interpretation Difficulties

While valuable for their direct connection to events or people, primary sources do not always come with clear explanations or context. Without adequate background knowledge, a letter from the past, a set of raw data, or a historical artefact might be confusing or misinterpreted. Primary sources demand a higher degree of scrutiny, understanding of the period in question, and awareness of the broader socio-cultural backdrop to be effectively interpreted.

Potential for Bias

Primary sources are not immune to bias. Just because a source is “primary” does not mean it offers an objective or complete view of events. The individuals who produced these sources had their own perspectives, beliefs, and motivations, which could influence what they recorded or how they depicted certain events. Therefore, it’s essential to approach primary sources with a discerning eye, recognising potential biases and considering them in one’s analysis.

Primary Sources in the Digital Age

As we move deeper into the digital age, the nature and use of primary sources have undergone significant transformation. Where once primary sources were often physical entities – such as letters, diaries, or artefacts – today, many are digital in origin, such as emails, digital photos, and online content. This shift has altered how we produce, store, and access first-hand information.

With advancements in technology, there has been a growing emphasis on digitising primary sources to ensure their preservation and enhance their accessibility. Libraries, institutions, and archives globally are transferring physical documents, photographs, and other materials into digital formats, making them available through online databases and repositories. This move towards digital archiving has democratised access, allowing individuals from anywhere in the world to view and research primary sources that were once geographically or institutionally restricted.

Challenges and Advantages of Digital Primary Sources

While digital primary sources offer increased accessibility and longevity, they also come with their own set of challenges. The digital realm is susceptible to issues like data corruption, obsolescence of storage formats, and cyber-attacks. Ensuring the longevity and integrity of digital archives requires continuous technological updates and stringent cybersecurity measures. 

On the upside, digital primary sources can be easily shared, duplicated, and analysed using various software tools. They are more resilient against physical decay and can be accessed by a global audience, fostering a more inclusive approach to research and education. Furthermore, metadata can be attached to digital primary sources, enriching them with additional context and interlinking possibilities.

The research done by our experts have:

• Precision and Clarity
• Zero Plagiarism
• Authentic Sources

Primary Sources Case Study 

The Rosetta Stone and the Deciphering of Hieroglyphs

The Rosetta Stone, discovered in 1799, is one of the most famed archaeological finds, pivotal for deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. This inscribed granodiorite slab became a primary source that opened the door to understanding an entire civilisation’s language and culture.

The Significance of the Stone: The Rosetta Stone features a decree issued in Memphis in 196 BC during the reign of King Ptolemy V. What makes the stone invaluable is that the same decree is inscribed in three scripts: Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, Demotic script, and Ancient Greek. Because scholars already understood Ancient Greek, they could use it as a reference to decode the hieroglyphs.

Role of the Primary Source in Research:

• Basis for Comparison: The parallel texts allowed scholars, notably Jean-François Champollion, to draw direct comparisons between hieroglyphic and Greek symbols, establishing equivalences.
• Historical Context: The stone provided a snapshot of the linguistic, political, and cultural state of Egypt during the Ptolemaic period, giving researchers insights into historical events and shifts.
• Unlocking Hieroglyphs: With the Rosetta Stone, hieroglyphs, which had been indecipherable for almost 1400 years, began to be understood. This led to further translations of countless other hieroglyphic texts, expanding the knowledge base of Ancient Egyptian history, religion, and culture.

Without the Primary Source:

• Prolonged Mystery: Without the Rosetta Stone, hieroglyphs might have remained a mystery for much longer, if not indefinitely.
• Limited Understanding: Our comprehension of Ancient Egyptian civilisation would be based mainly on secondary sources, artefacts, and speculative interpretations. We would have a fragmented and potentially distorted view of their rich history and culture.
• Dependence on External Narratives: Without the ability to read their writings, our knowledge would lean heavily on the interpretations of other cultures and civilisations who had contact with the Egyptians.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are primary sources examples.

Primary sources are original, first-hand records of events, observations, or data. Examples include letters, diaries, photographs, original manuscripts, oral histories, eyewitness accounts, government documents, artefacts, newspaper articles from the event, autobiographies, and research data. These sources offer direct evidence or first-hand testimony concerning a topic.

What is a primary and secondary source?

A primary source is a direct, first-hand account or evidence of an event, object, person, or work of art, such as diaries, photographs, and original research data. A secondary source interprets, analyses, or summarises primary sources, like textbooks, reviews, and scholarly articles. Both sources provide insight but from different perspectives.

What are the types of primary sources?

Primary sources are first-hand accounts of events, observations, or data. Types include letters, diaries, photographs, original manuscripts, oral histories, eyewitness accounts, government documents, artefacts, audio and video recordings, newspaper articles from the event’s time, autobiographies, treaties, and original research data. They offer direct evidence or first-hand testimony on topics.

What are primary sources?

Primary sources are original, unaltered materials created at the time of an event or by individuals directly involved. They provide firsthand information and include documents, diaries, photographs, letters, and artefacts. These sources are essential for historians and researchers to understand and analyse historical events and experiences.

How to find primary sources?

To find primary sources, visit archives, libraries, and museums. Search online databases and digital collections. Utilise academic journals, historical newspapers, government records, and personal papers. Collaborate with historians and experts, explore oral histories, and consult relevant organisations and institutions to access authentic primary materials.

What are examples of pirmary sources?

Examples of primary sources include diaries, letters, photographs, newspapers from the time, official documents (e.g., treaties, constitutions), oral histories, autobiographies, artefacts (e.g., clothing, tools), speeches, interviews, and eyewitness accounts. These firsthand materials provide direct insights into historical events, people, and experiences.

What is the difference between primary and secondary sources?

Primary sources are original, created at the time of an event, offering firsthand information. Secondary sources are interpretations, analyses, or summaries of primary sources created after the event. Primary sources provide direct insight, while secondary sources offer analysis and context by historians, scholars, or others.

You May Also Like

The ability to effectively incorporate multiple sources into one’s work is not just a skill, but a necessity. Whether we are talking about research papers, articles, or even simple blog posts, synthesising sources can elevate our content to a more nuanced, comprehensive, and insightful level.

When researching or exploring a new topic, the distinction between primary and secondary sources is paramount. The validity, reliability, and relevance of the information you gather will heavily depend on the type of source you consult. 

A tertiary source is an information source that compiles, analyses, and synthesises both primary and secondary sources.

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Information

Primary sources.

• What is a Primary Source
• Locating Primary Source Materials
• Using Primary Sources
• Digital Primary Sources
• Historic Newspapers
• Historic Census Data and Statistics

What is a Primary Source?

Definition of Primary Sources:  

A primary source is a piece of evidence created during the time you are studying. These sources offer an eye-witness view of a particular event. They can be any type of format, as long as you as the researcher are looking for the source's context: Who made this, and what was their perspective? What other sources describe the same events? Whose perspective isn't represented, and where can you find it? What was the world like when this thing was made? With primary sources, you will ask a lot of questions!

Some common types of records used as primary sources include:

• Original Documents , including eyewitness accounts or the first record of events such as diaries, speeches, letters, manuscripts, interviews, news film footage, autobiographies, or official records
• Creative Works such as literature, music, art, film, etc.
• Relics or Artifacts such as pottery, furniture, clothing, and buildings
• Data from original research whether statistical or scientific

Remember: you have to find context for your primary sources.

What is a Secondary Source?

Definition of a secondary source:.

A secondary source interprets and analyzes primary sources. Secondary sources may have pictures, quotes or graphics of primary sources in them. Some common types of secondary sources include:

• A journal/magazine article which interprets or reviews previous findings 
• A history textbook 
• A book about the effects of WWI 
• Biographies
• Encyclopedia articles

Remember: a secondary source is making an argument based on research from other primary and secondary sources.

Primary Sources by Discipline

Different academic disciplines have different definitions of what constitutes a primary source:.

In the Humanities (history, literature, religion), primary sources focus on original documents or accounts contemporary to a specific event or an individual’s life. Terms such as “eyewitness” or “firsthand” are also commonly used to describe these sources. Autobiographical accounts written at a later date are also considered primary sources. Letters, diaries, journal entries, public records as well as contemporaneous newspapers articles offer solid examples of this type of primary source. Fictional works such as short stories or novels written during that specific time period constitute primary documents, too.

In the Arts (art, dance, music, theatre), primary sources are as diverse as the various disciplines in the category. They may include paintings, sculpture, prints, performances, video or audio recordings, scripts, or musical scores. Social Sciences (psychology, sociology, education) place a heavy emphasis on unanalyzed data sets as primary sources. Numerical data sets such as census figures, opinion polls, surveys or interview transcripts constitute this type of raw, uninterpreted data. A researcher’s field notes are also primary sources in the social sciences. In the Sciences (biology, ecology, chemistry), primary source documents focus on original research, ideas, or findings published in academic journals. These articles mark the first publication of such research; and they detail the researcher’s methodology and results. Plant or mineral samples and other artifacts are primary sources as well.

In STEM fields , primary sources may include papers or proceedings from scientific conferences; journal articles sharing original research, technical reports, patents, lab notes, and researcher correspondence or diaries.

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Primary vs. secondary sources, differentiating primary and secondary sources in each discipline.

While primary sources offer a firsthand account, secondary sources are written after the fact. Secondary sources analyze, interpret, explain, or analyze a primary source, event or individual. These resources represent a second publication cycle, tasked with presenting an argument or to persuade the reader.

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Library Research Guide for the History of Science: Introduction

• What is a Primary Source?
• Senior Theses 2023
• Background and Context/Biography
• Exploring Your Topic
• Using HOLLIS
• What is a Secondary Source?

Page Contents

Knowing a primary source when you see one, kinds of primary sources, find primary sources in hollis, using digital libraries and collections online, using bibliographies.

• Exploring the Special Collections at Harvard
• Citing Sources & Organizing Research

Primary sources provide first-hand testimony or direct evidence concerning a topic under investigation. They are created by witnesses or recorders who experienced the events or conditions being documented.

Often these sources are created at the time when the events or conditions are occurring, but primary sources can also include autobiographies, memoirs, and oral histories recorded later.

Primary sources are characterized by their content, regardless of the format available. (Handwritten notes could be published; the published book might be digitized or put on microfilm, but those notes are still primary sources in any format).

Some types of primary sources:

• Original documents (excerpts or translations acceptable): Diaries, speeches, manuscripts, letters, interviews, news film footage, contemporary newspaper articles, autobiographies, official records, pamphlets, meeting notes, photographs, contemporary sketches
• Creative works : Poetry, drama, novels, music, art 
• Relics or artifacts : Furniture, clothing, buildings

Examples of primary sources include:

• A poster from the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters' 1962 strike
• The papers of William James
• A 1970 U.S. State Dept document updating Nixon on U.S.-Soviet space cooperation activities (Harvard login)
• A British pamphlet: "Electric Lighting for Country Houses," 1898
• Phineas Gage's skull
• The text of J. Robert Oppenheimer's "Atomic Weapons" presentation to the American Philosophical Society

Outline of Primary Sources for History

Archives and Manuscripts

Archives and manuscripts are the unpublished records of persons (letters, notes, diaries, etc.) and organizations. What are Archives?   Usually each archival collection has a (short) catalog record and a detailed finding aid (which is often available online).

• "Catalog record” refers to the kind of record found in library online catalogs, similar to those for books, although often a bit longer. Example of an Archive record .
• “Finding aid” (sometimes called an inventory) generally refers to a list of the folder labels for the collection, accompanied by a brief collection overview (scope and contents note) and a biographical (or institutional) note on the creator of the collection.  Finding aids may be as long as needed given the size of the collection.  They vary considerably according to the practices of individual repositories. Example of a Finding aid .

To find  Archives and manuscripts  at Harvard, go to  HOLLIS Advanced search .  Search your keywords or Subject terms (see the  HOLLIS page of this guide ) in the Library Catalog, limiting to Resource Type: Archives/Manuscripts.  You can choose the library at the right (Search Scope).  Countway  Medicine has abundant medical archives, and Schlesinger has many archives of women activists, many in health and reproductive rights fields.    Sample search on Subject: Women health .

Library Research Guide for Finding Manuscripts and Archival Collections explains

• How to find archives and manuscripts at Harvard
• How to find archives and manuscripts elsewhere in US via search tools and via subject guides .
• How to find archives and manuscripts in Europe and elsewhere.
• Requesting digitization of archival material from Harvard and from other repositories .

For digitized archival material together with other kinds of primary sources:

• Finding Primary Sources Online offers general instructions for finding primary sources online and a list of resources by region and country
• Online Primary Source Collections for the History of Science lists digital collections at Harvard and beyond by topic.
• Online Primary Source Collections for History lists digital collections at Harvard and beyond by topic.

Methods for finding books are described under the HOLLIS page  of this guide and in the Finding Primary Sources in HOLLIS box on this page. 

• Book Reviews may give an indication as to how a scientific work was received. See:   Finding Book Reviews . 
• Numerous, especially pre-1923 books (as well as periodicals and other sources) can be found and full text searched in several digital libraries (see box on this page).

Periodicals

Scientific articles :

Web of Science Citation Indexes (Harvard Login)  (1900- ) articles in all areas of science. Includes medical articles not in PubMed. You can use the Cited Reference search in the Web of Science to find primary source articles that cite a specified article, thus getting an idea of its reception. More information on the Web of Science .

PubMed (1946- ) covers, usually with abstracts, periodical articles on all areas of medicine. - --Be sure to look at the MeSH (Medical Subject Headings)  at the bottom of pertinent records. Very recent articles may not as yet received their MeSH terms.  So look at older records to find the MeSH terms, and use a variety of keywords as well as MeSH terms to find the new records. --​The MeSH terms are the same as the Medical Subject terms found in HOLLIS. --Hit Free article or Try Harvard Library, not the publisher's name to see full text

JSTOR (Harvard Login)  offers full-text of complete runs (up to about 5 years ago) of over 400 journals. JSTOR allows simultaneous or individual searching, full-text searching optional, numerous journals in a variety of fields of science and medicine. See the list at the bottom of the Advanced search screen. JSTOR searches the "Notes and News" sections of journals ( Science is especially rich in this material). In Advanced Search choose Item Type: Miscellaneous to limit largely to "Notes and News".

PsycINFO) (Harvard Login)  (1872- ) indexes the professional and academic literature in psychology and related disciplines

Many more scientific periodical indexes are listed in the Library Research Guide for the History of Science .

General interest magazines and periodicals see:

American Periodicals Series Online (Harvard Login)  (1740-1900) offers full text of about 1100 American periodicals. Includes several scientific and medical journals including the American Journal of Science and the Medical Repository. In cases where a periodical started before 1900, coverage is included until 1940.

British Periodicals (Harvard Login)  (1681-1920) offers full text for several hundred British periodicals.

Ethnic NewsWatch (Harvard Login)  (1959- ) is a full text database of the newspapers, magazines, and journals of the ethnic, minority and native press.

Periodicals Index Online (Harvard Login)  indexes contents of thousands of US and European journals in the humanities and social sciences, from their first issues to 1995.

Reader's Guide Retrospective (WilsonWeb) (Harvard Login)  (1890-1982)  indexes many American popular periodicals.

Many more general periodical indexes are listed in Finding Articles in General and Popular Periodicals (North America and Western Europe) .

Articles in non-science fields (religion, public policy): see the list in the Library Research Guide for History .

Professional/Trade : Aimed at particular trades or professions.  See the Library Research Guide for History

Newspaper articles : see the Guide to Newspapers and Newspaper Indexes .

Personal accounts . These are first person narratives recalling or describing a person’s life and opinions. These include Diaries, memoirs, autobiographies, and when delivered orally and recorded: Oral histories and Interviews.

National Library of Medicine Oral Histories

Regulatory Oral History Hub  (Kenan Institute for Ethics, Duke University) offers links to digital collections containing interviews with regulators, lawyers, and judges. Mainly U.S.

Visual sources :

Records for many, but by no means all, individual Harvard University Library images are available in  HOLLIS Images , an online catalog of images. Records include subjects and a thumbnail image.  HOLLIS Images is included in HOLLIS  searches.

Science & Society Picture Library offers over 50,000 images from the Science Museum (London), the National Museum of Photography, Film & Television and the National Railway Museum.

Database of Scientific Illustrators  (DSI) includes over 12500 illustrators in natural history, medicine, technology and various sciences worldwide, c.1450-1950. Living illustrators excluded. 

NYPL Digital Gallery Pictures of Science: 700 Years of Scientific and Medical Illustration

Images from the History of Medicine (IHM) includes prints and photographs from the U.S. National Library of Medicine. (The IHM is contained within a larger NLM image database, so this link goes to a specialized search).

Images From the History of the Public Health Service: a Photographic Exhibit .

Wellcome Images

Films/Videos

To find films in  HOLLIS , search your topic keywords, then on the right side of the results screen, look at Resource Type and choose video/film.

To find books about films about your topic, search your topic keywords AND "in motion pictures" ​  (in "")

​Film Platform  offers numerous documentary films on a wide variety of subjects.  There are collections on several topics. Searches can be filtered by topic, country of production, and language. 

A list of general sources for images and film is available in the Library Research Guide for History and additional sources for the history of science in Library Research Guide for the History of Science .

Government documents often concern matters of science and health policy.  For Congressional documents, especially committee reports, see ProQuest Congressional (Harvard Login ). 

HathiTrust Digital Library . Each full text item is linked to a standard library catalog record, thus providing good metadata and subject terms. The catalog can be searched separately.  Many government documents are full text viewable.  Search US government department as Author.

More sources are listed in the Library Research Guide for History

For artifacts and other objects , the Historic Scientific Instruments Collection in the Science Center includes over 15,000 instruments, often with contemporary documentation, from 1450 through the 20th century worldwide.

Waywiser, online database of the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments .

Warren Anatomical Museum of the Center for the History of Medicine in the Countway Library of Medicine has a rich collection of medical artifacts and specimens.

Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology

Fall 2020: these collections are closed during the pandemic. Check out their links above to see what they have available online.

Primary Source Terms :

You can limit HOLLIS  searches to your time period, but sources may be published later, such as a person's diary published posthumously. Find these with these special Subject terms.

You can use the following terms to search HOLLIS for primary sources:

• Correspondence
• Description and travel
• Manuscripts
• Notebooks, sketchbooks, etc.
• Personal narratives (refers to accounts of wars and diseases only)
• Pictorial works
• Sources (usually refers to collections of published primary sources)

Include these terms with your topical words in HOLLIS searches. For example: tuberculosis personal narratives

Online Primary Source Collections for the History of Science lists digital collections at Harvard and beyond by topic

Google Book Search, HathiTrust Digital Library and Internet Archives offer books and periodicals digitized from numerous libraries.  Only out-of-copyright, generally post-1923, books are fully viewable.  Each of these three digital libraries allows searching full text over their entire collections.

Google Book Search

HathiTrust Digital Library . Each full text item is linked to a standard library catalog record, thus providing good metadata and subject terms. The catalog can be searched separately.  Many post-1923 out-of-copyright books, especially government documents, are full text viewable. You can search within copyright books to see what page your search term is on.

Internet Archive now offers a beta full text search. Put your terms (phrases or personal names, in quotation marks (""), work best) in the search box. 

The Online Books Page arranges electronic texts by Library of Congress call numbers and is searchable (but not full text searchable).  Includes books not in Google Books, HathiTrust, or Internet Archive. Has many other useful features.

Medical Heritage Library . Information about the Medical Heritage Library. Now searchable full text.

UK Medical Heritage Library

Biodiversity Heritage Library

Contagion: Historical Views of Diseases and Epidemics (1493-1922) provides digitized historical, manuscript, and image resources selected from Harvard University libraries and archives.

Expeditions and Discoveries (1626-1953) features nine expeditions in anthropology and archaeology, astronomy, botany, and oceanography in which Harvard University played a significant role. Includes manuscripts and records, published materials, visual works, and maps from 14 Harvard repositories.

Defining Gender Online: Five Centuries of Advice Literature for Men and Women (1450-1910).

Twentieth Century Advice Literature: North American Guides on Race, Sex, Gender, and the Family.

Many more general History digital libraries and collections: Library Research Guide for History

More History of Science digital libraries: Library Research Guide for the History of Science .

There may already be a detailed list of sources (a bibliography) for your topic.

For instance:

A bibliography of eugenics , by Samuel J. Holmes ... Berkeley, Calif., University of California press, 1924, 514 p. ( University of California publications in zoology . vol. XXV)  Full text online .

Look for specialized subject bibliographies in HOLLIS Catalog . Example .   WorldCat can do similar searches in the Subject Keyword field for non-Harvard holdings.

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• Primary vs. Secondary Sources | Difference & Examples

Primary vs. Secondary Sources | Difference & Examples

Published on 4 September 2022 by Raimo Streefkerk . Revised on 15 May 2023.

When you do research, you have to gather information and evidence from a variety of sources.

Primary sources provide raw information and first-hand evidence. Examples include interview transcripts, statistical data, and works of art. A primary source gives you direct access to the subject of your research.

Secondary sources provide second-hand information and commentary from other researchers. Examples include journal articles, reviews, and academic books . A secondary source describes, interprets, or synthesises primary sources.

Primary sources are more credible as evidence, but good research uses both primary and secondary sources.

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Table of contents

What is a primary source, what is a secondary source, primary and secondary source examples, how to tell if a source is primary or secondary, primary vs secondary sources: which is better, frequently asked questions about primary and secondary sources.

A primary source is anything that gives you direct evidence about the people, events, or phenomena that you are researching. Primary sources will usually be the main objects of your analysis.

If you are researching the past, you cannot directly access it yourself, so you need primary sources that were produced at the time by participants or witnesses (e.g. letters, photographs, newspapers ).

If you are researching something current, your primary sources can either be qualitative or quantitative data that you collect yourself (e.g. through interviews, surveys, experiments) or sources produced by people directly involved in the topic (e.g. official documents or media texts).

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A secondary source is anything that describes, interprets, evaluates, or analyses information from primary sources. Common examples include:

• Books , articles and documentaries that synthesise information on a topic
• Synopses and descriptions of artistic works
• Encyclopaedias and textbooks that summarize information and ideas
• Reviews and essays that evaluate or interpret something

When you cite a secondary source, it’s usually not to analyse it directly. Instead, you’ll probably test its arguments against new evidence or use its ideas to help formulate your own.

Examples of sources that can be primary or secondary

A secondary source can become a primary source depending on your research question . If the person, context, or technique that produced the source is the main focus of your research, it becomes a primary source.

To determine if something can be used as a primary or secondary source in your research, there are some simple questions you can ask yourself:

• Does this source come from someone directly involved in the events I’m studying (primary) or from another researcher (secondary)?
• Am I interested in analysing the source itself (primary) or only using it for background information (secondary)?
• Does the source provide original information (primary) or does it comment upon information from other sources (secondary)?

Most research uses both primary and secondary sources. They complement each other to help you build a convincing argument. Primary sources are more credible as evidence, but secondary sources show how your work relates to existing research.

What do you use primary sources for?

Primary sources are the foundation of original research. They allow you to:

• Make new discoveries
• Provide credible evidence for your arguments
• Give authoritative information about your topic

If you don’t use any primary sources, your research may be considered unoriginal or unreliable.

What do you use secondary sources for?

Secondary sources are good for gaining a full overview of your topic and understanding how other researchers have approached it. They often synthesise a large number of primary sources that would be difficult and time-consuming to gather by yourself. They allow you to:

• Gain background information on the topic
• Support or contrast your arguments with other researchers’ ideas
• Gather information from primary sources that you can’t access directly (e.g. private letters or physical documents located elsewhere)

When you conduct a literature review , you can consult secondary sources to gain a thorough overview of your topic. If you want to mention a paper or study that you find cited in a secondary source, seek out the original source and cite it directly.

Remember that all primary and secondary sources must be cited to avoid plagiarism . You can use Scribbr’s free citation generator to do so!

Common examples of primary sources include interview transcripts , photographs, novels, paintings, films, historical documents, and official statistics.

Anything you directly analyze or use as first-hand evidence can be a primary source, including qualitative or quantitative data that you collected yourself.

Common examples of secondary sources include academic books, journal articles , reviews, essays , and textbooks.

Anything that summarizes, evaluates or interprets primary sources can be a secondary source. If a source gives you an overview of background information or presents another researcher’s ideas on your topic, it is probably a secondary source.

To determine if a source is primary or secondary, ask yourself:

• Was the source created by someone directly involved in the events you’re studying (primary), or by another researcher (secondary)?
• Does the source provide original information (primary), or does it summarize information from other sources (secondary)?
• Are you directly analyzing the source itself (primary), or only using it for background information (secondary)?

Some types of sources are nearly always primary: works of art and literature, raw statistical data, official documents and records, and personal communications (e.g. letters, interviews ). If you use one of these in your research, it is probably a primary source.

Primary sources are often considered the most credible in terms of providing evidence for your argument, as they give you direct evidence of what you are researching. However, it’s up to you to ensure the information they provide is reliable and accurate.

Always make sure to properly cite your sources to avoid plagiarism .

A fictional movie is usually a primary source. A documentary can be either primary or secondary depending on the context.

If you are directly analysing some aspect of the movie itself – for example, the cinematography, narrative techniques, or social context – the movie is a primary source.

If you use the movie for background information or analysis about your topic – for example, to learn about a historical event or a scientific discovery – the movie is a secondary source.

Whether it’s primary or secondary, always properly cite the movie in the citation style you are using. Learn how to create an MLA movie citation or an APA movie citation .

Articles in newspapers and magazines can be primary or secondary depending on the focus of your research.

In historical studies, old articles are used as primary sources that give direct evidence about the time period. In social and communication studies, articles are used as primary sources to analyse language and social relations (for example, by conducting content analysis or discourse analysis ).

If you are not analysing the article itself, but only using it for background information or facts about your topic, then the article is a secondary source.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.

Streefkerk, R. (2023, May 15). Primary vs. Secondary Sources | Difference & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 14 May 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/working-sources/primary-vs-secondary-sources/

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Performing Academic Research: Primary and secondary sources

• The research process
• Creating a research plan
• Primary and secondary sources
• Academic vs. non-academic information
• Evaluating information: The PAARC test

Identifying Primary and Secondary Sources

What is a primary source.

Primary sources are firsthand accounts of events, ideas, or statements. They are usually created at the time of an event or very soon after.

Primary sources can come in many different forms, including diaries, letters, photographs, art, maps, video and film, sound recordings, interviews, newspapers, magazines, novels, poems, short stories, autobiographies, or memoirs. The exact form of a primary source is not important. It is the content and context of the material that makes it a primary source.  For example, a novel written in 2012 about the Peloponnesian War isn’t a primary source for information about the Peloponnesian War (unless the author is somehow over two thousand years old). However, the same novel is a primary source for information about the author’s ideas, philosophy, and writing style.

When trying to identify a Primary Source, ask yourself:

• Was it created at the time of an event, or very soon after?
• Was it created by someone who saw or heard an event themselves?
• Is it a personal record of an event?

If you answer to any of the above is “yes,” then it is likely that you are looking at a Primary Source.

What is a Secondary Source?

Secondary sources report, describe, comment on, or analyze the experiences or work of others.

A secondary source is at least once removed from the primary source. It reports on the original work, the direct observation, or the firsthand experience. It will often use primary sources as examples.

Secondary sources can include books, textbooks, newspapers, biographies, journal articles, movies and magazines. As with primary sources, the format is less important than the information being presented. If the source seeks to report, describe, comment on or analyze an original work, direct observation, or firsthand experience of another person, it is a secondary source.

Eamon, Michael. “Defining Primary and Secondary Sources.” Library and Archives Canada , Library and Archives Canada,

27 May 2010, https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/education/008-3010-e.html.

Payton, Melissa. The Prentice Hall Guide to Evaluating Online Resources with Research Navigator 2004 . Pearson Education Inc., 2004.

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What is a Primary Source?

Objectives | Definitions | Instructions for Teachers | Instructions for Students | Comparing Types of Primary Sources Activity |  Additional Resources

The objective of this classroom exercise is to introduce students to the use, comparison, and evaluation of primary source documents. Students will learn what a primary source and first person testimony are, and the difference between primary and secondary sources.  They will also learn about history from individuals, and compare how different primary and secondary sources teach about the same historic event in different ways. This exercise will also introduce students to the wealth of primary sources available at the Smithsonian Institution Archives and through the World Wide Web.

Time:  30 minutes (Adjust Time As Needed)

Skills:  Conceptual Knowledge of Types of Historic Documents, Observation, Comparison, Evaluation, Document-Based Questions and Answers

Content Area:  History

Materials: 

• Handouts, Overheads, or Online Images of Primary Sources  
• What Is A Primary Source? (PDF)

Please note that all Smithsonian Institution primary and secondary source materials can be used and reproduced for educational purposes without further permission.  

Grade Level:  Grades 6-12

DEFINITIONS

Primary source - a document or object that was created by an individual or group as part of their daily lives. Primary sources include birth certificates, photographs, diaries, letters, embroidered samplers, clothing, household implements, and newspapers.

First person testimony - the account of a person who actually participated in an event.   Examples are oral history interviews, diaries, letters, photographs and drawings of events, and court testimony of an eyewitness.

Secondary source - summaries, second-hand accounts, and analyses of events created by someone who did not witness the event, but may have read or heard about it.  Examples may include: books or articles written on a topic, artworks depicting an event, letters or diaries recounting a version of events told to the author by another source.  

Second person or hearsay testimony - an account repeated by someone who did not actually participate in the event.  Examples are newspaper accounts from interviews of observers, letters that repeat a story told to the writer, drawings based on other people’s observations, or a book written about a topic.

Mixed sources - A document that is a primary source may contain both first person testimony and second hand testimony.  An example would be a diary entry that records a person’s eyewitness observations of an event (first person testimony) but also contains additional stories told to the writer by a family member (second hand testimony).  Newspapers often contain a mixture of first and second hand accounts.

It may depend on the question you are asking – The same document can be a primary and secondary source, depending upon the question you ask.  For example, a Baltimore newspaper’s account of Lincoln’s death that includes unattributed accounts of what happened at Ford’s Theater contains second hand testimony, if your question is what exactly happened at Ford’s Theater that night.  But if your question is how people in Baltimore heard about Lincoln’s assassination and what did they hear, then the newspaper is a primary sources for answering that question.

Instructions for Teachers

If your class has computer and internet access, the students can practice research skills by searching for the necessary documents using the links and instructions below.  If not, you could gather and print the documents from the links or from other activities on this DVD.

• Before sending students to work with the documents, explain the definitions of primary, secondary and mixed sources.
• Divide the class into three groups. Each group will be given print-outs of one set of materials relating to Lincoln's death and the worksheet. First have students examine the original documents carefully in their individual groups, and answer the questions on the worksheet.
• Group 1: Mary Henry diary, April 15 and 16, 1865, http://siarchives.si.edu/history/exhibits/documents/deathoflincoln.htm
• Group 2: Civil War era images of the Smithsonian, http://siarchives.si.edu/history/exhibits/documents/dcduringcw.htm

and http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ammemhome.html Search for: "Assassination of President Lincoln" and pick two or three of the images, such as an engraving of Lincoln being shot, and a photograph of Lincoln's funeral.

• Group 3: New York Times coverage of Lincoln's assassination.

http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/browser

Search for: April 15 and 16, 1865

• After students have thoroughly analyzed and read their documents and answered their questions in the small groups, bring the class back together for a large discussion.  Have each group share a summary of their documents and the answers they found.  Ask these questions to begin a discussion:
• What do these documents tell you about Washington, D.C., at the time of President Lincoln's death?
• How does studying these documents differ from reading a chapter on the Civil War in a textbook?
• Why is it important/valuable to look at primary sources?
• How do primary sources help you understand history?
• Does one form of evidence shed light on other forms of evidence?
• Does one document help you evaluate the quality of the information in another document?
• When you combine these primary sources, is the whole greater than the sum of its parts?
• How can diaries/photographs/newsclippings be used to learn about history?
• How can you use contemporary materials to become aware of the historic events that you are a part of?
• What can you learn from writing a diary? Taking a series of photographs? Clipping articles on a topic from a newspaper?
• If appropriate, students can also be assigned a short essay on their document or the group of documents with these instructions:

Critically evaluate the primary sources, providing support for your points. Evaluate such issues as the reliability of early accounts during a crisis, the reliability of different forms of evidence, the impact of personal accounts on our understanding of history, and the impact of visual evidence on our understanding of history.

Instructions for Students

In your assigned groups, look at, read, and analyze your source documents carefully.  Answer the questions listed on your worksheet as a group, using evidence from the documents to support your answers.

Comparing Types of Primary Sources Activity

Names : _____________________________________________________________________________________

1. Who produced this document?

2. Did they actually witness the event?

3. Why was this document created?

4. What was the occasion?

5. What is this document about?

6. Who was the intended audience?

7. What biases might the creator have had?

8. How reliable is the creator of the document? If not, why not?

9. What does this document tell you about the Civil War era in Washington, D.C.?

10. What type of document is this? Is this document a primary source?

11. Does it have first person or second hand testimony or both?

12. Is the evidence clear, reliable, first person or second-hand/hearsay?

13. How does this compare to what you have learned in your textbooks?

14. Does this document help you understand the history of the Civil War in Washington, D.C.?

Additional Resources

• SI Stories, Smithsonian Institution Archives, http://siarchives.si.edu/history/exhibits/stories-smithsonian
• Smithsonian Institution Archives History Pages,  http://siarchives.si.edu/history
• Smithsonian Institution Collections Search,  http://collections.si.edu/search/
• Historic Pictures of the Smithsonian, Smithsonian Institution Archives,  http://siarchives.si.edu/history/exhibits/historic-pictures-smithsonian
• Smithsonian Institution Education Site,  http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/
• American Memory, Library of Congress, http://memory.loc.gov
• Digital Classroom, National Archives, http://www.archives.gov/education/index.html
• Edsitement, The Best of the Humanities on the Web, National Endowment for the Humanities, http://edsitement.neh.gov/
• History Matters, The U.S. Survey Course on the Web, The Social History Project, http://historymatters.gmu.edu/
• New York Times Archive, http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/
• Chicago Historical Society:  “Wet with Blood:  The Investigation of Mary Todd Lincoln’s Cloak,” http://www.chicagohistory.org/wetwithblood/index.htm

Primary and Secondary Sources: A Comprehensive Guide

Did you know that the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947 revolutionized our understanding of ancient texts and biblical history? These ancient manuscripts, dating back over two millennia, were found in the caves of Qumran near the Dead Sea in Israel. Containing texts from the Hebrew Bible, as well as other Jewish writings, the Dead Sea Scrolls serve as a primary source of immense historical and religious significance. This remarkable find showcases the power of primary sources in shedding light on centuries-old events and beliefs, prompting us to explore what is the difference between primary and secondary sources in the pursuit of knowledge.

Primary and Secondary Sources: Short Summary

In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the fascinating realm of historical research, uncovering the invaluable role played by primary sources—those direct witnesses to the events of the past—and their counterpart, secondary sources, which provide a deeper understanding and analysis of these primary materials. Whether you're a student, a researcher, or simply a curious soul seeking to unravel the mysteries of history, this guide will equip you with the tools and examples to navigate the realm of primary and secondary sources with confidence.

What is a Primary Source: Unraveling the Essence

A primary source refers to original, firsthand accounts or data that provide unique insights into a particular event or topic. These sources can include letters, diaries, photographs, interviews, surveys, or raw data.

They are invaluable because they offer a direct connection to the subject matter, giving researchers the opportunity to analyze and interpret information from the most authentic perspective.

Primary source examples may include:

• Historical documents like letters, speeches, or official government records
• Personal accounts such as diaries or memoirs
• Original research studies or experiments
• Artifacts or physical objects from a specific time period or culture
• Original photographs or videos captured during an event

What are Secondary Sources: Exploring the Foundations

Secondary sources are documents or materials that interpret, analyze, or summarize information from primary sources. They provide a foundational understanding of a topic by drawing upon primary sources and offering expert insights and perspectives. Examples of secondary sources include textbooks, scholarly articles, biographies, and review articles.

Secondary sources are valuable in research because they offer a broader context and analysis of the information found in primary sources. They help researchers gain a deeper understanding of a subject, identify patterns or trends, and evaluate the credibility and reliability of the information. Secondary sources are especially useful when researching complex or specialized topics that require expert interpretation.

According to our research paper writing service , some advantages of using secondary sources include the following:

• Accessibility: Secondary sources are often readily available and easily accessible through libraries, databases, and online platforms.
• Time-saving: Secondary sources provide condensed and synthesized information, saving researchers time and effort in collecting and analyzing primary sources.
• Contextualization: Secondary sources offer a broader context for understanding primary sources, providing historical, social, or cultural background to the research topic.
• Analysis and interpretation: Secondary sources often analyze and interpret primary source data, offering different perspectives and expert opinions.

Difference between Primary and Secondary Sources

Understanding the difference between the examples of primary and secondary sources is essential for conducting thorough research.

Primary sources are original materials that provide firsthand accounts or direct evidence of an event, topic, or period. They include documents, letters, diaries, interviews, photographs, and artifacts. These sources offer unique insights and perspectives from the time period being studied. For instance, when writing a poetry analysis essay example , a primary source could be the actual poem itself. Analyzing the words, themes, and literary techniques used in the poem provides a direct engagement with the poet's original work, allowing for a deeper understanding and interpretation of their artistic expression.

On the other hand, secondary sources interpret, analyze, and summarize information from primary sources. They are created by individuals who were not present during the events they are discussing. Secondary sources include textbooks, academic articles, books, documentaries, and reviews. They provide a broader understanding of a topic and often offer critical analysis and synthesis of multiple primary sources.

Here's a quick summary of the differences between primary and secondary sources:

When to Use Primary and Secondary Sources

Knowing when to use primary and secondary sources is essential in conducting thorough and reliable research. To help you navigate this important decision, let's explore some considerations and examples of primary and secondary sources:

Primary Sources:

• When seeking firsthand accounts or original data related to an event, period, or topic.
• When conducting historical or sociological research, primary sources provide direct evidence from the time period or individuals involved.
• When studying original research reports or scientific experiments.
• When analyzing personal interviews or diaries that offer valuable insights and perspectives.

Secondary Sources:

• When wanting to understand and interpret primary sources from a different perspective or context.
• When seeking expert analysis and interpretation of primary sources.
• When building upon previous research and incorporating established scholarly knowledge into your own work.
• When looking for comprehensive literature reviews or summaries of research on a particular topic.

Furthermore, if you're in search of a flawless thesis statement example for your research, we have you covered on that front as well!

Primary and Secondary Source Examples

As you already know, primary sources offer firsthand accounts or original data, while secondary sources provide analysis and interpretation of primary sources. Here are some examples of each:

How to Determine If a Source is Primary or Secondary

Determining whether a source is a primary or secondary source can sometimes be a bit challenging, but there are some key factors to consider. Here are some ways to determine if a source is primary or secondary:

• Date of Publication: Primary sources are typically created close to the time of the event or period being studied, while secondary sources are usually written after the fact.
• Author's Perspective: Primary sources are often written by people who were directly involved in the event or period, while secondary sources are usually written by researchers or historians analyzing the primary sources.
• Intended Audience: Primary sources are usually intended for a specific audience at the time they were created, while secondary sources are typically created for a broader audience.
• Content: Primary sources contain firsthand accounts, original data, or direct evidence of the event or period in question, while secondary sources interpret, analyze, or critique primary sources.

Understanding the distinction between primary and secondary sources can also be instrumental when crafting introductions for essays . By clearly stating the sources you will be using and their respective roles, you set the stage for a well-structured and credible essay that engages readers and showcases your research prowess. Remember to also consider the context and purpose of your primary and secondary sources in order to make an informed decision.

Ever Wondered What Lies Beyond the Realms of Conventional Research?

Equipped with an arsenal of compelling primary and secondary sources, we'll unravel the mysteries surrounding your burning question!

Primary and Secondary Sources: Which One is Better in Research

When it comes to research, the question of whether primary or secondary sources are better is not a matter of superiority but rather the relevance and purpose of the research.

Primary sources provide firsthand information or original data that comes directly from the source. They have a sense of immediacy and authenticity, making them valuable for historical research, sociological studies, or analyzing original documents. Examples of primary sources include diaries, letters, interviews, surveys, and eyewitness accounts.

On the other hand, secondary sources interpret, analyze, or summarize information from primary sources. They are created by someone who did not directly experience or witness the events or phenomena being discussed. Secondary sources include textbooks, journal articles, scholarly journals, and books that provide analysis or commentary on a particular topic.

The choice between primary and secondary sources depends on the research goals and the depth of analysis required. Primary sources are essential for original research, while secondary sources provide a broader understanding of a topic by incorporating multiple perspectives and expert analysis. Ultimately, the best approach is often a combination of both primary and secondary source examples, using them in tandem to paint a comprehensive and well-rounded picture.

In the meantime, you can enhance your academic writing by learning how to write transition sentences !

What Are Some Examples of Primary Sources?

Here are some more examples of primary sources:

• Historical speeches and documents
• Autobiographies and memoirs
• Court records and legal documents
• Maps and geographical surveys
• Personal journals and diaries of historical figures
• Works of art, such as paintings or sculptures, from the time period
• Correspondence between individuals or groups
• Census records and population surveys
• Musical compositions and scores from the era
• Advertisements and promotional materials from the time period

Final Thoughts

In a nutshell, understanding the importance of primary and secondary sources is like having a secret key to unlock a treasure chest of knowledge. By using both types of sources in your research, you get to dive deep into the past and discover firsthand accounts and different perspectives. Primary sources take you right to the heart of historical events, connecting you directly with the people and moments that shaped history. Secondary sources, on the other hand, act as friendly guides, helping you make sense of the primary sources by analyzing and interpreting them.

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Why Do I Need to Use Both Primary and Secondary Sources in My Research?

What defines a primary source, is a newspaper article a primary or secondary source, related articles.

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2.3: How to Read Primary Sources, Part I- The Basics

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As you learned above, historians depend upon two types of sources, primary and secondary . While secondary sources are shaped by the requirements of their genre—a certain uniformity follows when everyone respects scholarly standards — primary sources emerge out of an almost infinite number of circumstances. Consider for a moment the differences between a priest writing a theological treatise in the fifteenth century and a rap musician producing a digital recording in the twenty-first century. Their vocabularies and tools of production, their understanding of who their audiences were, even the present-day physical properties of these sources and the means by which they are accessed are dramatically different. Both sources could reveal information about the culture, beliefs, and politics of their time, but figuring out those messages requires different interpretative skills. Accounting for the context in which your source was created, so that you can discern what it is saying, is where the fun begins.

In the information that follows, you’ll find basic directions on what questions to ask of each primary source , as well as some suggestions about best practices, or recommended steps to follow as you evaluate primary sources. But in the end, as the researcher you have a good deal of latitude in considering sources, and the variability between sources requires you to become a bit of an expert in the unique qualities (type of source, when, and for whom, your source was created) of your sources’ context. With that latitude, however, comes responsibility. You must attempt to learn as much as you can about the circumstances of your source’s creation, and guard against letting your assumptions influence your interpretation.

To make sure you live up to that responsibility, keep the following list of basic questions at hand when you read your source, and make notes to yourself ( NOT on the source!) about your impressions. Follow up as well with outside sources (linked below) that explain differences in how to approach sources by type—these essays and interviews offer insights about what you can make of a diary, or how to “read” a photo or map, or the best methods for extrapolating from sources that are meaningful only in the aggregate. Last, consider consulting with your instructor and/or an archivist after you’ve taken a first or second pass toward interpreting your sources’ meaning. You’ll find that professional historians and archivists like this part of their job—thinking about the “stuff of history”—best and will willingly add their questions and insights to your impressions.

Types of primary sources

Creating this list is virtually impossible because the permutations are almost endless, but the following list suggests just how many different artifacts of the past exist. Click the hyperlinked examples for more information on how to use or interpret the type of primary source.

• Private correspondence
• Scholarly writings
• Oral histories of famous people and ordinary people
• Works of art, including musical scores and recordings
• Photographs
• Architecture, furniture, tools
• Coins, inscriptions, cornerstones
• Government documents
• Laws (passed and considered)
• Diplomatic dispatches
• Court records, police reports
• Blogs, Magazines, Newspapers
• Advertisements
• Podcasts, videos, films, TV shows
• Screenplays, plays, novels, poems, short stories
• Membership lists, minutes, club records
• Sports scores
• Scientific accounts
• Business accounts
• Recipes and cookbooks

An interactive H5P element has been excluded from this version of the text. You can view it online here: https://uta.pressbooks.pub/historicalresearch/?p=412#h5p-9

Questions you should ask about written documents

Part i- the basics.

• Is this a primary source? Is it authentic (not a fraud)?
• What sort of primary source is it? (newspaper, letter, map, image, government report….)
• What in brief is the document saying?
• Who created the document? About when? Why (that is, for what audience and purpose)?

Part II – Are you reading the document fairly and/or correctly?

• Remember, the past is a different country. Do you need to know something else (the meaning of words, who someone was, the state of technology, etc.) to understand this document? If so, what?
• Any information you can infer or “read between the lines” or interpret based on something NOT said/portrayed? Silences are often important.

Part III – Assessing credibility. Keep in mind that your answers to these questions depend on what information you are claiming for the document.

• Was creator of the document in a good place to observe or record the event? If not, why not? (The answer to this question depends on what main claim you see the document making.)
• In what way might the creator have been biased? How might that shape the ‘truth’ of this document? Does the testimony/story seem probable?
• Who preserved the document and why? Can you infer anything from that about preservation? (Not always pertinent, but it’s worth keeping in mind that some voices get privileged over others in the historical record, and we must make allowances for that in our interpretations.)
• Where might you find corroboration for any interpretive points you find compelling? (That is, you’ll need to solidify support for your argument. What other sorts of primary sources might help do that?)

To develop your expertise in particular kinds of sources, please consider reading these essays on making sense of evidence written by practicing historians at History Matters, a digital collection of information and skills necessary for US History.

This web site on Learning to do Historical Research , created by students of noted historian William Cronon, offers some important insights both about how to approach primary sources, and about how asking questions about your sources might help you narrow your research paper topic. Also see Choosing and Narrowing A Topic for additional tips on how to narrow down a topic.

You might also consider some helpful strategies for making sure you cover the bases in interpreting your primary sources. For example, here is an explanation of the “Four Reads” method from teachinghistory.org.

Approaching Other Genres

While many primary sources can only be found in out-of-the-way archives, there is a wealth of sources that come pre-bound in collections of classics; which is to say literature. Despite being fictional, literature can reveal quite a lot about the author’s time and situation if you know where and how to look. Below are some tips for how to read literary works as a primary source.

Literary Works

As narrative texts with clear beginnings, middles, and ends, literary works require a different approach to reading than that described in the previous sections of this chapter. Literary works should be read from “front to back.” They should not, however, be read passively.

When reading novels, short stories, or plays ask yourself the following series of questions. They will help you to understand how the author constructed the story, what she wanted to say, and how successful she was in the endeavor. As come up with an approximate answer for each question, you will develop a deeper and more complete understanding of the work.

• What is this story about?
• What is its point (say it in no more than 10 words)?
• What is the central idea of the work? Its message?
• How does this abstract, central idea become concrete through the characters and events?
• Where does the action take place? Any particular reason that this is an appropriate choice?
• When does the action take place? Why did the author choose to set the work in this time?
• How does time and place of action, the environment of the story, interact with the characters?
• Who are the principal characters?
• What kind of people are they? What motivates them? What is their “psychology”?

Pay particular attention to the following:

• What does the narrator say about them?
• What do they say about each other?
• What do they say about themselves?
• What do their actions say about them?
• What do they look like (physical description)?
• Do they have a past?
• Who is telling the story? (be careful not to confuse the narrator with the author)
• Is the narrator omniscient? Of limited knowledge? Third person? First person?
• How would you characterize the narrator? (educated/uneducated, cynical/satirical, naive/disingenuous, etc.)
• Does the narrator have a particular point of view? Are there other points of view in the work?
• What is the narrator’s agenda? Why is s/he telling the reader this story?
• Does the narrator manipulate the reader? How? Why?
• How does the narrator “control” the story?

Structure is the conscious patterning, or configuration, of events and situations; plot is the basic element of structure.

• Does the work follow the traditional five-part structure?: Exposition; rising action; climax; falling action; denouement
• What liberties does the work take with traditional structure? What might this achieve?
• Is structure concrete or abstract?
• Is there a “frame” or other structural device? Why do you think the author uses it?
• What is interesting about the way the story is written?

What are the primary technical aspects of the author’s language?

• long or short sentences?
• dialogue or narrative?
• repetition?
• lexical levels?
• imagery? (natural, organic, animal, mechanical, visual, olfactory, tactile, abstract, etc.)
• figurative language? (metaphors? similes? synecdoches?, etc.)
• allegories? symbols?
• What is it about this author’s work that makes it specifically his and not someone else’s?
• Can you tell this writer apart from others by his/her personal style? What are the clues?
• How does knowledge of social, political, or economic conditions help you understand the work?
• What role does the historical period play in creating or enhancing the meaning of the work?
• What of the author’s life? Friends and colleagues? Interests, language, culture?
• What is their role in contributing to the meaning of the work?

If you would like an example of how to examine a work of literature click the following link: Analyzing a Melville Story

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Primary sources, secondary sources, primary sources by subject, when a source can be either.

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Primary sources are first-hand evidence related to the time or event you are investigating. This includes accounts by participants or observers and a wide range of written, physical, audio or visual materials created at the time or later by someone with direct experience .

In the sciences and social sciences, primary sources or 'primary research' are original research experiments, studies, or observations written about by the researchers themselves.

If a primary source is direct first-hand evidence, then a secondary source is second-hand commentary including anything that investigates, comments on, brings together, or reviews those primary sources and other secondary sources.

What makes a source primary or secondary depends a lot on the questions you are researching, the context, and the discipline (subject). The same type of source might be primary for one use or discipline and secondary in another.

Documentaries : When studying history, a documentary about the Vietnam War is a secondary source because it brings together many primary sources about the war and makes an argument about them. In contrast, in the field of journalism, a documentary that investigates current political corruption would be a primary source because it involves original investigation.

Newspaper Articles : A newspaper article discussing a speech by the Speaker of the House would typically be a second-hand account of that speech (the primary source) and therefore the article is a secondary source. However, if we want to know how the media portrayed the Speaker of the House, or if the speech was so long ago the newspaper article is the only evidence left, it becomes a primary source. 

Commentary or Criticism : A review of a movie is typically a secondary source commenting on the film itself. However, if you are researching the critical reception of a film that review would become a primary source.

Portions of this page were adapted from Scribbr.com "Primary and secondary sources"

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Primary Sources

Texts of laws and other original documents.

Newspaper reports, by reporters who witnessed an event or who quote people who did.

Speeches, diaries, letters and interviews - what the people involved said or wrote.

Original research.

Datasets, survey data, such as census or economic statistics.

Photographs, video, or audio that capture an event.

Secondary Sources

Secondary Sources are one step removed from primary sources, though they often quote or otherwise use primary sources. They can cover the same topic, but add a layer of interpretation and analysis. Secondary sources can include:

Most books about a topic.

Analysis or interpretation of data.

Scholarly or other articles about a topic, especially by people not directly involved.

Documentaries (though they often include photos or video portions that can be considered primary sources).

When is a Primary Source a Secondary Source?

Whether something is a primary or secondary source often depends upon the topic and its use.

A biology textbook would be considered a secondary source if in the field of biology, since it describes and interprets the science but makes no original contribution to it.

On the other hand, if the topic is science education and the history of textbooks, textbooks could be used a primary sources to look at how they have changed over time.

Examples of Primary and Secondary Sources

Adapted from Bowling Green State University, Library User Education, Primary vs. Secondary Sources .

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Step One: From Topic to Source Ideas

Primary sources, secondary sources, tertiary sources.

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You'll often hear about primary, secondary, and tertiary sources. The first thing to know is that you can't tell whether a source is one or another without putting it in the context of your research question.

Obviously, what sources you'll use will depend on what question you're answering. The role of the sources might also differ. So to start, think about what you're really asking.

For each of the next three sections, we'll consider two example historical questions:

• What did new Norwegian and German immigrants think about the Dakota Territory?
• What drove African American migration within the United States from 1890-1920?

These two questions, on related subjects and both historical, can think of sources very differently, as we'll see!

Primary sources are produced by the historical participants, or people observing them at the time. They can be many things, not just written documents; they can be oral histories, historical artifacts, and art. 

For our first question--about Northern European immigrants' impression of the Dakotas, these might include:

• Dairies and letters from the immigrants
• Immigrant newspapers
• Changes in the language
• Observations from other people living in, or passing through, the Dakotas

One of the ways historians are creative is by thinking of new sources.

For studying African American migration, we could use different sources:

• Demographic data (where did African Americans move from, and to?)
• Economic data
• Black newspapers
• Letters and diaries
• Oral histories (interviews done later in life)

If you're using primary sources to write a paper, or a book, you're creating a secondary source . Secondary sources are built up from primary sources.

Most history books and articles (and class papers) use both primary and secondary sources--they cite secondary sources to compare and contrast their own work ("So-and-so says this, but I say..." or "So and so had this great idea, and I want to apply it here..."), or to give background information to something the primary sources, which hit at the real subject, don't cover.

You'll use secondary sources like this, and to explain why you're using your primary sources the way you are.

For the immigrant experience project, you'll probably look for secondary sources like:

• Bulman and Lillestrand,  The John Hanson Heritage, Something More : The History of Norwegian Immigrant Families that Came to Iowa (sure, it's Iowa, but you'll be interested in the similarities and differences)
• Svendsbye,  I Paid All my Debts: A Norwegian-American Immigrant Saga of Life on the Prairie of North Dakota  (obviously)

For the other topic, for background and scholarly responses you might be interested in:

• Reed,  Knock at the Door of Opportunity: Black Migration to Chicago, 1900-1919  (what drove movement to big cities?)
• Woodward,  The Strange Career of Jim Crow  (what was going in in the south during this period?)

Again: In secondary sources the thesis question is answered with primary sources, although they use other sources to support their argument.

Tertiary sources do not build up from primary sources, but from secondary (and other tertiary) sources.

Essentially, they summarize research that has already been done, without using it to necessarily answer a new question.

The usual examples are textbooks, dictionaries, and encyclopedias. Wikipedia even forbids primary source research, so it can only be a tertiary source.

However: If what you're studying are dictionaries or Wikipedia themselves, they suddenly become primary sources!  What ultimately matters is what was produced by the subject of your study.

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Finding Sources

Primary and secondary sources.

Knowing the difference between primary and secondary sources will help you determine what types of sources you may need to include in your research essay. In general, primary sources are original works (original historical documents, art works, interviews, etc.), while secondary sources contain others’ insights and writings about those primary works (scholar articles about historical documents, art works, interviews, etc.).

While many scholarly sources are secondary sources, you will sometimes be asked to find primary sources in your research. For this reason, you should understand the differences between primary, secondary, and tertiary sources.

• Primary sources allow researchers to get as close as possible to original ideas, events, and empirical research as possible. Such sources may include creative works, first hand or contemporary accounts of events, and the publication of the results of empirical observations or research. These include diaries, interviews, speeches, photographs, etc.
• Secondary sources analyze, review, or summarize information in primary resources or other secondary resources. Even sources presenting facts or descriptions about events are secondary unless they are based on direct participation or observation. These include biographies, journal articles, books, and dissertations.
• Tertiary sources provide overviews of topics by synthesizing information gathered from other resources. Tertiary resources often provide data in a convenient form or provide information with context by which to interpret it. These are often grouped together with secondary sources. They include encyclopedias and dictionaries.

Analyze your topic/working thesis to determine the types of sources that can help with support.  For example, if your topic deals with Van Gogh’s use of pale green and what it connotes in his later paintings, you will need to couple evidence from primary sources (images of the paintings themselves) with secondary sources (other scholars’ views, discussions, and logical arguments about the same topic).  If your working thesis deals with the benefits of regular exercise for older adults in their 70s-90s, you may couple evidence from primary sources (uninterpreted data from research studies, interviews with older adults or experts in the field) with secondary sources (interpretations of research studies).  In some cases, you may find that your research is mostly from secondary sources and that’s fine, depending on your topic and working thesis.  Just make sure to consider, consciously, the types of sources that can best be used to support your own ideas.

The following video provides a clear overview of primary and secondary sources.

• Primary and Secondary Sources. Revision and adaptation of the page What Are Scholarly Articles? at https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-englishcomposition1/chapter/text-intermediate-research-strategies/which is a revision and adaptation of the sources listed below. Authored by : Susan Oaks. Provided by : Empire State College, SUNY OER Services. Project : College Writing. License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
• What Are Scholarly Articles?. Provided by : Lumen Learning. Project : English Composition I. License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
• Primary, secondary, and tertiary sources. Provided by : Virginia Tech University Libraries. Located at : http://www.lib.vt.edu/help/research/primary-secondary-tertiary.html . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
• Secondary Sources in their Natural Habitat. Authored by : Amy Guptill. Provided by : SUNY. Located at : http://pressbooks.opensuny.org/writing-in-college-from-competence-to-excellence/chapter/4/ . Project : Writing in College. License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
• Walk, Talk, Cook, Eat: A Guide to Using Sources. Authored by : Cynthia R. Haller. Provided by : Saylor. Located at : . Project : Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing Vol. 2. License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
• Scholarly Sources. Provided by : Boundless. Located at : https://www.boundless.com/writing/textbooks/boundless-writing-textbook/the-research-process-2/understanding-the-academic-context-of-your-topic-261/understanding-the-academic-context-of-your-topic-34-1667 . Project : Boundless Writing. License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
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Information For Students

I have to write a research paper using primary sources. where do i start.

• What is the difference between Primary and Secondary sources?
• How do I cite primary source materials?
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Primary sources are created by individuals who participated in or witnessed an event and recorded that event during or immediately after the event.

Explanation:

A student activist during the war writing about protest activities has created a memoir. This would be a primary source because the information is based on her own involvement in the events she describes. Similarly, an antiwar speech is a primary source. So is the arrest record of student protesters. A newspaper editorial or article, reporting on a student demonstration is also a primary source.

Deeds, wills, court documents, military records, tax records, census records, diaries, journals, letters, account books, advertisements, newspapers, photographs, and maps are primary sources.

Secondary sources are created by someone who was either not present when the event occurred or removed from it in time. We use secondary sources for overview information, and to help familiarize ourselves with a topic and compare that topic with other events in history.

History books, encyclopedias, historical dictionaries, and academic articles are secondary sources.

If you've never written a research paper using primary sources, it is important to understand that the process is different from using only secondary sources. Many students discover that finding and gaining access to primary source documents can be difficult. The Library website has a valuable guide to locating primary source documents. Follow the link below to be redirected to that guide:

https://libguides.furman.edu/resources/primary-sources

• Students are encouraged to seek help from the Special Collections Librarian or Research Librarians to aid in their research projects. Librarians will be able to aid students in a variety of ways including helping to locate primary source materials.

After locating appropriate primary sources, it is necessary for students to analyze and interpret them. To many students, this task can seem arduous, if not overwhelming. There are many resources available in the library as well as online, which are helpful. The National Archives website has very useful analysis worksheets that can help students to determine the significance of primary source documents. Links to PDF files of these worksheets are listed below:

Written Document | Artifact | Cartoon | Map | Motion Picture | Photograph | Poster | Sound Recording

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Primary Sources - An Introductory Guide

What is a primary source.

• Primary Sources at Seton Hall University Libraries
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Where are Primary Sources?

Primary sources can be found in many different places, but the most common places to find them are libraries, archives, museums, and in the case of digitized primary sources, online databases.

Libraries carry many primary sources, especially newspapers (often on microfilm or in a database), memoirs, autobiographies, maps, audio and video materials, and published collections of letters, diaries, and interviews. Many of these can be found using the library's catalog. Many library materials can be borrowed.

Archives are collections of materials, often rare or unique, generated or created by individuals or organizations, that are of historical value and which are kept and preserved for the use of current and future communities. Many archives are located within libraries or museums, and are usually dedicated to a particular organization, geographic area, subject, or some combination of these. Materials that are collected by archives are often collections of papers, manuscripts, photographs, maps, drawings, sound or video records, objects, and many other formats, many of which are primary sources.

Museums collect, preserve, and display objects of historical or cultural significance. Primary sources found in museums include artifacts, art, maps, tablets, sound and video recordings, furniture, and realia.

Databases of primary sources often include sigitized or scanned primary sources that are related by subject, time period, or institutions that maintain the original sources. Several primary source databases can be found via the SHU Libraries website.

A primary source is a first-hand or contemporary account of an event or topic.

Primary sources are the most direct evidence of a time or event because they were created by people or things that were there at the time or event. These sources offer original thought and have not been modified by interpretation. Primary sources are original materials, regardless of format.

Examples of Primary Sources

• photographs
• sound and video recordings
• oral histories
• newspaper articles
• journal articles
• research studies
• autobiographies

Primary sources may be transformed from their original format into a newer one, such as when materials are published or digitized, but the contents are still primary. There are many primary sources available online today, but many more are still available in their original format, in archives, museums, libraries, historical sites, and elsewhere.

What is Not a Primary Source?

Secondary sources.

Secondary sources usually use primary sources and offer interpretation, analysis, or commentary. These resources often present primary source information with the addition of hindsight or historical perspective. Common examples include criticisms, histories, and magazine, journal, or newspaper articles written after the fact. Some secondary sources may also be considered primary or tertiary sources - the definition of this term is not set in stone.

Tertiary Sources

Tertiary sources are further developments of secondary sources, often summaries of information found in primary and secondary sources and collecting many sources together. Some examples of tertiary sources are encyclopedias and textbooks. Again, this term is not set in stone - some sources may be both secondary and tertiary.

Additional Primary & Secondary Source Sites

• What Makes A Primary Source A Primary Source - Library of Congress Teaching With The Library of Congress Informational Site.
• Primary Sources: A Research Guide - University of Massachusetts-Boston Description and examples of Primary vs. Secondary Sources
• What Is A Secondary Source? - Harvard University This guide serves as an introductory-level companion to the Harvard University Library Research Guide for the History of Science
• Primary Sources - Society of American Archivists Founded in 1936, the Society of American Archivists is North America's oldest and largest national professional association dedicated to the needs and interests of archives and archivists. SAA represents more than 6,200 professional archivists employed by governments, universities, businesses, libraries, and historical organizations nationally.

Find out more!

There are many good explanations and discussions of primary sources and how to use them. For more information, check out these sites:

Primary sources at Yale: What are primary sources?

ArchivesHub: Using Archives

University of Maryland Guide to Primary Sources

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21 Examples of Primary Sources (A to Z List)

Primary sources are pieces of data directly connected to an event. Generally, the source was created at the time in which the event occurred.

A primary source is generally understood in contrast to a secondary source, which is a source that reports on and makes comments on primary sources after the fact.

Primary sources should reveal new data about something. By contrast, secondary sources simply comment on or re-examine existing data.

However, as we’ll explore, the distinction between primary and secondary sources becomes very unclear very quickly. This is because context and the scholarly field of study matter in defining something as a primary vs secondary source.

Primary Source Examples

1. artifacts (in archeology).

Artifacts in archeology are objects crafted by humans. Examples of artifacts include tools, pottery, and arrowheads that are found in excavations.

These artifacts provide new first-hand accounts of what life was like at the time. They aren’t recounts or reflections. They’re the actual physical objects from the era. They’re therefore considered primary sources for analysis.

When an artifact reveals information about the culture of the time, we call it a cultural artifact. Examples of cultural artifacts include artworks and children’s toys found in a dig.

2. Audio Recordings

Audio recordings of an event are considered primary sources. For example, recorded audio of Richard Nixon taking in the oval office during the watergate scandal is a primary source: it is literally a recording of him committing a crime.

However, audio recordings of interviews with people after the event (such as an interview that takes place 2 weeks after something has happened) could be primary or secondary, depending on the context and academic discipline.

In many cases post-event interviews are seen as secondary because they do not occur concurrent with the occasion. Hindsight and memory are too imperfect to consider this a primary source.

In other cases, audio recordings such as interviews taken after an event are most certainly primary sources. For example, interview research in social science research is generally seen as primary research (as opposed to, for example, a literature review , which is considered secondary research ).

3. Autobiographies and Memoirs

Autobiographies and memoirs are considered primary sources in instances where someone is studying the life of the writer.

In these cases, those accounts of a person by a person are direct reports that can give new insights or direct clarity about the person.

By contrast, a biography (a story written by an author about someone else) would be considered a secondary source because it is a journalistic piece written about rather than by the person.

4. Biofacts (in Archeology)

Biofacts are organic matter found in archeological excavations. They differ from artifacts because they’re not just crafted by humans; they’re actually natural objects like bones and shells.

A biofact, such as the bones of an Egyptian mummy, can reveal direct and unfiltered information about the people of the times. For example, they can give us unambiguous information about the height of humans during an era, how a human died, or whether a culture of humans in the past created jewelry out of shells.

A diary is arguably a better version of primary data than a memoir and further down the scale toward a primary source and away from a secondary source.

This is because diaries are usually written at the time of the event . They are written when the memory of things are fresh in the mind of the writer, meaning there is less fog of time and less time for memory to fade or change.

Emails are records of events that took place at the time in which they were occurring.

An email can therefore form compelling evidence that can be revealing of the thought processes of people under study. They can, for example, be produced as primary evidence during court hearings about a dispute between two people emailing one another.

Emails may become secondary sources if they are simply a typed-out opinion on an event . In this case, the opinionated email is only secondary data about the event on which a person is speaking as it’s not connected to the event directly.

7. Features (in Archeology)

In archeology, a feature is an immovable contextual piece found during an archeological survey. They help reveal information about the time and place.

Examples of features include hearths, remains of walls, and remains of firepits. They can help reveal information about the architecture of the day, how people cooked, and how large settlements were within a geographical area.

8. Government Documents

Government documents, such as records of births, deaths, and marriages, are primary sources about a time and place.

Historians look back at government documents from civilizations of the past to get information about the size of cities, the health of their citizens, and so forth.

In hundreds or thousands of years in the future, future civilizations may look at government records of today to get first-hand information about our society, as well.

9. Interviews

If you conduct an interview yourself and use it as data in a research study, then that interview is generally considered a primary source of data.

Interviews are, in fact, some of the most common ways to conduct primary research for undergraduate research students. They can be an integral part of straightforward qualitative research studies to help ease students into the world of primary research.

In some instances and by some academic standards, such as if an interview is a person’s recount of an event and you are analyzing “what happened during an event”, then it may be a secondary source.

But if the study is of “15 people’s opinions of an event”, then the interview in which they share their opinions will be a primary source.

Here, you can see that the research question (whether the focus is on the event or opinions of the event) is important in determining whether some things are primary or secondary sources.

10. Letters

A letter posted from one person to another can be a primary source for a historian looking to unveil new information about their relationship.

For example, love letters between couples separated during WWII would be compelling primary sources for a historian writing a book about soldiers and their wives during the war.

Similarly, were a biographer to find a letter of invitation for a person to attend a university, then that letter of invitation is compelling primary evidence that would confirm that they had, in fact, been accepted to study there.

11. Manuscripts

Manuscripts are the original copies of a book or essay. They can be extremely revealing of original data that took place before it had become distorted through transcriptions.

Historically, they were the original pieces written by hand before the manuscript was typed out and printed. Today, they can be the drafts written on a computer before editors requested edits.

One example of the search for the original manuscripts is the bible. The original manuscripts of many books of the bible are missing. People search out those manuscripts to find the exact original text given that meaning may have been lost over time with so much transcription over time.

Original maps, such as the maps drawn by explorers like Christopher Columbus and Captain James Cook, can reveal important first-hand information about the travels of those explorers.

These maps might be able to reveal information about what people were thinking at a certain time, their knowledge of their terrain, and even the extent of expansion of cities at certain times. 

Similarly, a map of a city from a particular year might reveal information about when some shops opened and when buildings were constructed.

13. Metadata

Metadata is data that gives contextual information about the data.

The best example is images on the internet. The image is the data, but the image file also contains information like:

• The name of the file
• When the file was created
• Where the file was created
• Who created the file
• Who owns the copyright
• A brief description of the photo (often called the alt tag)

This metadata can be extremely useful when doing forensic analysis.

For example, if detectives are trying to determine the sequence of events for a crime, they can look through phone records to identify where a person was at a certain time based on the metadata saying when, where, and to whom they made phone calls.

This metadata can help place someone at a crime scene or, alternatively, help exonerate someone from a crime by proving their alibi.

14. Newspapers and Magazine Clippings

Old magazine clippings can give us great insights into the events of the past.

When examining an event, the magazine clipping reporting on the event can be a very close proximate and contextual element worthy of first-hand analysis.

For example, magazine clippings of the days leading up to the first world war could be excellent primary sources when examining the social milieu at the time when the war began.

15. Photographs

Photographs capture an exact moment in history. Everything within the scene can give some first-hand context that we can learn from.

This primary data can be used when gathering information about the exact aftermath of an event, people’s guttural reactions (through examining facial expressions), and even the finer details of the interiors of a house. They could, similarly, reveal first-hand data about the fashion of a time.

16. Research Data

Raw research data, such as the raw data from a survey, scientific analysis, poll, or other quantitative studies, acts as a primary source.

Other examples include test results, protein and genetic sequences, audiotapes, questionnaires, and field notes.

This research data often needs to be interpreted by trained scientists and researchers. Sometimes, primary data is extremely difficult to interpret, which is why secondary sources are often necessary (i.e. sources that interpret, analyze, and present the primary data through their own studies and journalism).

17. Social Media Posts

Social media posts are some of the newest examples of primary sources that are coming back to bite people these days.

Politicians, actors, and public figures have their old social media posts scoured for embarrassing or offensive comments. These posts are presented as firm evidence of the opinions and behaviors of a person at a specific time in their lives.

18. Speeches

Famous speeches from history are regularly used as first-hand accounts of events. 

Speeches such as the Gettysburg address are transcribed and kept as the raw primary data. To this day, those speeches act as the closest accounts we can get to the exact words and thoughts of the person.

Today, a speech may be saved in audio or video form, making it an even more authoritative source.

19. Statistics

Statistics can provide objective data from a time and place. They can help us piece together history via a first-hand account taken at the time of the event.

For example, historical censuses allow us to not only know about the population data of a country at a certain time in history, but they allow us to map how fast populations have grown and make projections about population growth into the future.

One example of an early census is the Chinese census that took place in the year 2 CE. This census found that there were 57,671,400 individuals living in 12,366,470 households.

Another famous census was William the Conquerer’s census of 1086 in England, nicknamed the Doomesday Book . The purpose of this census was to determine how many people he could tax after taking over the country following the Battle of Hastings.

20. Studies and Reports

In the natural sciences, reports that deliver the findings of research data (including, most commonly, academic peer-reviewed journal articles ) are considered primary sources.

This is because the reports present findings of a first-hand study, rather than (for example) reviews of literature or syntheses of other people’s data.

Similarly, in journalism, an academic report will be considered primary data whereas a journalistic article discussing an academic report would be secondary. Therefore, journalists generally aim to find and read the original report (aka primary source) rather than citing other people who cite something.

21. Video recordings

Video of famous events can help reveal first-hand information about the event, much like photos.

An example of a video recording that can act as a primary source is CTV footage. This may be usable, for example, in the court of law, and can hold sway when convicting someone.

For videos and photographs, however, it’s important to think about what’s outside of the frame of the scene. Even a primary source needs to be examined critically.

Primary sources are generally believed to be more authoritative than secondary sources. However, they’re also very difficult to interpret, making secondary sources necessary.

Furthermore, different scholarly, academic, and journalistic traditions will have different ideas about what a primary source really is. As a result, some of the examples of primary sources in this list will not be suitable in all traditions.

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Extended Essay Resources: Primary Sources

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What is a Primary Source?

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. Some types of primary sources include:

• ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS (excerpts or translations acceptable): Diaries, speeches, manuscripts, letters, interviews, news film footage, autobiographies, official records 
• CREATIVE WORKS: Poetry, drama, novels, music, art 
• RELICS OR ARTIFACTS: Pottery, furniture, clothing, buildings

Examples of primary sources include:

• Diary of Anne Frank - Experiences of a Jewish family during WWII 
• The Constitution of Canada - Canadian History 
• A journal article reporting NEW research or findings 
• Weavings and pottery - Native American history 
• Plato's Republic - Women in Ancient Greece 

What is a secondary source?   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. Some types of seconday sources include:

• PUBLICATIONS: Textbooks, magazine articles, histories, criticisms, commentaries, encyclopedias 

Examples of secondary sources include:

• A journal/magazine article which interprets or reviews previous findings 
• A history textbook 
• A book about the effects of WWI 

Search by keyword for Primary Sources  Perform a keyword search for your topic and add one of the words below:  (these are several examples of words that would identify a source as primary)

• correspondence
• early works
• manuscripts
• personal narratives

From “What is a Primary Source?.” Princeton University . <http://www.princeton.edu/~refdesk/primary2.html>

• Click for database USERNAMES and PASSWORDS You must be logged into your @aisr.org account to access the above password document.

Primary and Secondary Sources

• Docs Teach The online tool for teaching with documents, from the National Archives
• Fordham University Primary source documents for the study of history.
• History Digital Library Online Historical Documents
• Internet Archive The Internet Archive and Open Library offers over 6,000,000 fully accessible public domain eBooks.
• Internet History Sourcebooks Project The Internet History Sourcebooks Project is a collection of public domain and copy-permitted historical texts presented cleanly (without advertising or excessive layout) for educational use.
• 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.
• Smithsonian Source Resources for teaching history.
• Spartacus Educational Educational materials and primary source documents.
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• Last Updated: Aug 15, 2023 3:34 PM
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What we saw at polls and watch parties on Indiana's primary Election Day

IndyStar reporters spent Election Day talking to voters, candidates and poll workers. Here's what we saw and heard throughout the day and as results rolled in. This coverage is free as a public service. If you don't already, please consider  subscribing to IndyStar  to support local journalism.

11:30 p.m.: About 19% of registered voters in Hamilton County cast ballots, according to early data

Data compiled by the Hamilton County Election Board shows about 19% of registered voters in the county voted Tuesday. Early numbers show 51,896 voters cast ballots in the primary election, with 36,636 of them cast on Election Day.

— Holly Hays

10:05 p.m.: Prelim numbers show fewer than 15% of registered voters in Marion Co. voted

Early numbers compiled by the Marion County Election Board show just 13% of the county's registered voters cast ballots in Tuesday's primary election.

As of 10 p.m. Tuesday, 85,682 ballots had been received, according to the board's website, of the 632,919 registered voters in the county. (Certified election results won't be ready until May 21, according to the board.) More Republican ballots were pulled than Democratic — 46,757 and 38,667, respectively.

9:40 p.m.: Here's who's winning Indiana's Congressional primary races

Several of Indiana's nine Congressional districts saw contested races in at least one of the parties. Here's how those are shaping up:

More: Here's who is winning Indiana's primaries for U.S. House

9:20 p.m.: Braun accepts GOP gubernatorial nomination, thanks supporters

"When you run these campaigns, it's about fleshing out what the important issues are. And you have thick skin to get through it. And then you have to be very forgiving and don't hold any grudges if you're going to actually get something done," Braun said. "That's how we take this state to the next level, and I can't wait to do that."

9 p.m.: AP calls 6th Congressional District for Shreve

The Associated Press declared Jefferson Shreve the winner of the Republican primary for Indiana's 6th Congressional District Tuesday night.

Shreve, who ran for mayor of Indianapolis in 2023, led the seven Republican candidates with 28% of the vote followed by state Rep. Mike Speedy and political newcomer Jamison Carrier both with about 22% of the vote, according to unofficial results.

More: Jefferson Shreve wins 6th Congressional District GOP primary

— Brittany Carloni

8:45 p.m.: AP calls 5th Congressional District for Spartz, Carson wins in 7th

In the 5th Congressional District, with about 77% of votes counted, Republican incumbent Victoria Spartz leads with about 39% of the vote with state Rep. Chuck Goodrich at 33% of the vote and Max Engling with 10% of the vote, according to preliminary election results.

In the 7th Congressional District, incumbent André Carson had 91% of the vote with 69% of votes counted, shortly after the race was called by the Associated Press at 8:05 p.m. He will likely go on to win the November election too, due to the Democratic-leaning make up of the county.

More: AP calls GOP primary for 5th Congressional District for Victoria Spartz

More: Rep. André Carson wins 7th District Democratic primary

8:30 p.m.: Doden and Chambers release statements, say they've called to congratulate Braun

Republican gubernatorial candidates Eric Doden and Brad Chambers have both released statements saying they've conceded the race for the party's nomination to Sen. Mike Braun.

"I entered this race because I believe Indiana is a great state, but that with the right leadership, it could be even better," Chambers said. "I hope U.S. Sen. Braun will be the leader Indiana needs and act ambitiously to create more opportunities that will lift up every Hoosier.”

Doden shared a four-part written statement to X (formerly Twitter). "Today I have an even stronger belief in the greatness of the people of Indiana," he wrote.

"Tonight is merely a step along the way in our calling to make Indiana even better," Doden wrote. "God has given us a peace and a renewed energy that this is not the end of a journey, or the beginning of one, but the continuation of one that will bring many good things."

Related: In-depth profiles of all of Indiana's Republican candidates for governor

7:35 p.m.: Crouch concedes governor's race: 'It's been an incredible journey'

Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch conceded the Republican governor's race to Sen. Mike Braun.

"It's been an incredible journey," she said, thanking supporters. “As a party, we need to unite behind him to ensure that we keep Indiana on the road to victory in November by electing Mike Braun as the next governor of the state of Indiana."

— Alexandria Burris

7:20 p.m.: AP calls Democratic primary race for U.S. Senate for McCray

With about 13% of the vote tallied, Valerie McCray has a 30-percentage-point lead over former state Rep. Marc Carmichael.

The Republican nomination is  assured for lone candidate U.S. Rep. Jim Banks .

More: Associated Press calls Democratic race for U.S. Senate for Valerie McCray

7:15 p.m.: AP calls GOP governor's primary for Braun

With nearly 13% of votes counted across Indiana, Sen. Mike Braun has about 39% of the vote, which is 18 percentage points ahead of  Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch . Former  commerce Secretary Brad Chambers  is close behind Crouch, with nearly 18% of the vote so far.

More: Associated Press calls Indiana governor's race for Sen. Mike Braun

7 p.m.: Indiana polls are officially closed

As the clock strikes 7, all polls have closed across the state. IndyStar will have reporters stationed at candidates' watch parties and providing context as results are posted.

Check back here for election results as they come in .

6 p.m.: Polls close across majority of state

Polls have officially closed across the majority of the state (all eyes on you now, Central Time Zone).

5:30 p.m.: Carmel voters weigh in on gubernatorial primary

Kate Bechtel, 69 of Carmel, said she comes out to vote no matter what the issues are because “it’s my civic duty.” She said she had to do a lot of research to decide to vote for in the Republican gubernatorial primary. “There were a lot of ads and misinformation out there.”

Bechtel decided to vote for Brad Chambers and said she feels great about that. She liked that he built a business — “That takes hard work and shows honesty and integrity, something you don’t get much of in politics these days.”

Jim Brown, 50 of Carmel, said when he’s voting in the primaries, he’s looking for the right people who want what’s best for the community. He voted for Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch for the Republican gubernatorial candidate, feeling her policies aligned the most with his beliefs.

Brown said there was really only one Governor candidate who he was against: Sen. Mike Braun. “Some of his ideas I don’t think are good for the state, they feel more self-centered.”

— Sarah Bowman

5:25 p.m.: Braun to reporters at watch party: 'I feel real good'

— Tony Cook

Severe weather could arrive in Indy area as polls close and could create rush-hour headaches

Severe weather is expected to hit the Indianapolis metro area before polls close Tuesday afternoon. Storms, which include heavy rain and large hail, are expected to hit the western suburbs between 5 and 6 p.m. and are likely to create issues during rush-hour traffic, said Sam Lashley, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Indianapolis.

“Everybody should just be on alert and have multiple ways to get warning information,” Lashley said, adding that storms will continue until around 8 or 9 p.m. “If you hear thunder, get indoors, get to a safe spot.”

Indianapolis is under a tornado watch this evening . Cities and towns west of Central Indiana, including Terre Haute and Brazil, were under a tornado warning around 4:45 p.m.

Stay weather aware: Tornado watch issued for parts of Indiana. Hail, damaging winds possible. What to expect

— Kristine Phillips

5:15 p.m.: First-time voter says he 'didn't even consider' Biden's age while casting primary ballot

Liam Hoffman, 18, a recent high school graduate, voted in his first election at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 52nd Street and Central Avenue.

He said he pulled a straight Democratic ticket, specifically to register support for Joe Biden.

“A lot of his views align with mine,” Hoffman said, citing student loan forgiveness. “He’s the best chance to get some things changed.” 

Hoffman said Biden’s age was not an issue for him.

“I didn't even consider it,” he said.

Three other voters in the polling place in the Democratic-leaning neighborhood said they pulled Republican ballots even though they are democrats or Independents so they could vote against Mike Braun for governor.

— John Tuohy

5:10 p.m.: 'I figured I would try and choose the least-bad option'

Robert Jackson, 63, stopped by John Boner Community Center to cast a ballot in the Democrat primary. Jackson said he’s a loyal Democrat. He doesn’t have faith or confidence in Donald Trump. “The Democrat party's work(ed) hard to get African Americans and other people of color to where they are now. I don't want to see their work in vain."

Erin Turner, 32, also pulled a Democrat ballot. “Because we’re really red, I feel it’s important to vote blue when you have the opportunity.”

She'd like to see more Democrats on the ballot. “I just feel like we’re going to continue to be red in that realm, just based on the number of candidates there were for that. Democrats don’t really have a choice. It’s just like, well, there was one person. That’s all you get.”

Mike Matta, 33, wants to be heard. He usually votes Democrat, but that doesn’t get him very far in a red state. So this time, he pulled a Republican ballot in the primary.

“Knowing that our governor and senators and all that sort of stuff are probably going to be Republican, I figured I would try and choose the least-bad option," he said. He picked Nikki Haley for president (who dropped out of the race after qualifying for Indiana's ballot) and Brad Chambers for governor.

4:45 p.m.: Brad Chambers would help boost Indiana’s industries, former Democratic voter says

At the Jewish Community Center on the north side, the polling center was nearly empty by late afternoon, with one or two voters walking in every few minutes. Several voters either didn’t want to talk or didn’t want to share their names and voting decisions publicly, citing broad polarization concerns.

But Andy Helmbock, 42, said he voted for Brad Chambers for governor, saying the Republican candidate’s background in business would boost the state’s industries, including biotechnology, construction and manufacturing. On the campaign trail, Chambers, founder and CEO of Buckingham Companies, described himself as a political outsider and business leader who can grow Indiana’s economy.

“He’s had a thumbprint on a lot of pulse of businesses,” said Helmbock, who said he was a Democrat but now identifies as an Independent. He added that rising costs of living in coastal states would make Indiana, under Chambers’ leadership, an attractive place for businesses.

Chris Seigel, 68, didn’t want to share whom he voted for. He did say he believes Mike Braun will be Indiana’s next governor, although he has little confidence in the Republican frontrunner. Seigel also said he cares deeply about female reproductive rights, and the issue dictated how he voted this election. He described himself as pro-choice.

4:30 p.m.: Join us for a live discussion of some of the primary's marquee races

IndyStar is going live at 6 p.m. for a panel discussion of some of the election's biggest races so far. Hosted by the Star's government and politics editor Kaitlin Lange, the panel will include Statehouse reporters Brittany Carloni and Kayla Dwyer and opinion editor James Briggs.

Also joining us for the panel are Abdul-Hakim Shabazz, political commentator and publisher of  indypolitics.org , and Democratic strategist Lindsay Haake, whose clients include Democratic Attorney General candidate Destiny Wells.

4 p.m.: ‘Rain, sleet or shine, I’m ready to go’

There's only a couple people voting at the IPS Service Center on Walnut Street.

Tiera Betts, 36, said she likes candidates from both political parties. She's a veteran, so she said she'll prioritize whoever can benefit veterans the most.

"It just depends on what I feel when I open the door," Betts said, laughing.

Suzanne Crouch stands out to her; Betts said she admires how Crouch handled the pandemic. On the other hand, she likes how U.S. District 7 Rep. André Carson "makes sure veterans get their benefits.”

Regardless, voting is important, she said.

“I know my grandparents got hosed down trying to vote, got chased by dogs trying to vote," Betts said. "So whenever it’s time to vote, rain, sleet or shine, I’m ready to go.”

— Nadia Scharf

4 p.m.: Turnout slow at Lucas Oil Stadium a few hours before polls close

There were more construction workers in the parking lot of Lucas Oil Stadium than voters mid-afternoon. At least one of those workers, 52-year-old Phil Rosenkrans, sauntered over and became a voter – the only voter the polling place saw in half an hour.

Though he finds the premise of being restricted to one party's ballot puzzling and stifling, he nonetheless chose a Republican ballot, as he usually does. On the six-way governor's race, there was just one piece of information he knew: He wanted to pick someone other than U.S. Sen. Mike Braun.

He knew so little about the other candidates, though, that he picked a name at random toward the middle of the list and couldn't recall what the name was.

"Too many people had too many negative things to say about him," he said. "I just knew I didn't like him."

The last Republican governor he liked, actually, was Mitch Daniels. He remembers that the economy was good and the roads got fixed up. Daniels certainly represents a bygone era of Indiana politics where mudslinging was taboo, unlike this election: "He was the dude."

— Kayla Dwyer

3:30 p.m.: 'We need somebody who's not afraid to represent for Indiana'

Community building and hometown pride are important for mother-daughter duo Karyn Lander, 47, and Camille Lander, 20.

The pair voted at Lawrence North High School today. Camille graduated from the school in 2022, and she said she looks for candidates who have the community’s best interests in mind, just like she does.

Her and her mother kept an especially close eye on the race for Senate, as they’re keen to find someone who will stick up for the Hoosier state.

“We need somebody who’s not afraid to represent for Indiana,” Camille Lander said.

As to why they decided to show out for the primary election, Karyn Lander said it’s because they’re voting for the people who “decide who’s going to be on the ballot.”

Even if the turnout is smaller than a general election, Camille Landers said, that raises the stakes that much higher.

“The one that’s seen as less important is the one you got to watch out for,” Camille said.

— Jade Thomas

3:15 p.m.: Voter turnout in HamCo already exceeding that of 2022 primary

According to Hamilton County officials, more than 25,200 voters had cast ballots by 3 p.m. on Tuesday, exceeding the number of Election Day voters in the 2022 primary . An additional 3,955 absentee ballots and 11,248 early ballots had been received. Hamilton County sits in the state's 5th Congressional District, where incumbent Republican Victoria Spartz faces a challenge from State Rep. Chuck Goodrich, R-Noblesville, and others.

More: Here's who is running against Spartz and Goodrich in Indiana's 5th Congressional District

In Marion County, officials reported 46,362 ballots had been cast by Tuesday afternoon.

3:05 p.m.: Republican voters say they're looking for candidates that represent their politics

AJ Bucher, 25, said he didn’t think any candidate on the ballot currently represented him very but voted for Curtis Hill in the Republican primary for governor because he seemed like the most right-leaning candidate.

“He feels the least mainstream GOP to me,” Boucher said outside of the Pike Township Fire station 62.

Ryan McCroskey, 47, said he likes current Gov. Eric Holcomb and said there were plenty of candidates to choose from for the Republican primary but eventually chose Brad Chambers.

“I’ve actually met him in person and he just seemed the most real and most sincere to me,” McCroskey said.

— Caroline Beck

3 p.m.: 'You never know, one vote might tip the scale'

In Fishers on Tuesday, voters cast their ballots in an 1800s-era log cabin on the western edge of the city near the White River. Campaign signs for Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, a Republican gubernatorial candidate, and Max Engling, a 5 th  Congressional District Republican candidate, greeted voters at a white picket fence in front of the Historic Ambassador House.

It was a cloudy afternoon, but a steady group of voters quickly moved in and out of the polling location. There were no lines and voters said they had no problems casting their ballots at the Hamilton County polling site. “It was very quick,” one person said.

Most of the voters Tuesday afternoon were interested in the Republican gubernatorial campaign. Maribeth Degyansky said she pulled a Republican ballot and voted for former Indiana Secretary of Commerce Brad Chambers. Degyansky said she liked his business experience and that he was “not a career politician.”

“He just seems like a down-to-Earth, honest person who would represent the middle class,” she said.

Russ Cable, who lives just two miles from the Ambassador House, said he was interested in the governor’s primary and the 5 th  Congressional District race, where Victoria Spartz is running for reelection against eight other candidates. Cable said he pulled a Republican ballot, but did not share how he voted. The Fishers resident said he has never seen such a crowded primary in the governor’s race before, which especially makes it important to vote this year.

“You never know, one vote might tip the scale,” Cable said.

2:45 p.m.: 'I think that (Crouch) can make a difference'

It’s quiet inside IUPUI’s University Library. Still, a few voters are trickling in.

Claire Weaver voted a Democratic ballot, and said she chose Valerie McCray for her progressive policies. She chose to vote today because she “wants to live in a democracy,” she said.

Mike Pollard voted for Suzanne Crouch on the Republican ticket. She has the experience, he said.

“I think that she can make a difference,” Pollard said. “Maybe she wants to finish the unfinished business she had when she was lieutenant governor, but at the highest level now.”

Pollard doesn’t align himself with either party. This year, he went Republican because of his conservative values, particularly around government finances, but he says his vote depends on the “conversation” surrounding the candidates.

"What are the needs, who’s talking more about what’s going on, not just personally but collaboratively, some of the subjects we’re dealing with," Pollard said. "Who is talking more about it, and who’s giving answers.”

2:30 p.m.: Democrats ponder pulling Republican ballots but decide against it

Linda Schussler and her husband Bob, who usually pull Democratic ballots, considered choosing Republican ones today at Lawrence North High School.

Linda said she wanted the opportunity to vote for a candidate for governor who was the most honest. But she didn’t, as she said, “the information that’s gleaned from primaries is necessary for Democratic planning in the future.”

Jim and Jan Fuquay had a similar idea, but decided not to pull a Republican ballot. They were also concerned about the race for governor and were unimpressed that candidates didn’t focus heavily on topics like education.

“They don’t really get in-depth about issues in Indiana,” Jan Fuquay said.

The couple, who tutor third-graders to improve their literacy skills, want a candidate who’s well-educated, honest and cares a lot about education.

2 p.m.: 'It feels like everyone is running for governor'

Tim Jedlicka, 61, said he came out to vote in the primary election for the “insane governor race — it feels like everyone is running for governor.”

He said it was hard to decide whom to vote for because he felt the candidates were too caught up in federal issues. Jedlicka wouldn’t say whom he ultimately voted for in the Republican gubernatorial primary, but said he’d like to hear more talk about school funding.

“I’m from Illinois where a budget surplus is unheard of,” he said at the Roy G. Holland Memorial Park Building.

He said he would like to see that money put to use.

The Fishers resident also said he did not vote for U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz or state Rep. Chuck Goodrich for Indiana’s 5th Congressional District in the primary.

“They both can go,” Jedlicka said.

1:30 p.m.: 'It concerns me seeing money that should go to the public schools going to the vouchers'

Greg Bowes, 64, said he ended up voting for the Pike school referendum question even though he is hesitant to see more state dollars go to charter schools.

He ultimately voted yes because he said at least the dollars weren’t going to private schools and would be staying in public schools.

“At least charter schools have a little bit more oversight than the voucher schools do, which can basically do whatever they want, and it concerns me seeing money that should go to public schools going to the vouchers,” Bowes, a Pike Township resident, told IndyStar where he voted at Snacks Crossing Elementary School.

1 p.m.: 'Indiana is a red state and only getting redder. All I have is my vote'

A steady stream of people went in to vote at the Delaware Township Government Center over the lunch hour and were able to complete the task in about 10 to 15 minutes.

Monica Shimer, 54 of Fishers, voted a Democrat ballot. She said some people may feel like it’s a lost vote, but she still wants her voice to be heard.

“Indiana is a red state and only getting redder. All I have is my vote, I’m not going to give up,” she said.

Shimer said she considered pulling a Republican ballot. She said if there had been a “real” opponent to Donald Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, she would have voted Republican “to be a counterweight and vote for anyone else but him.”

Likewise, Linda Schenk, 75, said she and her husband voted a Democrat ballot.

“That’s probably why we were in and out so fast — not a long ballot,” said Schenk, of Fishers. “We are definitely one of a minority in the area.”

Schenk grew up in Indy but recently moved back to the area after 40 years in Evansville. She said there would be more representation on both sides of the ballot down there and “it’s been an adjustment” being back in the Indy area “where things feel much more one-sided.”

12:15 p.m.: Gubernatorial primary and 5th congressional district races bring out Fishers voters

At the Delaware Township Community Center, Nate Salsgiver, 36, said he voted to re-elect U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz to represent Indiana’s 5th District. Salsgiver also said the vote for the Republican gubernatorial candidate was a bit more difficult to decide since there were a few he liked based on what he knows. But he declined to say who ultimately got his primary vote.

Jamie Zappala, 31, said she voted for Brad Chambers in the Republican gubernatorial primary. She said he seems likable and the Fishers mayor had endorsed him. She and her family are relatively new to the area, moving to Indiana from Ohio about three years ago.

Zappala said she also wants to set a good example for her children about the importance of voting and respecting everyone’s opinions, even if they’re different.

“We’re a young family, and I want to be able to have those conversations about different topics and issues,” she said.

Noon: Strong feelings about Braun and Pike Township referendum bring voters out

Some voters told IndyStar they pulled Republican ballots — even if they don't usually — especially because they wanted to vote for or against U.S. Sen. Mike Braun for governor.

Darlene Swilik, 61, lives in Indianapolis in the Pike Township area and said she decided to vote for Braun after talking with her neighbors about the governor's race.

“It was general consensus among my neighbors that they went with him because I don't always keep up like I should,” Swilik told IndyStar when she went to vote at Eagle Creek Elementary.

Matthew Smith, 46, said he typically votes Democrat but voted on the Republican ballot because he wanted to vote against Braun. Smith selected Brad Chambers.

“It was quite fun honestly and made me feel like my vote counted more,” Smith said.

Voters had strong opinions about the Pike school referendum, as well. Swilik said she voted no because she didn’t want her taxes raised. Kathy Koehler, 52, said she voted yes because she always wants to support schools.

“If they say they need more support, then I’m willing to help them,” Koehler said.

Jeanne Mathews, 56, is a former Pike Township teacher and came out to vote at the same school where she used to teach, Eagle Creek Elementary School, and said she voted in favor of the referendum question.

“As a former teacher, I understand how important it is that our schools are well-funded,” Mathews said.

11:15 a.m.: 'Our teachers deserve to be paid more'

Rev. Dr. Richard Curry Jr., senior pastor of True Tried Missionary Baptist Church, said he came out to Jonathan Jennings School 109 because he felt it was his duty to exercise his right to vote.

While he wouldn’t say if he pulled a Democratic or Republican ballot, he did say he was closely watching the presidential and governor races.

He also said while he’s worried about rising tax rates, he did vote in favor of the Pike schools referendum.

“Especially when thinking about our African American children, I think they deserve better schools and our teachers deserve to be paid more,” Curry said.

10:35 a.m.: 'Things need to change'

Roger and Tesha Conrad, 59, see voting as one way to correct the course of government.

“Things need to change,” Tesha said. “Neither of us are happy with where things are going, so we have to step up and do what’s necessary, which is vote.”

Both Tesha and Roger voted for Brad Chambers in the gubernatorial race because they see him as an outsider, not a career politician.

“I think that’s the way the system started,” Roger said. “We need to get back to having more part-time politicians.”

— Bradley Hohulin

10:30 a.m.: 'I want to make sure we have a voice'

Downtown Westfield was fairly sleepy in the late morning, with songbirds and construction equipment supplying most of the soundtrack. Still, every couple of minutes, someone walked up the steps of Westfield City Hall to cast their vote.Rick Yelle, 59, said he's voting because he often isn’t satisfied with how officials act on behalf of people like him.“I don’t always feel that we’re politically represented by people who stand for us,” Yelle said. “So whatever ‘us’ is, I want to make sure we have a voice.”

9:45 a.m.: Voters tout candidates 'willing to be in the middle'

Voters filtered into the Crossroads AME Church slowly on a rainy morning, with about two or three entering every five minutes.

Gregory Smith, 72, who voted at Crossroads AME Church, is concerned about the race for governor. He pulled a Democratic ballot but wondered why he’s seen little advertising on that front.

The governor's race was the main reason Megan Plotner, 36, stepped out to vote as well. Plotner, who pulled a Republican ballot, wouldn’t share which candidate she chose but did say it was not Mike Braun.“I want someone willing to be in the middle,” Plotner said.

Greg Swallow, 48, agreed. He wants to return to having debates about topics like Medicare and free market economics, instead of “cultural warfare.” He pulled a Republican ballot because he said there weren’t as many choices on the Democratic side.“I’m 100% voting against Donald Trump,” Swallow said. “I’m 100% against Mike Braun. And it’s 100% because of January 6.”

8:45 a.m.: Couple opts for candidates who bring positivity

Outside of the occasional school board race, Paul Kropp, 64, and his wife Glenna, 62, seldom miss an election of any kind.

“Given the chance to vote, we vote,” Glenna said.

She cast her gubernatorial vote for Brad Chambers, while Paul voted for Eric Doden. Glenna said Chambers struck her as a candidate with new ideas.

“He just seemed more like an outsider, businessman type,” she said. “I think (Mike) Braun will probably win, but I just wanted to cast my vote for someone different at this time.”

Paul, who moved to Carmel with Glenna from Kouts three years ago, gravitated toward Doden’s focus on small towns with his Indiana Main Street Initiative.

Neither Glenna nor Paul voted to re-elect Victoria Spartz for Congress. Paul voted for Goodrich, while Glenna voted for speech pathologist Raju Chinthala.

Paul said Spartz’ decision to exit, then re-enter the race was enough to make him vote against her, although he didn’t feel strongly about any of her competitors. Glenna received several of Chinthala’s campaign flyers and appreciated that he emphasized what he planned to do rather than tear down his opponents.

“I felt like Goodrich and Spartz were just negative all the time, every flyer,” Glenna said.

Both Kropps said they were weary of candidates focusing more on attacking their opponents than promoting their policy.

“And I understand that’s the way you win an election,” Paul said. “You beat everyone else down and you’re the last one left. But I’m tired of it, yeah.”

8:30 a.m.: Election Day weather brings the possibility of severe storms

Storms moving across Indiana today have the potential to bring large hail and tornadoes, the National Weather Service said.

The initial, less severe, wave of storms will move through the area between 9 a.m. and noon.

More severe storms are expected to roll through between 3-10 p.m. with the highest risk between 6-10 p.m.

There is a “broader tornado threat across Central Indiana today. This includes a giant hail threat,” a National Weather Service briefing indicates. Storms are expected to continue into Wednesday.

What to expect: Large hail, damaging winds, possible tornadoes could hit Indiana soon.

— Jen Guadarrama

8 a.m.: 'The primaries can end up mattering more than the actual election'

Carmel Clay Public Library was mostly quiet early Tuesday morning, with a handful of Hamilton County voters trickling in during the first two hours of polling. But Dan Stamer, 33, wasn’t going to miss the primary.

“As a voter in Indiana, the county-wide or state-wide elections tend to be a bit of a home run for one party,” Stamer said. “So the primaries can end up mattering more than the actual election.”

He said he filled out a Republican ballot because his choices will ultimately matter more when electing leaders in historically red Indiana.

Cara Langford, 55, said she has a responsibility to vote, even in primaries.

“I feel it’s a duty,” she said. “People before us have gone to war and died for our freedoms so we can have a voice.”

Langford and her husband John, 55, both cited their faith as motivation for voting for Eric Doden in the gubernatorial race.

“I’m a Christian, and his beliefs align with mine,” John said.

Both of the Langfords voted to re-elect Victoria Spartz for Congress in the 5th District. Cara felt Spartz’ most prominent competitor, Chuck Goodrich, wouldn’t represent her values in Congress.

“My understanding of him is that he wasn’t consistently pro-life,” she said.

7:50 a.m.: Chambers heads out to the polls early

Brad Chambers, the former commerce Secretary who's on the Republican gubernatorial primary ballot, voted at Second Presbyterian Church, saying he heard about an “incredible candidate on the ballot” for governor. He said he believes this candidate can honestly fix Indiana’s challenges.

The candidate? Brad Chambers.

Casting a supporting vote at the same place was Mike Fritton, 56, who said he's known Chambers for over 20 years.

“What he has done in his business career will translate well to the political arena,” said Fritton, who lives in Indianapolis.

7:45 a.m.: Appreciating the right to vote brings people out early

Property taxes in Pike Township were at the top of Breaford Alexander’s list of concerns when he voted this morning at Second Presbyterian Church. Alexander, 50, pulled a Democratic ballot and said that he voted this morning because so many people fought for his right to do so.

Likewise, Jaylen Alexander, 21, encouraged others to come out and vote. He pulled a Democratic ballot, saying that he believes people should be able to do what they want and that he’s seen Republicans try to take people’s rights away.

Where can I vote in the 2024 primary election?

Polls are open in Indiana from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

In Marion and Johnson counties, you can vote at any polling location in the county, known as  vote centers . A list of Marion County vote centers is available at  vote.indy.gov/vote-centers . A list of Johnson County vote centers is available here .

In Hamilton County, voters have to cast ballots in their assigned precincts. To find your polling location, visit  indianavoters.in.gov .

Live somewhere else? Check this list to see if your county uses vote centers. Or visit your county clerk's website.

You must present a valid photo ID to vote in person. Visit the Secretary of State's website for more information on acceptable forms of ID.

Homework to prep for the polls: Everything you need to know about 2024 Indiana primary election

Republican gubernatorial primary is marquee race

This is a gubernatorial primary unlike any other: Six candidates, several of them very well funded, have been duking it out for the nomination , with one candidate starting his campaign exactly three years ago .

Polls have shown U.S. Sen. Mike Braun with a comfortable lead over Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, former commerce Secretary Brad Chambers, Fort Wayne entrepreneur Eric Doden, former Attorney General Curtis Hill and Indianapolis mother Jamie Reitenour. But they've also shown a sizeable contingent of voters undecided ― a large enough portion for the other candidates to hold out hope, especially because one candidate could win with about 20% of the vote.

More: Read our profiles of all the Republican gubernatorial candidates

There's only one Democratic candidate for governor: former state schools superintendent Jennifer McCormick. Most observers consider this primary to be the main competition for governor. It would take a significant amount of resources and unique conditions for the Democratic candidate to defeat the Republican nominee in November, given the deep-red demographics in Indiana, and thus far, McCormick hasn't shown signs of amassing such resources.

Open Congressional seats draw major competition

Three Indiana representatives in the U.S. House are giving up their seats this election. One of them, U.S. Rep. Jim Banks, is running for Senate. (That's another race to watch, by the way ― Banks is unopposed for the Republican nomination, but there are two Democrats vying to run against him in the general election.)

Two congressional districts that are in central Indiana, the 5th and the 6th Congressional Districts, have a lot of competition and a striking amount of self-funding .

In the 5th district, which includes Hamilton County, many Republicans jumped into the primary because they thought incumbent Rep. Victoria Spartz was not going to run again, as she stated previously . But she changed her mind , and now that race appears to be a head-to-head between Spartz and state Rep. Chuck Goodrich. Goodrich has loaned $4.6 million to his campaign; Spartz, $700,000 as of May 3.

More: With Greg Pence out, 7 Republicans vie for Indy-based 6th Congressional District

In the 6th district, which includes Johnson and southern Marion counties, seven Republicans are vying to replace retiring Rep. Greg Pence . They include former Indianapolis mayoral candidate Jefferson Shreve , state Rep. Mike Speedy and state Sen. Jeff Raatz, former lawmakers like  John Jacob  and Bill Frazier, and political newcomers Jamison Carrier and Darin Childress. Several of these candidates, particularly Shreve, also loaned hefty sums to their campaigns .

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Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Will Dunham and Deepa Babington

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