primary source analysis essay example

How to Write a Primary Source Analysis: A Step-by-Step Guide

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If you've been assigned a primary source analysis for your coursework, it can seem like a daunting task. However, with the right approach and some guidelines, analyzing a primary source can be a rewarding and enriching experience. Here is a step-by-step guide for how to write a primary source analysis that will help you tackle this assignment with confidence.

Understanding Primary Sources

Before you begin analyzing a primary source, it is essential to understand what a primary source actually is. A primary source is a document or artifact that was created during the historical period you are studying. It could be a written document, such as a letter or diary entry, or a non-written document, like a painting or photograph.

Definition of a Primary Source

Primary sources provide firsthand accounts or direct evidence about an event or phenomenon. They are the raw materials of history, providing us with a glimpse into the past that cannot be found anywhere else.

Importance of Primary Source Analysis

Studying primary sources is an essential part of historical research. By analyzing primary sources, you can gain a better understanding of the past and the people who lived through it. You can also develop critical thinking skills and learn how to evaluate sources for their reliability and bias.

One of the most important aspects of primary source analysis is understanding the context in which the source was created. This means considering the historical, social, and cultural factors that influenced the author or creator of the source. For example, a letter written during the Civil War may have a different tone and perspective than a letter written during peacetime.

Another important aspect of primary source analysis is evaluating the credibility of the source. This means considering factors such as the author's bias, the accuracy of the information presented, and the purpose of the source. For example, a government report may be biased towards a particular political agenda, while a personal diary may be more subjective in nature.

Examples of Primary Sources

Primary sources can take many different forms. Some examples include:

Letters and diaries - These personal documents provide firsthand accounts of events and can offer insight into the thoughts and feelings of the author.
Official documents, such as treaties and government reports - These documents provide information about the policies and actions of governments and other organizations.
Photographs and videos - These visual sources can offer a glimpse into the daily lives of people in the past and can provide evidence of historical events.
Newspaper articles and advertisements - These sources can offer insight into the attitudes and opinions of people during a particular time period.
Artifacts, such as tools and clothing - These physical objects can provide information about the daily lives and material culture of people in the past.

Overall, primary sources are a vital tool for historians and researchers who seek to gain a deeper understanding of the past. By analyzing these sources, we can gain insight into the thoughts, feelings, and actions of people in the past and learn how historical events have shaped our world today.

Preparing for the Analysis

Once you have selected a primary source, there are several steps you should take to prepare for your analysis.

Selecting a Primary Source

Choosing the right primary source is essential for a successful analysis. Look for sources that are relevant to your research question and that provide enough information to support your analysis. You should also consider the context in which the source was created and the audience it was intended for.

Gathering Background Information

Before you begin analyzing your primary source, you should conduct research to gather background information about the historical period and events it relates to. This will provide you with a better understanding of the context in which the source was created and the issues it addresses.

Identifying the Purpose and Audience

It's important to consider the purpose and intended audience of the primary source you are analyzing. Understanding the author's goals, motivations, and intended audience can give you insights into the source's biases and reliability.

Analyzing the Primary Source

Now that you have selected and prepared your primary source, it's time to begin analyzing it in detail.

Examining the Content

The first step in analyzing a primary source is to examine its content carefully. Read the document or look at the artifact closely and try to identify any significant themes or details. Look for patterns or trends that can provide insight into the author's perspective and the context in which the source was created.

Assessing the Author's Perspective

Next, consider the author's perspective. Think about their motivations and biases and how these might have influenced the source's content. Consider the author's background, political beliefs, and social status, and how these factors might have shaped their perspective.

Evaluating the Source's Reliability and Bias

One of the most critical aspects of analyzing a primary source is evaluating its reliability and bias. Look for any inconsistencies or inaccuracies in the source's content. Consider the author's bias and how it might have influenced the content of the source. Also, consider any external factors that might have influenced the source, such as censorship or pressure to conform to certain views.

Analyzing the Language and Tone

Finally, consider the language and tone used in the primary source. Look for any rhetorical devices, such as metaphor or symbolism, that the author uses to convey their message. Consider the tone of the source and how it might reflect the author's perspective and intended audience.

Organizing Your Analysis

Once you have completed your analysis of the primary source, you will need to organize your findings into a coherent and persuasive argument.

Creating an Outline

Creating an outline is essential for organizing your thoughts and arguments. Start by identifying the key themes and perspectives you have identified in your analysis. Then, arrange your findings into an outline that presents your argument in a clear and logical way.

Developing a Thesis Statement

Your thesis statement should reflect the main argument you are making based on your analysis of the primary source. It should be clear and concise and reflect the key themes and perspectives you have identified in your analysis.

Identifying Supporting Evidence

Finally, make sure to include supporting evidence from the primary source in your analysis. This will help to make your argument more persuasive and demonstrate your understanding of the source.

ChatGPT Prompt for Writing a Primary Source Analysis

Use the following prompt in an AI chatbot . Below each prompt, be sure to provide additional details about your situation. These could be scratch notes, what you'd like to say or anything else that guides the AI model to write a certain way.

Compose a comprehensive and in-depth examination of a primary source.

[ADD ADDITIONAL CONTEXT. CAN USE BULLET POINTS.]

Writing a primary source analysis can be a challenging but rewarding experience. By following these guidelines, you can develop critical thinking skills and gain a deeper understanding of the past. Remember to select your primary source carefully, prepare thoroughly, and analyze the source's content, perspective, and reliability before organizing your analysis into a clear and persuasive argument.

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Home — Essay Samples — Business — Leadership — Primary Source Analysis: The Crusades

Primary Source Analysis: The Crusades

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Published: Mar 20, 2024

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Primary source: the chronicle of fulcher of chartres, significance of the primary source, motivations of the crusaders, experiences of the crusaders, impact of the crusades.

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Source Analysis Essay Writing Guide

Source analysis essay.

An example of an outline for character analysis essay

Sources can be classified into two groups. These are the primary sources and the secondary sources. Primary sources are the materials that involves history like original documents which were created at the time under study. On the contrary, secondary sources are the interpretations of events created by another person without direct experience. Students who analyze sources can give them a powerful sense of history as well as the intricacy of the past. This will also strengthen their higher-order intellect and have better critical thinking and analysis skills. Before reading the document, questions that are going to be addressed in the paper must be written down. The material that will be used for source analysis should be thoroughly read first and further research must be done from the list of references or citations. These sources are further identified and group if these are either primary or secondary sources. There are different kinds of questions encountered in analyzing a source. Questions regarding the evidences of the author in relation to his or her argument are called the Evidence questions. This is about how the evidences support the arguments and is it valid to the said statement. Another example of an evidence question is asking about the credibility of an evidence. One can already recognize bias in an evidence. Just like in a critical analysis paper, a source analysis paper has its structure or parts. Prior to starting your paper, you should have already prepared a guide. A good guide is an outline of what your argument is about and how your evidences will be introduced throughout the essay. The source analysis essay is started with a brief introduction and or summary of the literary work or material that will be used in the paper. These should be concise since this is not the main purpose of your paper. The introduction should also clearly define your argument or opinion with regards towards the sources being used by the material and a brief summary of what is expected in the paper. This will prepare your readers as well as make them truly understand what your work is all about. An example of an introduction would be:

“Before the colonizers from the European continent came to the western hemisphere, they used a land that they believe it will benefit their lifestyle and mission on a long-term basis. Europeans thought that this theoretical application is effective due to the scarce population of Native American settlers in the area. As an assumption, the Europeans conducted a survey, which later transformed several lands as their new property after settling in the western hemisphere.”

For the other part of essay is the body. This comprises your argument. This would also include the sub-arguments. These sub-arguments are the mini-theses which will help the larger argument true. The author’s intent, historical context as well as the content of the source is further compared and criticized in the part of the paper. The relevance of the source used is also further expounded. A great example is:

“It has been observed that both Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson held different point of ideas regarding their belief of America’s economic system, they still agreed that commerce should be always utilized when expanding lands made by the United States through international jurisdictions.”

Lastly, to make a lasting impression of your paper, it should have a prodigious conclusion. A simple conclusion could already have a lasting effect. It should reflect your argument and cite again its importance. The writer could also suggest ways of improving his essay or analysis. A conclusion ought to be like this:

“Both Hamilton and Jefferson supported the desire to initiate economic system development in North America that has resulted into a broadening perception that is applicable with the new settlements across the US. The people of the United States were encouraged by their beliefs as well as the laws in order to expand settlement areas that were not being settled by the Europeans. This is for the purpose of making intensive harvest new raw materials that will generate profits and surplus to the market. The creation of high-intensity improvement and utilization are necessary that generates a sustainable capitalist system that results into the process of degrading the land. If the land becomes unusable, it will encourage citizens to expand their land.”

An example of an outline for character analysis essay:

History of American Environmental Thought

Introduction :

Right before the colonizers from Europe came, North American indigenous residents and groups also utilized their lands to have a long-term benefit.
There are significant number of Europeans who traveled to both West and South to occupy and improve unsettled areas during the 18th century.
Expanding unimproved lands by the European settlers has been influenced by a certain belief and practice that seeks to expand an existing market economy of a certain area.

“The issue of development desire of existing economic systems of a certain target market in North American continent has been supported by legislators such as Hamilton and Jefferson that encouraged an attitude to expand to other unsettled areas in the US.”

In case you have problems with source analysis essay writing we at custom essay order website are ready to help you!

How to Analyze a Primary Source

When you analyze a primary source, you are undertaking the most important job of the historian. There is no better way to understand events in the past than by examining the sources — whether journals, newspaper articles, letters, court case records, novels, artworks, music or autobiographies — that people from that period left behind.

Each historian, including you, will approach a source with a different set of experiences and skills, and will therefore interpret the document differently. Remember that there is no one right interpretation. However, if you do not do a careful and thorough job, you might arrive at a wrong interpretation.

In order to analyze a primary source you need information about two things: the document itself, and the era from which it comes. You can base your information about the time period on the readings you do in class and on lectures. On your own you need to think about the document itself. The following questions may be helpful to you as you begin to analyze the sources:

Look at the physical nature of your source. This is particularly important and powerful if you are dealing with an original source (i.e., an actual old letter, rather than a transcribed and published version of the same letter). What can you learn from the form of the source? (Was it written on fancy paper in elegant handwriting, or on scrap-paper, scribbled in pencil?) What does this tell you?
Think about the purpose of the source. What was the author’s message or argument? What was he/she trying to get across? Is the message explicit, or are there implicit messages as well?
How does the author try to get the message across? What methods does he/she use?
What do you know about the author? Race, sex, class, occupation, religion, age, region, political beliefs? Does any of this matter? How?
Who constituted the intended audience? Was this source meant for one person’s eyes, or for the public? How does that affect the source?
What can a careful reading of the text (even if it is an object) tell you? How does the language work? What are the important metaphors or symbols? What can the author’s choice of words tell you? What about the silences — what does the author choose NOT to talk about?

Now you can evaluate the source as historical evidence.

Is it prescriptive — telling you what people thought should happen — or descriptive — telling you what people thought did happen?
Does it describe ideology and/or behavior?
Does it tell you about the beliefs/actions of the elite, or of “ordinary” people? From whose perspective?
What historical questions can you answer using this source? What are the benefits of using this kind of source?
What questions can this source NOT help you answer? What are the limitations of this type of source?
If we have read other historians’ interpretations of this source or sources like this one, how does your analysis fit with theirs? In your opinion, does this source support or challenge their argument?

Remember, you cannot address each and every one of these questions in your presentation or in your paper, and I wouldn’t want you to. You need to be selective.

– Molly Ladd-Taylor, Annette Igra, Rachel Seidman, and others

Primary Source Research

Locating Primary Sources
Primary Sources Online

Analyzing and Interpreting Primary Sources

Primary Sources at Pratt Institute Libraries
Citing Primary Sources

When first approaching a primary source it is important to consider the document itself and the time period in which it originates from.

Next, ask yourself the following questions in order to guide your analysis:

What is the physical nature of your source? Is it a letter, diary entry, or a newspaper article? How does the physical nature of the source relate to the purpose?
Who was the creator of the source? Does their background play a role in the creation of the source?
What was the author’s message or argument? What is the overall purpose or message of the source? How is this message conveyed?
Who is the intended audience of the source and how does this affect the interpretation?
What literary devices are used? How do these add to the source and why would the author choose to use them?
What historical questions can or can not be answered with this source? What are the limitations and benefits of this source?
Does your analysis of the source conflict or agree with other researcher’s interpretations? Why or why not?

Adapted from Carleton University , Molly Ladd-Taylor, Annette Igra, Rachel Seidman, and others

Specific Examples

The above questions can be applied to any type of source, but you’ll find that certain documents lend themselves to medium-specific inquiries. Here are some further examples of questions you might ask yourself:

Photographs and Prints:

What tools and methods were used to create this image?
What do you see first?
What is left out of frame?
How might this look different if it were taken today?

Works of art:

Is this a finished piece or a mockup/sketch?
What materials are used and were those typical of the time?
Why did the artist create this piece?
How does this compare to other pieces of the time?

Letters or emails:

Is this personal correspondence or business?
What is the relationship between the writer and receiver?
What information can you learn from this that you cannot find anywhere else?
What was the original purpose of the document?
How might the creator's biases influenced what was reported in the document?
Who was the intended audience?
Does the information corroborate data from other sources (i.e. newspapers, photos, letters, etc)
Who used this and what for?
What can we learn from this that makes it worth preserving?
Can you think of a similar item from today? How does this differ?
<< Previous: Primary Sources Online
Next: Primary Sources at Pratt Institute Libraries >>
Last Updated: Jan 26, 2024 5:09 PM
URL: https://libguides.pratt.edu/primarysourceresearch

Analyzing Primary Sources: Strategies & Activities

When first starting out teaching with primary sources, we recommend trying out the Library of Congress Primary Source Analysis Tool (see Analyzing Primary Sources: Tools & Guides ). Below, we have compiled a rich list of primary source analysis strategies and activities developed by the Library, TPS Consortium partners, and teacher pros in the field.

Library of Congress

10 Ways to Enrich Your Classroom with Primary Sources – Part 1
10 Ways to Enrich Your Classroom with Primary Sources – Part 2
Creating Ripples of Change with Primary Sources from the Library of Congress revising writing based on new information
Primary Source Activities for the K-2 Classroom
Using Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning (CER) with Primary Source Analysis
What’s It All About? Capture the Heart of a Primary Source in a Headline

Primary Source Nexus

3D Pyramid created by Historica Canada
Analyzing Primary Sources for Scientific Thinking & Organization guest post from Tom Bober
Bloom’s Taxonomy Image Writing Prompts
Determining the Main Idea of a Text guest post from Glenn Jensen
Event Happenings
Frozen Living Pictures
Early Elementary
Later Elementary
Middle School
Image Questions & Responses
Image Sequencing Activities
Journalistic Analysis
K-5 Image Writing Prompts & Activities
Let’s Recap & Primary Source Analysis guest post from Heather Klos
Post-It App & Primary Source Analysis guest post from Tom Bober
Predicting & Inferring with Primary Sources & Literature guest post from Kimberly Heckart
Primary Source Analysis using Google Forms Kelly Grotrian
Primary Source Thinking Triangle Activity
Question Cubes
Sensory Exploration
Shake & Source Newspaper Game guest post from Ruth Ferris
Using Primary Sources with 21st-Century Learners guest post from Heather Klos
Using Skitch & Evernote to Analyze Images guest post from Kerry Gallagher
Zoom-in to Primary Source Analysis guest post from Patti Winch
25 Questions to Ask Your Primary Source
Analyzing Multiple Perspectives Worksheet
E-S-P Analysis Worksheet
Fishbowl Analysis Activity
Graphic Organizer Worksheets
HIPPO Analysis Worksheet
Image Analysis Form
Primary Source Investigation
Synthesizing Sources
T-Chart Worksheet
Text-Context-Subtext
Text-Context-Subtext in 3 Columns
Thinking Like a Historian checklist
Venn Diagram Worksheet
Writing from Documents Worksheets

State Historical Society of Iowa

Guided Inquiry Instructions
Guided Inquiry Example
Primary vs. Secondary Sources
What is Inquiry?
Gallery Walk
Question Formulation Technique (QFT)
Analyze That!
6-8: Gallery Walk
6-8: Question Formulation Technique
6-8: Analyze That!

TPS UArts Teacher Guides

A is for Everything: How Typography Shapes our Language and Culture
Amplifying Our Voices Through Music
The City as a Primary Source
Cross-Pollination: Botanical Illustrations
Igniting Inquiry: Using Compelling Arts-based Primary Sources to Inspire Student Writing Across Disciplines
Look Back, See Further: Studying photographs and drawing connections between primary sources from the Library of Congress and local collections.
Pictures Worth Reading: A Teacher’s Guide to Comics
The Power of the Poster: Connecting WPA Posters from the Library of Congress to Local Collections
Roaring Twenties Redux: A Survey of the Arts of the 1920s
TPS-STEM to STEAM

TPS SIUE Resources

15 Things You Can Do with Narratives
Analyzing Narratives Activity – Topic: Lincoln’s Assassination Elementary/Middle School
Fishbowl Analysis with Primary Sources – Topic: Poetry/Complex Primary Sources
Mind Walk Elementary/Middle School
Museum Gallery Walk – Topic: Woman Suffrage Elementary
Primary Source Strategies and Books – Topic: “Fairness” Elementary
Teaching Ideas with Historic Newspapers

C3 Teachers Inquiry Design Model