HISTORY FAIRTypes of Sources for Research

PrimarySecondary

Tertiary (Finding)

Primary Sources

When an author has direct knowledge (witness) of an event or of the person he/she describes and then creates a document or a work, it

is considered a primary source. These works represent “new knowledge” and thus create HISTORY!!!!

Types of Primary Sources

Text DocumentsObjectsImagesAudioStatistics

Primary Sources - Text

Original

Research

Reports(science experiments)

Old Catalogs – Sears

Material culture

Newspaper Ads

Signs

CookbooksVocabulary

Portion sizes

Ingredients

Lifestyles of the time

LettersPoints of view

Personal feelings

Context to historical events

JournalsCurrent events

Perspectives

Travel

Business Accounts

DiariesPersonal character

Motivation

Opinions

Clues to a social

perspective

Newspaper

ReportsLocal information

Primary Sources – Objects

TombstonesFashionUniforms

InventionsWeaponsToolsArtifacts

Study actual objects or photographs of objects to trace developments over a period of time.

What materials were available? Who used them?

How have they changed over time? What information do they tell us about the people who used them?

Primary Sources - Images

Fine ArtPaintings

Drawings

Sculpture

Film/VideoNews footage

Movies

TV Programs

Home movies/videos

PhotographsSights

Sounds

Smells

Economics of time

Then and now

IMAGES

Primary Sources - Audio

Oral Histories Music Audio RecordingsInterviews Lyrics Political speechesFamily Attitudes Radio broadcastsCommunity members Event inspired Key messagesStorytellers

Primary Sources - Statistics

Census Reports Maps Architectural Drawings/Blueprints

Population growth/declineIncomesFamily sizeOccupations

HistoricalChanges in settlementChanges in industryChanges in populationNames of places/landmarks

Building materialsSocial customsTechnology advancesAnne Frank

Secondary SourcesSecondary sources represent “worked over” knowledge rather than new knowledge.Secondary sources organize primary sources in a more convenient or easier form and by nature are more widely available than primary sources.

TextbooksHistories (most titles: The History of…..)EncyclopediasDictionariesPeriodicals/magazinesTables and chartsHandbooksBiographiesMost non-fiction library booksMost “reference books”Most information on the Internet

InterpretAnalyze

Tertiary Sources

Finding Sources

Finding sources aid the researcher in“finding” and using Primary and Secondary Sources.

•WolfCat On-Line Catalog - (Chiles)•TallyCat - Leon County Public Library•Indexes•Directories - Phone Book•Periodical Indexes - ProQuest, InfoTrac•Bibliographies•Search Engines - Yahoo, etc...

How the IRC Can Help

IRC.StudyDenBefore and After School

M-Thurs.Evening Hours

Tue. & Wed. until 7:00pm

IRC Computer Resources

Go to the Chiles HomepageClick on “Library IRC” or

“Internet Research”

Discovering US HistoryDiscovering World History Discovering Science Exploring Shakespeare Biography Resource Center Twayne's Combined Authors Series Peterson's Undergraduate Guide

ProQuest & InfoTracIndex to magazine and newspaperarticles.

3 Encyclopedias