Sources
What is a primary source?
Original materials from the time period involved and have not been filtered through interpretation or evaluation.They are usually the first formal appearance of results in physical, print or electronic format. They present original thinking, report a discovery, or share new information ("Primary, Secondary and Tertiary"). They may include (but are not limited to):
- correspondence
- diaries/ journals
- pamphlets
- interviews
- autobiographies
- newspaper articles
- creative works (poetic, literary works, musical score, etc.)
- speeches
- photographs
- government documents
- legal documents
- artifacts (textiles, pottery, etc.)
ABC-CLIO 8 Part Video Tutor:
Reading Primary Sources: Introduction
Reading Primary Sources: Primary vs. Secondary Sources
Reading Primary Sources: Finding Primary Sources
Reading Primary Sources: Understanding Perspective
Reading Primary Sources: Evaluating Primary Sources
Reading Primary Sources: Interpreting Primary Sources
Reading Primary Sources: The Value of Multiple Sources
What is a secondary source?
Generally secondary sources are accounts written after the fact with the benefit of hindsight. They are interpretations and evaluations of primary sources. Secondary sources are not evidence, but rather commentary on and discussion of evidence. However, what some define as a secondary source, others define as a tertiary source. Context is everything ("Primary, Secondary and Tertiary").
Some examples include (but are not limited to):
- biographies
- textbooks
- articles & books that interpret, review, or analyze other works
- literary criticism
- political analyses
- encyclopedias
Recommended databases for European History
- MVHS-World History in Context (Gale) This link opens in a new window World History in Context is an engaging online experience for those seeking contextual information on hundreds of the most significant people, events and topics in World History. The new solution merges Gale's authoritative reference content with full-text magazines, academic journals, news articles, primary source documents, images, videos, audio files and links to vetted websites organized into a user-friendly portal experience.
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- MVHS-JSTOR This link opens in a new window
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Follow directions on the database password page. Once you complete the directions you can login using the account your created. Highly Recommend 19th Century British Pamphlets - MVHS-Academic Search Complete (EbscoHost) This link opens in a new window Academic Search Complete offers an enormous collection of the most valuable full-text journals, providing users access to critical information from many sources unique to this database. In addition, this database is the leading source of peer-reviewed, full-text for STM research, as well as for the Social Sciences and Humanities. This scholarly collection offers unmatched coverage of information spanning a broad range of important areas of academic study, including anthropology, engineering, law, sciences and more.
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- Gale Virtual Reference Library (Gale)Database of encyclopedias and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research. You can also download the Gale Access My School Library APP!
- World History Collection (EbscoHost)With content from Africa, Asia, North and South America, Europe and the Middle East, this database contains cover-to-cover full text for a variety of authoritative titles, including many peer-reviewed journals. These hand-selected information sources offer a wide range of historical topics including anthropology, art, culture, economics, government, heritage, military, politics, regional issues, and more.
- Religion and Philosophy CollectionProvides extensive coverage of such topics as world religions, major denominations, biblical studies, religious history, epistemology, political philosophy of language, moral philosophy and the history of philosophy.
Guiding Documents
Citation Management Software
Citation management software can help you:
- Organize your citations
- format your citations into different citation styles
- add citations to your documents
- create a list of cited sources in your document
- create notecards to keep your research organized
NoodleTools Easy Access for IPAD and IPHONE
Click on this link for directions.