Utilizing primary sources for historical research is a fantastic way to get a better sense of your topic. As with all research, please keep these tips in mind when examining your resource:
- What does it cover?
- How relevant is it to your topic? Remember that sources not specifically on your topic can still provide relevant related information. Read abstracts of the publication, or scan introductions, tables of contents, and indexes for a quick overview of its contents.
- Does it provide any new information? It does not have to be newly discovered information; as long as it is new to you, it can be useful to your research. Even repetition of what you have already turned up in your research can help to confirm or deny the accuracy of those findings.
- Who is the author?
- What are the author's qualifications for writing on this subject?
- Is the author a respected scholar in the field?
- Have you read or heard the author's name from your professor, in class readings, in subject encyclopedias?
- Is the author frequently cited by other scholars in the field?
- Is the author affiliated with an institution or organization? If so, what are the purposes and goals of the institution?
- For more information on an author, ask your professor, do an Internet search, or look in the database Contemporary Authors or some other biographical reference source. You can also check a Citation Index to see whether other scholars have cited this author in their publications.
- What is the author's purpose?
- Is it an opinion piece designed to persuade readers, or is it intended to be an objective examination or presentation of information?
- Does the author have a bias? If so, does the author state and discuss it explicitly, or give reasons to defend it?
- Who published it?
- Is it a university press? If not, does the publisher print many academic titles? What is the publisher's reputation?
- Why did this publisher publish this source?
- Did editors and fact checkers assess the accuracy of the information before it was published?
- When was it published?
- What was going on during the time period the item was created? Whose voice was being heard and respected and whose voice is being left our, silenced, or distorted?
- Who is the intended audience?
- Is it intended for specialists in the field? If you are doing general level research, it may be too technical or detailed for your needs.
- Is it too general or too basic for your needs? A high school textbook may be accurate, but not advanced enough for college level research.
- How does it compare with other sources?
- Does it match what you have learned so far in your research? If information you have already learned and verified elsewhere is accurately presented, it is more likely to be reliable when it discusses issues new to you.
- Has it been reviewed or cited by others?
