Any public information produced by federal, state or local and international governments is considered a primary source material that can be useful to any research project. A government document may be available in a variety of formats, including print, CD-ROM and online. They are a reliable source of detailed information on data and statistics on a specific topic.
Primary sources contain first-hand evidence of events, usually recorded by someone who participated in, witnessed, or lived through the event. Primary sources are original documents or artifacts that stand on their own, published either in print or digital format.
Some commonly considered primary sources:
Secondary sources typically offer an analysis, interpretation, or evaluation of information gathered from primary sources. They cover the same topic but add a layer of interpretation. They also often provide background information on an event or work or offer a historical perspective based on other events that have taken place since the original event or work. Some examples of secondary sources:
Learn more about Primary & Secondary Sources by watching the tutorials linked below.
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