How to Read Primary and Secondary Sources

Objective

In the Source Analysis essays for this course, you will be asked to read and evaluate some primary and secondary sources and produce a short response paper.  With this in mind, you should think like a historian regarding how you interrogate primary and secondary sources.

Definitions

Here is an excellent resource Links to an external site. to review which provides definitions of primary vs. secondary sources in history. 

In short, primary sources are documents, objects etc. that were produced during the time period being studied while secondary sources were produced after-the-fact and may provide commentary and analysis. 

If you are studying the Early Dynastic period, a monumental inscription attributed to the Lugal (king) Eannatum would be a primary source whereas these course notes would be a secondary source.

Questions to ask of Primary Sources

What type of document or object is this?  
When was it produced and what is the state of its preservation? 
What is the genre or purpose of this document and how does that help or limit our interpretations? Who created this work (do we know for sure)?  
Who or what is left out (women, children, minorities etc.)?  
In addition to the main subject, what kind of other information can be derived from this source?  
What was the meaning of the document or object in its own time?  
What does the document tell us about change or stability in that society?   
What are the potential biases of the authors?  

Sometimes a basic question about the source isn't obvious (example: when the text was produced) and you will need to do a bit of sleuthing to figure it out.  You are learning to be a scholar so saying that it was "not in the pdf" is not an excuse.

Questions to Ask of Secondary Sources

Is the source descriptive or analytical?  If analytical, what is the author arguing?

What evidence (primary sources) does the author use to support his or her points?