Asian Studies Resources: Primary Sources

"A primary source is a document, image, or artifact that provides evidence about the past. It is an original document created contemporaneously with the event under discussion. A direct quote from such a document is classified as a primary source. A secondary source is a book, article, film, or museum that displays primary sources selectively in order to interpret the past." (Robert C. Williams, The Historian's Toolbox: A Student's Guide to the Theory and Craft of History, p.58 ). Examples include:

• Magazine and newspaper articles published at the time
• Hand-written documents like diaries and journals
• Maps
• Laws & court cases
• Speeches, interviews, letters
• Memoirs and autobiographies
• literary manuscripts
• Records of government agencies
• Records of organizations
• Public opinion polls
• Fiction from a particular time and place
• Research data
• Religious or philosophical texts
• Artifacts of all kinds: physical objects, furniture, tools, clothing, etc.
• Photographs, audio recordings, movies and videos
• Art, including paintings, prints and other media

The Asia Primary Sources subject research guide provides additional information about primary sources, including:

• Finding Primary Source Materials
• Journals & Databases
• Statistics