Understanding the Term “Primary Source” and Its Key Elements
The term “primary source” refers to historical evidence of an event. One of the critical elements is the originality of the source, so the primary source must necessarily belong to a historical figure. The events are retold from the first person who observed or participated in them.
Another essential element is that primary sources are authentic accounts of the era and culture in which the author lived (Goldman & Rhodes, 2018). Historical testimony and descriptions of events can only come from a participant in those events (Primary and secondary sources, 2023). Finally, primary sources are material history artifacts that occur as cultural objects. A second-person retelling cannot be a primary source, but a painting or diary from a participant in the events would be a primary source.
Historical Perspective on the Term “Primary Source”
From the historian’s point of view, primary sources are accepted as reasonably reliable artifacts of history that allow us to trace its formation and development. Their primary purpose is to document the sequence of events and their surroundings rather than to conclude the event’s impact on society (Billeaudeaux & Scott, 2019). Primary sources have been used in society for quite some time, as the study of history was based on diaries, paintings, and past cultural objects.
Evolution of “Primary Source” in Historical and Academic Contexts
The term “primary source” originated in the study of history in modern times, when there was a need to describe events that could not be observed. The use of primary sources can be conducted using SOAPS technology, which is the gradual analysis of who, when, and for what reasons discussed the event being described. Speakers used primary sources to explain how they arrived at their conclusions.
For example, Van Gogh’s letters to his brother Theo are primary sources that art orators used to explain the artist’s path in art. Another example is Winston Churchill’s speech in 1946, which history orators use to explain the causes of the Cold War. Consequently, primary sources strengthen the speakers’ position and provide them with reliable evidence for their conclusion
References
Billeaudeaux, B., & Scott, R. E. (2019). Leveraging existing frameworks to support undergraduate primary source research. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 58(4), 246–255. Web.
Goldman, C., & Rhodes, T. (2018). Using object-based learning to analyze primary sources: New directions for information literacy instruction in a first-year writing course. In G. Veach (Ed.), Teaching information literacy and writing studies: Volume 1, First-Year Composition Courses (pp. 145–154). Purdue University Press. Web.
Primary and secondary sources. (2023). University of Houston-Victoria. Web.