RS- Primary & Secondary Sources

Primary Sources

• documents created during the time under study and are often defined as "first-hand accounts" of events

• Likely include bias from author

Secondary Sources

• documents created after the time under study

• Include author's analysis of an event based on primary source documents

Primary Sources Advantages

• Establish a human perspective or experience of the period/event

  Can provide historical context for the content being taught, including examples of opinions or biases held by those involved.

  Give insight into the perspective of a particular individual at a given moment in time

Primary Sources Disadvantages

• Does not provide a complete overview of the period

  Likely written solely from the author's point of view

  Likely will provide a biased perspective that must be analyzed; this must be made clear to students.

Secondary Sources Advantages

• Provide an interpretation and combination of multiple perspectives

  Provide the "big picture" of an event

  Help establish both the causes and effects of an event

Secondary Resources Disadvantages

• Lacks human or personal element

  It may be more difficult for students to personally relate to

  Can provide biased interpretation or narrative view of historical events