Be advised that primary source research is different from other forms of research. It can often be more time consuming due to several factors:
There is no single repository of primary sources
There is often limited metadata describing primary sources which means you will have to utilize terminology from the time period to locate relevant sources. This means you must determine the terminology from the time period before or during the search process.
Locally held primary source collections at A&M -San Antonio University Library (that have not been digitized) are located in our Archives and Special Collections. If you would like to use these materials, you will need to make an appointment and view the documents in our Reading Room located on the 3rd floor of the library. At your appointment you may then have to sift through numerous boxes/folders until you find the ones relevant to your topic/information need.
Identify your subject and gather background information. The more you know about key events, people, laws, and especially common terminology used during the time period you are researching the more successful your research will be. You can use encyclopedias, introductory books, museum websites, and/or other credible websites to do this.
Try to answer the following questions:
Who: names of significant people, movements, or organizations
When: beginning and ending dates for individuals or events
Where: watch for place name changes in the past
What: Significance of subject can affect how many records from the past still exist
More info: watch for further references or citations to find additional information
For example, if the topic is "experience of Union soldiers in the US Civil War" you might have the following answers:
Who: President Lincoln, General Grant, General Sherman, Grand Army of the Republic (veterans' organization)
When: 1861-1865 are the dates of the war itself. Soldiers might have served more or less time.
Where: United States; Battle of Gettysburg; Sherman's March to the Sea; prisoner of war camp
What: the Civil War soldiers suffered a huge mortality and injury rate, and witnessed terrible carnage
More info: Trudeau, Noah Andre. 1998. Like Men of War: Black Troops in the Civil War, 1862-1865. Edison, NJ: Castle Books.
Notice that by the end of the list of examples, the topic is narrowed to the experiences of African American soldiers. Background information can guide you to a more focused topic
Search for background information using the resources below:
Search 650+ titles including encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, & reference handbooks covering the arts, business, health, history, literature, math, religion, etc. Over 1,000 videos, 300,000 art images, and thousands of images for other subjects.
NOTE:
Credo is launching a new platform later this year! The new platform will bring a sleeker user interface and enhanced features to improve research and instruction.
These are some of the highlights:
Anticipated date of migration is June 26, 2023.
What types of primary sources can I use for my research?
Think about the types of records or documents that would have been created at the time period surrounding events and issues related to your topic. These are the sort of things you'll have to look for.
Here are some guiding questions (primary sources appear in parentheses):
When searching digital collections keep the following search techniques in mind.
Limit to specific time periods: When searching for primary sources online always remember to use date ranges (usually on the advanced search page) to focus your search.
Use primary source keywords to find primary sources: Use search terms that reflect the types of primary sources you’re looking for, such as: diaries, pamphlets, correspondence, speeches, manuscripts, personal narratives, interviews, firsthand, eyewitness, sources, etc. Or, some databases allow you to filter by primary source type.
For example: slave AND diary | suffrage AND pamphlets | united states and race relations AND sources
Where can I find these Primary Sources?
You can find primary sources in archives and special collections, but you can also find digitized materials freely available online and published in books. Some digital collections contain multiple types of primary sources while others contain one type. Make sure you understand what the collection contains before you start searching.
University Library
On the Web
You can find additional digital collections on a variety of subjects online by conducting a Google search but make sure its coming from a credible source.
Research Centers and Archives
Keep in mind a lot of items have not been digitized, so you may have to physically visit these archives in order to view the document/artifact. You will need to make an appointment to do so.
This page contains content adapted from Loyola Marymount University William H. Hannon Library's Primary Source research guide and from USC Search Strategies-Primary Sources, Primary Sources Guide.