Q. How can I tell if something is a primary source?
Primary sources are documents or artifacts created during the time period being studied (government documents, newspapers, maps, art, letters, diaries, photographs, etc.). They can also be produced later by eyewitnesses or participants (memoirs, oral histories). While primary sources in their original format are often preserved in archives, they are also reproduced in books, journals, microfilm, and increasingly in digital format accessible on the web or library databases.