HIST 3090 - The Irish in America: Find Primary Sources

A primary source is generally defined as document or physical object which was written or created during the time under study. These sources were present during an experience or time period and offer an inside view of a particular event. Depending on your research topic and perspective, primary sources can include:

• Original Documents (autobiographies, personal correspondence and diaries, speeches and oral histories, newspapers, government documents, audio and video recordings, photographs, and maps)
• Creative Works (Art, drama, poetry, music, novels) 
• Relics or Artifacts

Image Credit: Lawless papers. Henderson Library Special Collections.

Unpublished primary sources are original documents and objects created by individuals but not formally published. Unpublished materials are typically found in archives, libraries, and museums. While researching unpublished materials often requires a physical visit, many make them available online. 

Published primary Sources include a wide range of publications, including first-person accounts, memoirs, diaries, letters, newspapers, statistical reports, government documents, court records, photographs, and more. Some of these materials were not published at the time of their creation but have subsequently been published in a collected volume (e.g. Andrew Bryson's Ordeal: An Epiloque to the 1798 Rebellion.)

Find published sources by using Library Catalogs, Research Guides, and published bibliographies. To find primary sources in catalogs try using the following strategies:

• Search by publication date (1798) to find sources published during the time period
   
• Use advanced search options to restrict material type
   
• Include the following subjects in your search: Correspondence, Letters, Sources, Diaries, Personal Narratives, Interviews, or Speeches