Research Guides: Archival Research: Understanding & Using Primary Sources

About this Section

Use this section and its resources to learn about the definition of "Primary Resource," why archives have them, how to use them, how to find them, and how to analyze them.

What are Primary Resources?

Primary Resources: objects which provide first-hand accounts or direct evidence concerning a topic under investigation

Includes all mediums (physical and digital)
Includes all formats (documents, books, objects, institutional records, audiovisual materials, photographs, etc.)
Can be used to support research in all subject areas and disciplines
Can be used to inspire creativity for your original work

Resources

Primary, Secondary, & Tertiary
A helpful overview to understand the differences between primary, secondary, and tertiary resources.
Types of Repositories
Society of American Archivists explain the types of materials collected in different types of archives
How to Read a Finding Aid
Finding aids are like extra long catalog records that help document what is in an archival collection. The archivists at Purdue University developed this helpful guide to teach new users what a finding aid is and how to use it while researching.

Step 1: Locate Primary Resources

Finding Archives and Libraries with primary resources

100 Websites to Find Primary Sources
Researching on the Internet can mean working from home, viewing collections from around the world and stumbling across rare finds from somewhat obscure libraries or museums. To connect you to the best historical references, this list of 100 sites features primary source documents, recordings, images and more.
AHA Archives Wiki
Archives Wiki (currently on hiatus) was sponsored by the American Historical Association. It was intended to be a clearinghouse of information about archival resources throughout the world. The AHA will be taking some time to decide whether it wants to revive an archives list and in what format it would be most useful.
Finding Primary Sources | National Archives
Thousands of online primary source documents from the National Archives to bring the past to life
Illinois Archival Repositories
Lists repositories located within the state of Illinois

Online Access to Primary Resources

Local Collections

BMRC | Black Metropolis Research Consortium
This website and its contents represent the culmination of two years of archival surveying of African American primary-source research materials in locations throughout the Chicago region.
CARLI Digital Collections
Repository for digital content created by member libraries of the Consortium of Academic and Research Library in Illinois
DigitalCommons at Columbia College Chicago
This database, maintained by the College Archives & Special Collections at Columbia College Chicago, showcases college history, manuscript collections, graduate theses, and faculty scholarship
EXPLORE | Chicago Collections
This database lets researchers, teachers and students search many locations at once. Our unified search lets you locate thousands of archival collections and digital images at member institutions all over the Chicago area.
Illinois Digital Archives
Repository for collections of the Illinois State Library and other libraries and cultural institutions in the State of Illinois.
UNCAP | Uncovering Chicago Archives
Provides access to collection holdings from seven Chicago institutions

Chicago Defender (1999-2019) This link opens in a new window
The Chicago Defender is a Chicago-based weekly newspaper founded in 1905 by Robert S. Abbott for primarily African-American readers. This database provides access to their historical articles from 1999 to present.
Chicago Defender Historical Archive (1909-2010) This link opens in a new window
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The Chicago Defender is a Chicago-based weekly newspaper founded in 1905 by Robert S. Abbott for primarily African-American readers. This database provides access to their historical articles from 1910-1975
Chicago Tribune (1989-present) This link opens in a new window
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The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois and was founded in 1847. This database provides access to the newspaper's articles from 1985 to present.
Chicago Tribune Historical Archive (1849-1997) This link opens in a new window The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois and was founded in 1847. This database provides access to the newspaper's articles from 1849 to 1985.
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National Collections

American Archive of Public Broadcasting
Discover historic programs of publicly funded radio and television across America to watch and listen.
Archive-It
A web archiving service for collecting and accessing cultural heritage on the web
CRL | Center for Research Libraries
As a member institution, Columbia College Chicago has access to CRL's resources. Use their online catalog to find resources that can be accessed online or shipped to you through Inter-Library Loan.
HathiTrust Digital LIbrary
HathiTrust is a digital library providing access to millions of digitized books, journals, newspapers, and other various titles through partnerships with academic and research institutions. Use this resource for broad subject searches.
Internet Archive
An online library and archives of millions of books, movies, software, music, and more.
National Archives Catalog
Access the catalog for images, transcriptions, documents, and other holdings from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) of the United States.
SOVA | Smithsonian Online Virtual Archives
SOVA provides integrated access to descriptions and detailed inventories of thousands of primary resource collections maintained by archival units across the Smithsonian.
Wayback Machine
A digital archive of the World Wide Web and other information on the Internet.

Harper's Weekly (1857-1912) This link opens in a new window
Harper's Weekly was an American political magazine based in New York City and was published by Harper & Brothers from 1857 until 1916. This database provides access to its articles.
US Newsstream This link opens in a new window
Provides premium U.S. news content, both current and back to the 1980s. Exclusive access to AP Newswire, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and many other major, regional, and local news sources.

Library of Congress | Digital Collections
Explore items digitized from the collections of the Library of Congress.

New York Times (Proquest) (1980-present) This link opens in a new window
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The New York Times is a major daily newspaper based in New York City. This database provides access to the newspaper from 1980 to present.
New York Times Historical Archive (1851-2013) This link opens in a new window
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The New York Times is a major daily newspaper based in New York City. This database provides access to the newspaper from 1851 to 2003.

Step 2: Document Analysis

Once primary resources are located, apply document analysis skills to deduce meaning.

"Document analysis is a key skill in historical interpretation. It is not a mere summary or description of what happened, but rather an analysis of the motivation, intent and purpose of a document within a particular historical context." [source]

What is Document Analysis?
An overview of skills used and gained when analyzing primary resources for context.
Writing Document Analysis
An overview on how use document analysis skills when analyzing primary resources.
Document Analysis Worksheets
Worksheets for analyzing primary source documents from the National Archives and Records Administration

Step 3: Writing

A Short Guide to Writing about History by Richard A. Marius; Melvin E. Page
A Short Guide to Writing about History is an ideal complement for any history course intended to teach students to think and write like historians. This engaging and practical text will teach students how to go beyond reporting the basic dates and facts of their history books and show them how to infuse their writing with their own ideas and unique perspective.
A Pocket Guide to Writing in History by Mary Lynn Rampolla
A Pocket Guide to Writing in History is a brief, inexpensive, and easy-to-use guide to the writing and research skills needed for undergraduate history courses. Its concise yet comprehensive coverage of every step of the research and writing process—including detailed advice on documenting sources and avoiding plagiarism—have made A Pocket Guide to Writing in History the trusted choice in history.
The Methods and Skills of History by Michael J. Salevouris; Conal Furay
Widely acclaimed for its accessibility and engaging approach to the subject, the fourth edition of The Methods and Skills of History combines theory and instruction with hands-on practice, making it a comprehensive guide to historical research and writing. Combines theory with hands-on practice in its introduction to historical methods. Includes a series of field-tested exercises designed to make the research and writing of history more meaningful and accessible to readers. Features expanded coverage of writing history and up-to-date coverage of online research. Designed to strengthen students' critical thinking and communication skills

Writing Historical Essays: A Guide for Undergraduates
The purpose of this guide from Rutgers University is to provide students with the basics for writing undergraduate history essays and papers.
The Three Parts of a History Paper
The purpose of this guide from Bowdoin College is to provide students with a clear outline for writing a history paper.

Step 4: Citing Sources

Chicago Manual of Style
An online guide providing information about how to use the Chicago Manual of Style for citing resources.

Digital Paper by Andrew Delano Abbott
This guidebook teaches readers how to build knowledge through research.
A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations by Kate L. Turabian
This book offers comprehensive and detailed guidance to authors of research papers—term papers, theses, and dissertations using The Chicago Manual of Style.

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