Primary Sources

Citing primary sources that are not in a traditional book format properly is important.  Materials found in an archives or special collections repositories are often unique and cannot be referred to elsewhere. Persons trying to locate sources to replicate research at a later date will need to know exactly where and how to retrieve them. The particular form of citation will depend upon the citation style followed (e.g. The Chicago Manual of Style, Modern Language Association, etc.). In general, citations progress from the broadest to the narrowest form of information, or vice versa. The basic elements that should appear in your citation are:

• Repository: Where is the item held?

Ex: Archives, Clark Memorial Library, Shawnee State University, Portsmouth, O.H..

• Collection or Record Group: Include the title and the collection or catalog number.

Ex: MS2007 Grace Cavalieri Papers

• Series and/or Subseries (if applicable): Archival collections can consist of hundreds of boxes and are often organized into groups of similar records related by creator, activity, form, topic, etc. Include the series number and title.

Ex: Series II: Correspondence

• Box and Folder Number (if applicable): If there is a title written on the folder heading, include this information as well.

Ex: Box 3 Folder 15 "Submissions, 1972-1973"

• The document itself: Include the creator, page, section, and date information where necessary.

Ex: Letter to Mary Ellen Long, January 12, 1970.

When at the archives, it is a good idea to note down information from the finding aid or guide to the collection and from labels on the folder and box - even if not all the information is required in the citation itself. Citing primary sources can be tricky. Never hesitate to ask the archivist, curator, librarian, or your professor for assistance. They are there to help you!

Whether using primary or secondary sources, in print or online, an essential step in the research process is evaluating your sources.  Good scholarship requires careful reading and critical analysis of information.

Basic evaluation criteria for all sources, adapted from The Information-Literate Historian by Jenny L. Presnell (New York:  Oxford University Press, 2007), include the following:  

Author Authority 
Who created the item?  What is his or her affiliation?  

Audience and Purpose
Who is the intended audience?  Why was the item created?

Accuracy and Completeness
Is the evidence reliable?  Are the important points covered?

Footnotes and Documentation
Are the author's sources clearly identified with complete citations to allow you to find the original source yourself?

Perspective and Bias
How do the author's bias and perspective inform the arguments and evidence presented?