Primary Source Research and Discovery

A guide designed to help find and evaluate primary sources online from the Reference and User Services Association of The American Library Association.

A guide to the functions of archives, identifying archives, and conducting research in a reading room. The Table of Contents include: What are Archives and How Do They Differ from Libraries?; Types of Archives; Finding and Evaluating Archives; Requesting Materials Remotely; Planning to Visit an Archives; Typical Usage Guidelines in Archival Repositories; Notes on Copyright, Restrictions, and Unprocessed Collections; and Visiting an Archives. Written by Laura Schmidt and published by The Society of American Archivists.

This tool allows researchers an opportunity to use a series of questions to analyze a primary source. You can select a format (maps, photographs, prints, oral histories, etc.) and fill out three fields: Observe, Reflect, and Question. Each of the fields has several questions available to spark your analysis. Researchers can download, print, or email these observations, making it easier to track work.

Worksheets developed for both young and novice researchers and secondary level students. These worksheets guide researchers through a progression of activities: Meet the document; Observe its parts; Try to make sense of it; Use it as historical evidence.

Worksheets are available for: photographs, written documents, artifacts or objects, posters, maps, cartoons, videos, sound recordings, and artwork.