Primary+Source+Materials

Let's Talk About ... Primary and Secondary Source Materials

A quote from John Adams in 1817 might help us understand the reason why primary source materials should be used in our classrooms: "//A morsel of genuine history is a thing so rare as to be always valuable//."

Traditionally, specialized libraries, museums, and government archives collected -- and still collect -- primary source documents. These items need special environments and care; in many cases, one could only have access to these materials via a field trip or a travelling exhibit.

Now with the many digitizing projects, we have access to a vast array of primary sources for research through the Internet. Using primary sources will help our students develop and sharpen their critical thinking skills. In addition, it will materially support our inquiry based programmes with the IBO.

When introducing the use of primary source materials in your classroom, you need to (1) model and guide (teach) and then (2) provide the students with many opportunities to practice the skills you have taught. Using primary source materials has always been the preferred source for academic research. For this reason, teaching our students how to use primary sources and developing critical thinking skills will benefit them for the rest of their lives.


 * Primary and Secondary Sources Definition**

According to the Library of Congress' Learning Page (as found on the American Memory site), "//Primary sources are actual records that have survived from the past, such as letters, photographs, articles of clothing. Secondary sources are accounts of the past created by people writing about events sometime after they happened//."

To this, the Reference and User Services Association of the American Library Association adds the following types of materials as primary sources:
 * Letters
 * Manuscripts
 * Diaries
 * Journals
 * Newspapers
 * Speeches
 * Interviews
 * Memoirs
 * Documents produced by government agencies
 * Photographs
 * Audio recordings
 * Moving pictures
 * Video recordings
 * Research data
 * Objects or artifacts (works of art, ancient roads, buildings, tools, and weapons)

A great place to start is:
 * [|The National Archives] - Manages and preserves all records of the American government.
 * [|The American Memory Collection] - Holds hundreds of digitized collections in various formats, as well as a great collection of teaching support materials: basic research skills, documenting (citing) online resources, lesson plans, and much more.
 * [|Ad*Access] - Provides newspaper and magazine advertisements from US and Canadian media between 1911-1995. The resources include radio, television, transportation, and World War II.
 * Great for culture discussions through advertising.
 * Exploring the evolution of the telephone.
 * Studying media literacy by comparing ads from different periods and analyze them for audience appeal, bias, etc.
 * [|Feeding America: The Historic American Cookbook] - a large collection from 1798 to 1922. It includes:
 * The importance of cookbooks as a primary source to aid in the understanding of of the time periods in which the cookbook was produced.
 * Via videos
 * remedies
 * cooking utensils

Although these resources are from the United States and obviously have an American feel to them, they do provide a stepping stone to the use of primary and secondary source materials that are not American. For additional exploration of other primary and secondary source materials, visit: []

When you are familiar with primary and secondary source materials, using the specialized databases that our school subscribes to will be a breeze for you and your students.

Happy Researching! //Nina//


 * Bibliography:**

Craver, Kathleen W. //Using Internet Primary Sources to teach Critical Thinking Skills in History// Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1999. //The Historian's Source: What are Primary Sources?// 26 Sept. 2002. Library of Congress. 29 Oct 2011. <[|www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/lessons/index.html]>. //Using Primary Sources on the Web//. 15 Oct. 2003. Reference and User Services Association, American Library Association. 29 Oct 2011 <[|www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rusa/sections/history/resources/pubs/usingprimarysources/index.cfm]>. Schrock, Kathleen. //A Three-Hour Tour: Navigating Primary Source Materials on the Internet//. 29 Oct 2011. //Kathy Schrock's Homepage//. <[]>.