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Humanities & Communication Subject Guide

What are Primary sources

Why use primary sources?

Primary sources are original sources of information including first hand accounts, data, research, artwork, literature or poems.

In history, archaeology, anthropology and social relations, primary sources are first hand evidence or records of the time: diaries, letters, interviews, speeches, photographs, posters, pamphlets and official records.

Primary sources can be found in secondary sources such as books and articles as well as anthropology databases and archives and museums.

 

Find primary sources within books or articles

To find primary sources held in books or articles:

  1. Go to Library advanced search.
  2. Enter your chosen keywords.
  3. Choose + Add a new line.
  4. In the new search line, change Any field to Subject.
  5. Add sources as the keyword in the new search line.

 

Find primary sources in databases

The Early Experiences in Australasia: Primary Sources and Personal Narratives database hold letters, diaries and other primary source materials.

 

Find primary sources in archives and museums

See this list of National collections to explore online collections held in Australian archives and museums.

These collections can be searched with keywords and search results can be refined using filter menus similar to Library Search.

Ethnographic sources

Find ethnographic research

Ethnographic research is the study of people and their culture and includes primary research in the form of observations and data.

Try the following steps in Library Search to find ethnographic research:

1. Enter your chosen keywords, for example a people or place:

Papua New Guinea

2. Connect your keywords to one or more of the following:

  • AND case stud* (to find case study, case studies)
  • AND ethnograph* (to find ethnography, ethnographic)
  • AND ethnolog* (to find ethnology, ethnologies, ethnologic)
  • AND ("social custom" OR "customs and life")

Papua New Guinea AND ethnograph*

Try a combined search using all the ethnographic key words:

 Papua New Guinea AND (case stud* OR ethnograph* OR ethnolog* OR "social custom" OR "customs and life")