Society for Women and the Civil War
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| Society for Women and the Civil War, Inc. Box #9066 8345 NW 66th St. Miami, FL 33166 (804) 244-1864 www.swcw.org |
| Content Analysis: What are Secondary Sources? Guidelines for Creating a Conference Presentation |
A secondary source interprets or analyzes an historical event or phenomenon. It is a source that was not produced at the time of the event
but is at least one step removed. Books and articles that are based on primary sources but include analysis and evaluation are secondary
sources. Sometimes, memoirs are considered to fall into the category of secondary sources.
Because it is imperative to understand the world in which the people, events and issues you research existed, it is important to read about
and research your period extensively. Here, secondary sources play and important and useful purpose. Reading the work of strong,
serious, competent researchers who have delved into related issues will give you a fuller picture of your time period. Most insightful
researchers do not limit themselves to reading only within the discipline. Works in other disciplines that are focused on the time period, or
otherwise connected to your subject may give you important information or give you new and interesting perspectives or leads.
Secondary sources may examine general and background information important to your work. It is also crucial to understand the work of
other scholars and to contemplate their theses and arguments. Secondary sources help you to examine your own perspective on the
people, issues, and events of the times and often help you to place your subject in a clearer light. It is also often helpful to understand how
extensively a particular topic has been studies by others.
Note: Sometimes primary sources are reprinted in print form or microfilm. These sources are more easily accessible and are more widely
read. With all commercially or privately printed sources of purported primary sources, we must we very cautious. Such sources may have
been reworked or edited and may bear little or no resemblance to the source in its original form.
For purposes of the innovative research that we expect for presentations at the Conference on Women and the Civil War, reprinted primary
sources may not be appropriate. If you have questions about the appropriate use of any source, contact Meg at Mary.Galante-
DeAngelis@uconn.edu
Primary Source Deadends: How to Keep Going Meg Galante-DeAngelis
When You’ve Run Out of Ideas - Teaching Kids History/Historical Research University of Connecticut
Hood College, July 21 to 23, 2006
but is at least one step removed. Books and articles that are based on primary sources but include analysis and evaluation are secondary
sources. Sometimes, memoirs are considered to fall into the category of secondary sources.
Because it is imperative to understand the world in which the people, events and issues you research existed, it is important to read about
and research your period extensively. Here, secondary sources play and important and useful purpose. Reading the work of strong,
serious, competent researchers who have delved into related issues will give you a fuller picture of your time period. Most insightful
researchers do not limit themselves to reading only within the discipline. Works in other disciplines that are focused on the time period, or
otherwise connected to your subject may give you important information or give you new and interesting perspectives or leads.
Secondary sources may examine general and background information important to your work. It is also crucial to understand the work of
other scholars and to contemplate their theses and arguments. Secondary sources help you to examine your own perspective on the
people, issues, and events of the times and often help you to place your subject in a clearer light. It is also often helpful to understand how
extensively a particular topic has been studies by others.
Note: Sometimes primary sources are reprinted in print form or microfilm. These sources are more easily accessible and are more widely
read. With all commercially or privately printed sources of purported primary sources, we must we very cautious. Such sources may have
been reworked or edited and may bear little or no resemblance to the source in its original form.
For purposes of the innovative research that we expect for presentations at the Conference on Women and the Civil War, reprinted primary
sources may not be appropriate. If you have questions about the appropriate use of any source, contact Meg at Mary.Galante-
DeAngelis@uconn.edu
Primary Source Deadends: How to Keep Going Meg Galante-DeAngelis
When You’ve Run Out of Ideas - Teaching Kids History/Historical Research University of Connecticut
Hood College, July 21 to 23, 2006