- Brandel Library
- Research Guides
- MUS 3010: Music History and Literature I
- What's a Primary Source?
MUS 3010: Music History and Literature I
These pages provide resources and tips for completing your research assignment for Music 3010. Feel free to contact me for help with this assignment using the information on the bottom of this page.
What's a Primary Source?
Primary or Secondary Source?
A primary source is first-hand information created during the time that you are researching. Primary sources include things like:
- diary
- score
- correspondence
A secondary source is second-hand information, often written by an expert who draws on both primary and contextual information. Secondary sources include things like:
- an annotated score
- a scholarly article
- a biography
In-Class Activity
Which of the following sources is primary?
Examples
- Autobiographies
- Diaries
- Documents
- Eyewitness accounts
- Film footage
- Laws
- Letters
- Newspaper articles
- Concert programs
- Novels
- Objects from the time
- Oral histories
- Photographs
- Poems, art
- Speeches
- Musical scores
- Recordings
