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Newspapers as Primary Sources



There seems to be a basic disagreement inside the profession, as well as
outside of it, as to what is meant by primary source. This may be related to
differences in training.

A primary source is unique, the only one like it in the world - a custodial
view generally associated with librarians (of whom I am one) which requires
that extra care be taken of such a piece because it is irreplaceable.

A primary source is contemporary with the events it describes - a
content-related view generally associated with historians which does not
consider rarity so much as historical reliability.

A primary source depends on use - a relativist view I usually encounter
among students who are studying something other than the intellectual
content of a document: papermaking or bookbinding, for instance.

A primary source is the one I used primarily in my research - a view I often
encounter among History Day contestants.

None of these answers are wrong (well, maybe the last). All of them are, or
have been, taught in Archival Studies programs. It just depends on whether
the concern is with preservation or interpretation of the document.

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