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Re: What's a primary source?



Marcus,

My background is in the field of history, but I recollect from theory and
methodology readings that a primary source essentially has one of two
criteria, i.e. it recounts a contemporary event or it is a reaction to a
contemporary event. In an ethnohistoric sense, this may include an essay, an
electronic document, a manuscript, a newspaper account, an oral recording,
drawing, (the list goes on and on ad nauseum). So, I suppose it would depend
upon what the 'ramblings' are about, i.e. events contemporary to that person's
life or not. Then, of course, there is always the job of determining the
authenticity of the source and its validity within context.


Richard D. Blackmon
Auburn University
blackri@auburn.edu

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