Distinguishing Types of Sources: Primary / Digital Primary / Secondary
When using digital collections materials in your research, it is important to remember that they are information and not just illustration, so they should be cited properly.
Primary Source
A primary source (also called an original source) provides direct or firsthand evidence (a record) about an event, object, person, or work of art. A primary source is often written or created at the time under study. A primary source serves as an original source of information about a topic.
Different academic disciplines have different definitions of a primary source depending upon the discipline and the context in which the source is used. An example of this would be in the natural and social sciences, primary sources are often empirical studies - research where an experiment was performed or direct observation was made. In journalism, a primary source can be a person with direct knowledge of a situation, or a document written by such a person. In the physical sciences, the results of empirical studies are typically found in scholarly articles or papers delivered at conferences and considered primary sources. Primary sources include: artifacts, articles, art objects, audio and video recordings, diaries, documents, eyewitness accounts, historical and legal documents, internet communications via email, blogs, listservs, and newsgroups..., interviews, fieldwork, manuscripts, objects, pieces of creative writing, results of experiments, speeches, statistical data, surveys
Digitized Primary Source
A digitized primary source is an online representation of a primary source. It may be an image of the item or represented with an online record or finding aid.
Secondary Source
A secondary source is second-hand information written or created after an event, generally with the benefit of hindsight. Secondary sources include scholarly publications, such as journal articles and books, as well as public journalism, and popular websites.
Examples of Primary / Digitized Primary / Secondary
| Primary Source: | Digitized Primary Source: | Secondary Source: |
|---|---|---|
| An original painting by Bonnie Cashin | A digitized representation of the Bonnie Cashin painting | A book about the fashion designer Bonnie Cashin |
|
Citation: Cashin, Bonnie. Cashin’s Illustrations of Body Covering Made of Light. F002-07, 1966, Gouache, Library Special Collections. University of California, Los Angeles. |
Citation: Cashin, Bonnie. Cashin's Illustrations of Body Covering Made of Light. F02-07, 1966. Gouache, Cashin (Bonnie) Collection of Fashion, Theater and Film Costume Design. UCLA Library Digital Collections, 1913-2000. Accessed August 19, 2024. https://digital.library.ucla.edu/catalog/ark:/21198/zz0002h1ts.
|
Citation: Lake, Stephanie. 2016. Bonnie Cashin : Chic Is Where You Find It / Stephanie Lake ; Foreword by Jonathan Adler. New York, NY: Rizzoli International Publications,Inc. |
|
Style (Chicago 17th ed.):
Artwork is a general term used to describe visual art that is in a physical form. This includes paintings, sculptures, architecture, mosaics, ceramics, and more. When citing artwork, citations must include the following information:
If you have other relevant information about the artwork such as size or medium, include that as well. |
Style (Chicago 17th ed. section 14.133 ): Image of artwork from an online Source Creator's Last Name, First Name. Title of Artwork, Date of Creation, Other relevant information such as size or medium [if known], Location of Artwork. Accessed Access Date. URL. |
Style (Chicago 17th ed.): Author's Last Name, First Name. Year. Title of Book: Subtitle if Any (Place of publication: Publisher), Page Number. |
|
ORIGINAL PAINTING You can see this in UCLA Library Special Collections. |
DIGITIZED REPRESENTATION OF ORIGINAL PAINTING
Figure 1. Cashin's illustrations of body covering made of light. f02-07 |
BOOK
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[1] Cite Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_source
Cite Library of Congress https://ask.loc.gov/faq/303148#:~:text=A%20primary%20source%20is%20a,%2C%20manuscript%2C%20or%20art%20object.
Chicago Citation Guide (17th Edition): Primary Sources
https://columbiacollege-ca.libguides.com/chicago/primary_sources