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HIST 488 : Europe, 1914 to the Present: Primary Sources

Primary sources

When searching for primary sources for your assignment, it is important to remember that these sources come in many formats.


Primary sources were created during the time period being studied or at a later date by a participant in the events being studied, as in the case of memoirs or autobiographies.  They reflect the individual experience or viewpoint of a participant or observer.  Primary sources enable the researcher to get as close as possible to what actually happened during an historical event or time period. They have not undergone any sort of evaluation or interpretation.