What type of information is contained in primary sources?

Primary sources contain original information that has not been altered or interpreted by others. They provide direct evidence or firsthand accounts of an event, experiment, or period. Examples of primary sources include diaries, interviews, original photographs, artwork, and official documents. This type of information allows researchers and readers to engage directly with the subject matter, forming their interpretations based on the unmediated account.

Understanding the nature of primary sources is crucial in fields such as history, literature, and the sciences, as they serve as the foundational materials from which secondary sources draw interpretations and conclusions. This is why original information is a key characteristic of primary sources, setting them apart from reinterpreted or analyzed materials, which typically involve the author's perspective and synthesis of existing data.