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36 views | 0 Vote this question as useful. 0 Vote this question as not useful. | Last updated on Jul 30, 2025 primary sources secondary sources
Primary sources are often found in archives or historical museums, however many databases or online collections have access to primary sources. You may also find someone discussing a primary source referring to an original scientific, peer reviewed, evidence based study, so it is important to understand the context in which you are referring to a primary source.
Here are a few databases you may search for primary sources:
Nexis Uni -- Previously Lexis-Nexis Uni (Law, News, Business Profiles) Legal, regulatory and business information and analytics, news, and business profiles.
MasterFILE Elite (All Topics) Full-text general interest reference works, images, maps, and flags.
JSTOR (Scholarly Journals) Scholary journals, books, and primary sources. Read online or download for offline use.
Making of America Journals Digital Library of primary sources in American social history primarily from the antebellum period through reconstruction.
Points of View Reference Center
You can also find primary source documents within the eBook collections:
eBooks from ProQuest (All Topics) Read online or download for offline use.
eBooks from EBSCO (All Topics) Read online or download for offline use.
eBooks from ABC-CLIO (All Topics) Read online only.
There are several online collections available on the internet to use for primary soures:
Library of Congress Digital Primary Sources
It can be tricky to locate an historical primary source helpful for your assignment. Feel free to ask for a librarian at the Service Desk, call 973-328-5300, text 973-847-2275, email LRCRef@ccm.edu, or drop in on Live Chat anwhere on the CCM Library pages.