Types of Sources

Historians encounter a large variety of sources during the course of their studies. There is the basic textbook, of course - usually a collaborative effort by several established historians, well-illustrated with maps, charts, graphs, photographs, artwork, and more. Many professors will assign additional sources alongside such a textbook - some do away with the textbook altogether - and this page and its links are intended to introduce you to the basic types of sources you are likely to encounter. While the sources that might be assigned in history classes are endless in their possible variety, we have grouped them under four larger headings:

• Secondary Sources
• Primary Sources
• Fiction/Art/Poetry
• The Internet