Columbus State University Archives and Special Collections

Analyzing Primary Sources

Special care must be taken when analyzing primary sources. You must think critically and consider all facets of the source. When looking at primary sources consider the author - who created it? Does this author have a particular bias or agenda? Did the author intend this for a specific audience - was it ever meant to be shared publicly? Also consider the date, as this is important for context. What else was happening during the time period the source was created?

As you are looking at your source also think about how it relates to a broader narrative. For example, how do strikes in Columbus textile mills help tell the story of labor history in the United States? What was Blind Tom's impact on musicology? What do Carson McCullers' correspondence reveal about the literature industry?


Analyzing A Primary Source Example

For example, consider this image of Theodore Roosevelt at the Panama Canal. What story does this image tell? Is Roosevelt actively working to assist in the construction? Or has he stopped construction work to pose for this photograph? Consider the attire each person is wearing and the postion/poses. Did you notice the worker holding the crane cable so it will not obscure the president's image?

What about bigger narratives? What does this image of a United States president in a central American country say about US foreign policy and imperialism? What about the steampowered and other mechanical equipment displayed? What insight can you gain about industrialization from this photograph?