A: Documentary Sources:

Any recorded item that offers factual information or proof about a topic is referred to as a documentary source of information. Because these sources are grounded in factual documents rather than hearsay or subjective opinions, they are utilized in historical research, education, and study.

Types of Documentary :

Written Documents

• Books, textbooks
• Newspapers and magazines
• Letters, diaries, reports
• Official records (government documents, laws)

Printed & Published Materials

• Journals and research papers
• Encyclopedias
• Pamphlets and brochures

Visual and Audio Records

• Photographs
• Films and documentaries
• Audio recordings (interviews, speeches)

Digital Sources

• Websites and online articles
• E-books and databases
• Emails and digital archives

1 : Primary Sources of Information:

A primary documentary source is one that provides firsthand, original knowledge about a certain event, person, or time period. It is generated at the time of the occurrence or by someone who witnessed it firsthand, and has not been evaluated or examined by others.

Examples :

• Autobiographies
• Speeches and interviews
• Personal letters and diaries
• Photographs taken during an event
• Newspaper reports written at the time of the event
• Official documents (laws, birth certificates, treaties)

Note :

• Firsthand knowledge
• Unaltered and original (not clarified by others)
• utilized as concrete proof in historical or scholarly

Trick :

Primary Source = Personal, First Hand, Original ( It is Proof)

Secondary Source = Second Hand, Clarified and Examined ( It is story about the Proof )

2 : Secondary Sources of Information :

A secondary source is a documentary source that explains, interprets, or analyzes material obtained from primary sources. It is not created by someone who witnessed the incident firsthand, but rather by someone who studied or reviewed it later.

A secondary source = second-hand information + explanation or analysis

Examples :

• Biography
• History textbooks
• Documentaries (that analyze past events)
• Encyclopedias

Note:

• Based on primary sources
• Written after the event
• Provides interpretation or opinion

3 : Tertiary Sources of Information:

A tertiary source is a kind of documentary that gathers, arranges, and condenses data from primary and secondary sources. It facilitates the rapid discovery and comprehension of information but does not offer fresh concepts or direct analysis.

A tertiary source = summary + compilation of other sources

Example :

• Dictionaries
• Alamanac
• Encyclopedia
• Text Books (Basic Level Summaries)
• Index & Directories

Note :

• Based on Primary & Secondary Source
• Used for quick reference or overview
• Provides summarized and simplified information

Easy Trick :

• Primary = Original (first-hand)
• Secondary = Explanation (second-hand)
• Tertiary = Summary (third-hand)

B: Non Documentary Sources:

A non-documentary source is one that does not provide material in written, printed, or digital form. Instead, it conveys knowledge via tangible things, spoken conversation, or direct observation.

A non-documentary source = information without written or recorded documents

Example :

• Direct observation (what you see or experience yourself)
• Oral traditions (stories, folk tales, legends)
• Artifacts (tools, coins, pottery, weapons)
• Monuments and buildings

Trick :

Documentary = Written/recorded
Non-documentary = Physical or spoken

If any physical or verbal content converts into written form, it will be a documentary source.

Human as a Source of Information

Institutions as Sources of Information

Media as Sources of Information