Primary v. Secondary Sources
In general, a primary source is closest to the event, person, idea, or period that you are studying.
Secondary sources discuss and analyze primary sources; they're called secondary sources because they are at least one step removed from the primary source.
Newpaper articles can be either a primary or secondary source. If an article was written at the time a policy was being debated by congress it can be considered a primary source. If an article analyzes a policy years after it took affect a newspaper article would be considered a secondary source.
Other Library Guides
- Last Updated Apr 18, 2013
This guide provides an overview of strategies for locating primary sources, including archival and manuscript material.
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- Last Updated Jan 29, 2013
Use for researching Congress or finding Congressional documents like bills. laws, legislation, serial set, debate, Congressional Record, CRS reports, primary source documents, hearings, prints, reports and policy.
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Current News
Here is a list of some of the most comprehensive library databases for searching current newspapers.
- Access World NewsOver 600 US newspapers, including the New York Times (2000- ), Detroit Free Press (1982- ), and Chicago Tribune (1985- ). Also provides broadcast news transcripts and articles from news magazines like Newsweek, Mother Earth News and The New Republic.
- Michigan Newspapers from Access World NewsOne hundred-thirty local newspapers and news from the state of Michigan. Some from the late 1990's to current.
- Ethnic NewswatchA full text database of 200 publications of the ethnic, minority and native press. Searchable in both English and Spanish, with titles in both languages. Coverage starts in 1960.
- FactivaThis database offers full text articles in 6,000 trade publications, newspapers, newswires and magazines as well as company and industry financial data and news stories.
- LexisNexis AcademicCovers a wide range of news from hundreds of US papers. Also provides broadcast transcripts from television and radio news programs.
- Michigan Gongwer News Service (Michigan Report)Provides daily news on bills in the state legislature and closely tracks Michigan news of importance regarding the executive and judicial branches of our state's government.
Historic Newspapers
Newspaper articles are excellent resources for following the history and background of policy development. While much of our current news is available from individual newspaper web sites, you will likely need to consult library databases to search for older newspaper articles.
- ProQuest Historical NewspapersFeatures historic full text coverage of major newspapers in the U.S., including Wall Street Journal (1889-1992), New York Times (1851-2006), Chicago Tribune (1849-1986), Washington Post (1877-1993) and Los Angeles Times (1881-1986).
- Black Historical NewspapersFull-text available for six major newspapers published by and for the African American communities, including Atalanta Daily World (1931-2003), Baltimore Afro-American (1893-1988), Chico Defender (1909-1975), Los Angelese Sentinel (1934-2005), New York Amsterdam News (1922-1993), and Pittsburgh Courier (1911-2002).
- 19th Century U.S. NewspapersHundreds of digitized U.S. newspapers covering 1800-1899.
- African American Newspapers: The 19th CenturyIncludes searchable full text of Freedom's Journal, The Coloured American, The North Star, The National Era, Provincial Freeman, Frederick Douglass Paper and The Christian Recorder.
- African American Newspapers, 1827-1998Covers approximately 270 U.S. newspapers from more than 35 states.
- American Historical NewspapersThousands of titles available with coverage from 1690 to 1980. This database includes Hispanic American Newspapers from 1808-1980.
- Ethnic NewswatchA full text database of 200 publications of the ethnic, minority and native press. Searchable in both English and Spanish, with titles in both languages. Coverage starts in 1960.
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