Truth and accuracy are an essential foundation to every lecture and/or student reflection. The manner we develop an accurate understanding of a subject is through research. Recognizing and relying on reliable sources is a learned skill. Students should always seek primary sources when possible. Secondary sources are acceptable as well, but a student should always examine the origin and nature of the source. Institutions, such as museums and universities, generally provide information that is based on strong, verifiable evidence.
Relying on accurate and sourced information is essential in academic endeavors. Students should view with caution anonymous, unverified, and/or unattributable websites, such as blogs, commercial websites (especially travel), and Wikipedia. The Netflix series “Ancient Apocalypse” is a prime example of a platform proposing unverified ideas without proof or supporting evidence.
Students should think of AI and Wikipedia as introductions to a topic, rather than references on that topic. Wikipedia is anonymous, so it is impossible to verify the expertise of the author or the editor. AI does not reveal its sources, so AI may simply be regurgitating false information. Proceed with caution.
Here is a an explanation and list of Primary and Secondary Sources from the Healey Library at the University of Massachusetts Boston :
Primary Sources are immediate, first-hand accounts of a topic, from people who had a direct connection with it. Primary sources can include:
Texts of laws and other original documents.
Newspaper reports, by reporters who witnessed an event or who quote people who did.
Speeches, diaries, letters and interviews – what the people involved said or wrote.
Original research.
Datasets, survey data, such as census or economic statistics.
Photographs, video, or audio that capture an event.
Secondary Sources are one step removed from primary sources, though they often quote or otherwise use primary sources. They can cover the same topic, but add a layer of interpretation and analysis. Secondary sources can include:
Most books about a topic.
Analysis or interpretation of data.
Scholarly or other articles about a topic, especially by people not directly involved.
Documentaries (though they often include photos or video portions that can be considered primary sources).
Below are a list of sources compiled by JW Bailly.
INSTITUTIONS
British Library
Library of Congress
Penn Museum
IMAGES
The following are other sites that have free to use images.
Creative Commons
Europeana
Florida International University Digital Collections Center
Florida Memory: State Library and Archives of Florida
Paris Musées
Pexels
Pixabay
Public Domain Review
Raw Pixel Public Domain
Smithsonian Open Access
University of Florida Digital Collections
Unsplash
Wikimedia Commons
Wikipedia
EDITOR AND LAST UPDATE
John William Bailly 20 January 2023
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