In academic writing, what is a primary source in historical research?

Answer and explanation

Correct answer: B. An artifact, document, or recording created during the historical period under study

  1. Step 1: A primary source provides direct, firsthand evidence about an event, object, person, or work of art.
  2. Step 2: Examples include original legal treaties, personal letters, historical diaries, archaeological inscriptions, or contemporary artifacts created during the period.
  3. Step 3: Textbooks and analytical journal articles are secondary sources that interpret primary sources.
Answer
An artifact, document, or recording created during the historical period under study.
Why not the others: 'A textbook written fifty years after an event summarizing historical developments' is a secondary or tertiary source; 'A peer-reviewed journal article analyzing historical census records from 1800' is a secondary analytical source; 'An encyclopedia entry synthesizing modern archaeological perspectives on an ancient dynasty' is a tertiary reference source.

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