Guides: RELG 547: Find Primary Sources

Primary vs Secondary Sources

Primary sources are contextual, they depend on your research question. They are the original source of information or evidence for your topic. Here are some examples:

If you are researching the Bhakti movement, bhakti poetry could be your primary source.
If you are investigating how scholars have studied Hinduism, then a journal article (which would usually be considered a secondary source) becomes your primary source.
If your topic focuses on recent events, current newspapers, blogs or even Tweets could be your primary source.

A Note on Primary Sources

Primary sources, much like other types of information sources, can be biased. It is important to keep a few things in mind:

The intent of the author: why are they sharing this information? Why are they using this format? Who was the intended audience?
The availability of documents: sometimes certain types of documents or narratives were not preserved because they were not thought of as important. This frequently happens with indigenous populations or colonial information. It's important to be aware that the information available may not paint a complete picture of a topic or period.
Version: Is this a translation? An adaptation? How much has the original been modified? Has it been censored?

Primary Sources Databases

India, Raj & Empire (Adam Matthew)
- This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Explore the history of South Asia between the foundation of the East India Company in 1615 and the granting of independence to India and Pakistan in 1947, through the wonderfully rich and diverse manuscript collections of the National Library of Scotland.
Twentieth Century Religious Thought Volume 4
Twentieth Century Religious Thought: Volume IV, Eastern Religions focuses on the various facets of Eastern Religion spanning over two-hundred years. It includes seminal works and archival materials.

British Library Discovering Sacred Texts
Discovering Sacred Texts provides access to the richness and diversity of the texts from some of the world’s greatest faiths. Discover more about the sacred texts from Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism and the Baha’i Faith, Jainism and Zoroastrianism.

Empire Online (Adam Matthew)
- This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
This resource brings together manuscript, printed and visual primary source materials for the study of 'Empire' and its theories, practices and consequences. The materials span across the last five centuries and are accompanied by a host of secondary learning resources including scholarly essays, maps and an interactive chronology.
Foreign Office Files for India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, 1947-1980 (Adam Matthew)
- This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
This collection of files from the Foreign Office (later the Foreign and Commonwealth Office) and Dominions Office focuses on the political and social history of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Gale Primary Sources
- This link opens in a new window
The Gale Primary Sources program combines dozens of historical archives covering hundreds of years of history. In this exhaustive resource you will find monographs, manuscripts, newspapers, maps, and photographs.
HathiTrust Research Center
HathiTrust is a partnership of academic & research institutions, offering a collection of millions of titles digitized from libraries around the world.

Liaison Librarian

Kristen Howard

she/her

Email me

Subjects: Classical studies, History, Indigenous studies, Religious studies

Legend

McGill users only
Open access resource
Free resource
In-library use (resources only accessible in branch)
Catalogue record (used when linking to