Readings in Philippine History

MODULE 1
Distinction between Primary and Secondary Sources

INTRODUCTION
This module discusses the basic difference between primary and secondary source materials, and
their importance in getting a better picture of what really transpired in Philippine history. It also
identifies the different kinds of primary sources and their possible repositories.

DATE AND TIME ALLOTMENT

I. INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this module, the students are expected to:
a) Differentiate primary and secondary sources of historical records; and
b) Identify possible repositories of primary sources

DIAGNOSTICS

A. Instructions: The diagram below shows the definition of terms related to sources. Rewrite each of them
in your own words on the space provided.
What is really means?

Primary – not made or coming from Firsthand – coming directly from

something else; original original source

________________________________ _________________________________
________________________________ _________________________________
________________________________ _________________________________

Source – a person, publication, or

object that gives information

________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
Secondary – coming from or_______________________________
created Secondhand – not original; taken from
using an original source someone or something else
________________________________ ________________________________
________________________________ ________________________________
________________________________ ________________________________
Based on the worksheets on Teaching Primary and Secondary Sources; The George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, 2001. Retrieved from
________________________________ ________________________________
https://www.georgewbushilibrary.smu.edu/”/media/GWBL/Files/Education%20pdfs/ElementaryLP_PrimarySecondarySources_Web.ashx
________________________________ ________________________________
B. Instructions:
__________ Based on your definitions from the previous activities, enumerates example of primary
__________
sources. Write your answers on the Web diagram below.
 Primary
Source

C. Instructions: Write PS if the item is primary source, SS if is a secondary source, and N if it is neither
the two sources.
_____ 1. Memoirs
_____ 2. Annual reports of the governor general
_____ 3. Philippine History textbooks
_____ 4. Newspaper clippings
_____ 5. Online Journal article about the role of the collaborators in WWII
_____ 6. Artifacts and relics
_____ 7. Documentary reports
_____ 8. Photo exhibit
_____ 9. Editorial cartoons
_____ 10. Paintings
II. LECTURE
The Meaning and Relevance of History
This module emphasizes the relevance of studying Philippine history in the 21st Century. It focuses on
analyzing Philippine history from multiple perspectives based on selected primary sources from various
disciplines and genres.

In conducting any historical research, different sources of information is required to gain extensive
knowledge on particular topic. Some researchers rely on written sources while other choose to make use
oral sources. No matter what source being utilized, it is important to know which among the gathered
sources can provide accurate details and information about the historical event or subject being researched
on.
It is important to distinguished primary from secondary sources. The degree to which the author of
a piece is removed from the actual event being described illustrates whether the source is reporting
impressions firsthand or secondhand. As such the primacy of primary over secondary sources should be
considered by every researcher.
Primary sources are considered as contemporary accounts of an event, personally written or
narrated by an individual person who directly experienced or participated in the said event. Aside from
eyewitness testimonies, primary sources also include materials that capture the event such as
photographs, voice and video recordings, and the like. These materials are considered as original sources
that directly narrate the details of the event. These sources can be in the form of diary and journal entries,
letters, memoirs, journals, speeches, interviews, and official - records such as government publications,
minutes, reports, artworks, and artifacts. Primary sources mostly include unpublished works of individuals
that were discovered after some time such as during historical excavations and historical researches done
in public and private libraries. In some instances, newspaper and magazine articles are also considered
primary sources as long as they were written soon after the events and not as historical accounts.

On the other hand, Secondary sources serve as interpretations or readings of primary sources.
Usually, the author of a piece incorporates his or her personal insights and interpretations, thus detaching
the original value of the component of the subject being in discussed. These sources usually contain
analyses of primary sources by experts, academicians, and professionals. These are usually in the form of
published work such as journals, articles, reviews, books, conference papers, and documentaries. They
can also be based on interpretations of other secondary sources. Many historical researchers also bank on
secondary sources to get different perspectives on a particular topic. However relying too much on
secondary sources may blur out the actual details of particular historical events.
Therefore, primary and secondary sources should be evaluated. Most scholars use the following
questions in evaluating the validity and credibility of sources of historical accounts:
1. How did the author know about the given details? Was the author present at the event? How soon
was the author able to gather the details of the event?
2. Where did the information come from? Is it a personal experience, an eyewitness account, or a
report made by another person?
3. Did the author conclude based on a single source, or on many sources of evidence?

If the evaluation of an available source shows any indication that is an interpretative work rather
than a factual firsthand account, it is considered as a secondary source. Thus, in conducting historical
research, it is important to identify first whether the available sources are primary or secondary
sources. This is to determine how reliable and helpful these sources are.

External criticism and Internal Criticism

Is it authentic and credible? Historical source material consists of primary and secondary
sources. Historians select the events and people that they consider important. By doing so they
don’t so much recreate the past as rediscover it, and to some extent color it with their own set of
value judgments. The Historical researcher’s most important role is to choose reliable sources, in
order to create reliable narratives about the past. (Howell et al 2001). Evidence should be collected
from a wide range sources, each of which will have their own strengths and weaknesses (Tosh
2000). Any source material collected should be subjected to both external and internal criticism,
whereas credibility is established by internal criticism (Shafer 1980). The use of external criticism
involves establishing whether a document can be traced back to the purported originator,
establishing whether it is consistent with known facts, and studying the form of the document (Tosh
2000). Internal criticism consists of trying to establish the author’s meaning and making a judgment
as to intentions and prejudices of the writer (Tosh 2000).

 External criticism  Internal criticism

  Sometimes called as “lower criticism”  Sometimes called as “higher criticism”
 The genuineness of the document  The meaning and trustworthiness of the
 Form and appearance and more particularly contents of the documents
to question of authorship and textual  Value and worth of its contents, its literal
circumstances such as time, place and meaning and the reliability of the
purpose. statements themselves.
 Primarily deals with relating to form and  May be carried on positively or negatively,
appearances rather than meaning of the first being the approach of discovering
contents. the real meaning of the text and the second
that approach with a view to find reasons
o The practice of verifying the authenticity of for disbelieving what the document says
evidence by its physical characteristics; thus putting to questions the author’s good
consistency with the historical faith, motive, competence, accuracy and
characteristics of the time when it was even his knowledge on the subject covered.
produced; and the materials used for the
evidence. o Looks at content of the source and
o determining the evidence of date the examines the circumstances of its
researcher also looks at the language used, production
the sequence and relationship of events, o Looks at the truthfulness and factuality of
the evidence by looking at the author of the
source, its context, the agenda behind its
creation, the knowledge which informed it,
and its intended purpose
o Entails that the historians acknowledge and
analyze how such reports can be
manipulated to be used as war propaganda
o Validating historical sources is important
because the use of unverified, falsified, and
untruthful historical sources can lead to
equally false conclusion
o Without through criticism of historical
evidences, historical deceptions and lies
will all be probable.

V. OTHER REFERENCES:
Anonymous. (n.d.). Historical method. Retrieved from
https://edwardseducationblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/ historical – method.pdf

Farrel, K. (2014). Primary and Secondary sources in the study of history. Encased in Steel.
Retrieved from www.encasedsteel.co.uk/2014/09/19/primary - and - secondary – sources – in – the –
study – of – history

Redmon, R. (2013, December 2). Primary vs. secondary sources [Video File]. Retrieved from
https://youtu.be/cqHO7bTPnw

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. (2013). Primary vs. Secondary sources. Retrieved from
http://www2.smumn.edu/deptpages/tclibrary/tutorials/finding/primary.pdf
Australian Journal of Information System. Volume 18 Number 1 2013