Ethical Approach to Research (Particularly Important for Primary Sources)
Primary Source: First Hand, from the time the event took place
Eg. Notes, Letters, Photos, Interviews, Newspapers, Art, Film
Secondary Source: Second Hand, an analysis of events
Eg. Books, Editorials or Analysis in Newspapers, Web pages, Biographies, Dissertations, Documentary Films.
In the study of Art secondary sources are published materials such as books, journals and newspapers, press releases, and authoritative web sites. Secondary sources are generally collected by libraries and are inventoried in catalogs such as the Library Catalog. Catalog content may be limited to simple citations (directing you a physical object such as a book) or it may be fully integrated with digital content such as databases or full-text journals.
Primary sources are the artworks themselves and unpublished materials such as letters and memos, draft documents, internal reports, technical drawings, and other forms of direct documentation (moving images, sound recordings, transcripts, photographs). Primary source materials are generally collected by archives and inventoried in finding aids.
To discover archival collections, consult ArchiveGrid, a database of primary-source collection finding aids. Archival collections and finding aids are also readily discoverable through Google searches.
Source: MoMA Library
Please be aware that the W&J Archives contain records that are historical in nature and products of the time and society under which they were created, therefore some are offensive and may be triggering.
Washington & Jefferson College does not endorse the views expressed in these materials.
These items have been retained as they originally existed to preserve the integrity of the historical record and to foster openess for the institution's actions and decisions.
If you encounter any harmful or offensive language or content in the Bulman archival collections on this website, in our finding aids, or in our digitized collections, please contact us at archive@washjeff.edu.
Please also contact us if you have any questions or suggestions about this statement. It is a work in progress, and we welcome feedback.
An archive is only as truthful as the people who created the documents in it and the people who preserve them.
How do we know what is not included in the archive and why?
In an archive all an archivist can be sure of is the provenance of a document – that is the “Information on the chain of ownership and custody of particular records.” 1.
Therefore how do we ensure an archive is as trustworthy as possible?
‘For archives to function as reliable sources of information and evidence, the content, context and structure of the records in the archive must be verifiable.’ 2.
‘Archives- must meet legal, regulatory and fiscal requirements, and undergo audits and inspection of various kinds; and they must be able to provide explanations for decisions made or actions taken.’ 3.
The archivist and archives worker must also continuously reexamine and question:
• Their own subjectivity or that of the historian/curator’s working on the archive and what impact that is having on the collection
• The institutional interests in which the archive is situated
• The institution and archivist must invite in minority voices to help in the work of archiving, digitizing, and publishing archive material and employ international archival standards to ensure many voices and perspectives of a history are recorded and findable.
1. Anne-Flore Laloë, “Archives of and for science”, EMBO reports, published online 2017 Jul 20, accessed 08/17/2024: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5538624/
2. Maygene F. Daniels, “Archives and Records Management Resources”, Archives and Library Information Center (ALIC) at the National Archives, page last reviewed August 2016, accessed 08/17/2022: https://www.archives.gov/research/alic/reference/archives-resources/terminology.html
3. Shepherd & Yeo – Managing Records a Handbook of Principles and Practice, London 2003.