Which of the following is an example of a primary source?

• A. A diary
• B. A scholarly article about a diary
• C. A modern newspaper editorial
• D. A literature review

Answer: (A)

Primary sources are original, firsthand records created at the time of study. They provide direct evidence about a topic without interpretation by others.

A diary fits this because it is an immediate, personal record written by someone who experienced events firsthand. It captures thoughts, feelings, and details as they occurred, without the filter of later analysis. That original, unmediated nature is what makes it a primary source.

The scholarly article about a diary is a secondary source because it analyzes and interprets the diary’s contents rather than presenting new, original material from the time.

Similarly, a modern newspaper editorial offers commentary on current events and reflects the editor’s viewpoint rather than serving as an original record from the past, so it’s secondary in historical terms.

A literature review compiles and synthesizes existing research, not new primary data or firsthand accounts, and thus is also a secondary source.

So the diary is the best example of a primary source.