Using and Understanding Primary Sources

When citing primary sources, the key thing to keep in mind is that anyone reading your citation should be able to get back to the item you're citing so that they can read it for themselves. You should be as specific as possible, not only about what the document is, but where you found it. Citations to archival materials should include a box or folder number if known, and citations to primary sources in online databases should include both the institution where the original document is housed (if known) as well as a link to the document in the database.

Most archival repositories will provide you with their preferred citation that you should use when citing materials, even if that preferred citation doesn't exactly match the format of whatever citation style you're using. However, if no preferred citation is provided by the repository, you can use the guidelines on this page to construct one.

Please follow these directions when citing materials from the Center for Southeast NC Archives and History.

• Books, government documents, and other published works can be cited according to whatever citation style you are using in your research project (e.g. APA, MLA, Turabian, Chicago style, etc.).
• When citing manuscript and archival collections, use the following template, replacing the text in red with information specific to the item you’re citing:

Identification of item, Folder #, Box #, MS ### Collection Title, Center for Southeast North Carolina Archives and History, Randall Library, University of North Carolina Wilmington.

When citing individual documents, be as specific as possible. Below is an example citation using our preferred citation format.

Letter to Henrietta Perkins from her mother, 4 August 1848, Folder 11, Box 1, MS 320 Ashe Family Papers, Center for Southeast North Carolina Archives and History, Randall Library, University of North Carolina Wilmington.

REMEMBER: Always defer to the preferred citation suggested by the repository or digital collection you've used, if one is available. Only create citations from scratch if you can't find a preferred citation.

For primary sources found in a database:

• MLA
  • In-Text Citation Template: (Author Last Name) OR ("Description of item/document") if author unknown
  • In-Text Citation Example: (Florida State University Pride Student Union)
  • Works Cited Template: Author Last Name, First Name. Description of Item/Document. Day Month Year. Collection name. Collection Identifier and Collection Name. Name of Repository, Location of Repository. Retrieved from Name of Database. DOI or URL, Date accessed.
  • Works Cited Example: Florida State University Pride Student Union. Queer Cosmic Bowling Event Poster. 2015. HUA 2013-0607 Pride Student Union Records. Special Collections and Archives, Florida State University. Retrieved from Digital Public Library of America. https://purl.lib.fsu.edu/diginole/FSU_HUA_2013-0607_B30_I007. Accessed 1 June 2023.
• Chicago/Turabian (author-date)
  • In-Text Citation Template: Description of item/document (Collection Name).
  • In-Text Citation Example: The Pride Student Union held a Queer Cosmic Bowling night (Pride Student Union Records)
  • Reference List Template: Author Last Name, First Name. Year of Item. Description of Item/Document. Collection Name. Name of Repository, Location of Repository. DOI or URL.
  • Reference List Example: Florida State University Pride Student Union. 2015. Queer Cosmic Bowling Event Poster. Pride Student Union Records. Special Collections and Archives, Florida State University. https://purl.lib.fsu.edu/diginole/FSU_HUA_2013-0607_B30_I007.
• Chicago/Turabian (notes and bibliography)
  • Footnote Template: Author First Name Last Name, Description of Item/Document, Day month year, Collection Identifier, Collection Name, Box Number, Folder Number, Name of Repository, Location of Repository. URL or DOI.
  • Footnote Example: Florida State University Pride Student Union, Queer Cosmic Bowling Event Poster, 2015, HUA 2013-0607, Pride Student Union Records, Box 30, Folder 7, Special Collections and Archives, Florida State University. https://purl.lib.fsu.edu/diginole/FSU_HUA_2013-0607_B30_I007.
  • Bibliography Template: Author Last Name, First Name. Description of Item/Document. Day month year. Collection Name. Name of Repository, Location of Repository. URL or DOI.
  • Bibliography Example: Florida State University Pride Student Union. Queer Cosmic Bowling Event Poster. 2015. Pride Student Union Records, Special Collections and Archives, Florida State University. https://purl.lib.fsu.edu/diginole/FSU_HUA_2013-0607_B30_I007.
• Harvard
  • In-Text Citation Template: (Author Last Name, Year)
  • In-Text Citation Example: (Pride Student Union, 2015)
  • Reference List Template: Author Last Name First Initial. (Year). Description of Item/Document. [Format] Collection Name. Name of Repository, Location of Repository, accessed DD MM YYYY from Name of Database.
  • Reference List Example: Florida State University Pride Student Union (2015). Cosmic Bowling Event Poster. [Poster] Pride Student Union Records, Special Collections and Archives, Florida State University, accessed 1 June 2023 from the Digital Public Library of America.

For primary sources found on a website or in an online exhibit:

• MLA
  • In-Text Citation Template: (Author Last Name) OR ("Description of item/document") if author unknown
  • In-Text Citation Example: (Peoria Illinois Public Schools)
  • Works Cited Template: Author Last Name, First Name. "Description of item/document." Day month year. Title of Website or Online Exhibit, Publisher of Website or Online Exhibit, Publication Date, URL. Accessed Day Month Year.
  • Works Cited Example: Peoria Illinois Public Schools. "Permanent Record: Richard Pryor." 1945-1955. Richard Pryor's Peoria, Scott Saul, 2023, https://www.becomingrichardpryor.com/pryors-peoria/. Accessed 1 June 2023.
• Chicago/Turabian (author-date)
  • In-Text Citation Template: Description of item/document (Author Last Name, First Name).
  • In-Text Citation Example: Richard Pryor was frequently absent from school (Peoria Illinois Public Schools)
  • Reference List Template: Author Last Name, First Name. Year of Item. Description of Item/Document. Title of Website or Online Exhibit. DOI or URL. 
  • Reference List Example: Peoria Illinois Public Schools. 1943-1955. Permanent Record: Richard Pryor. Richard Pryor's Peoria.  https://www.becomingrichardpryor.com/pryors-peoria/
• Chicago/Turabian (notes and bibliography)
  • Footnote Template: Author First Name Last Name, Description of Item/Document, Day month year, Title of Website or Online Exhibit, URL or DOI.
  • Footnote Example:  Peoria Illinois Public Schools, Permanent Record: Richard Pryor, 1945-1955, Richard Pryor's Peoria, https://www.becomingrichardpryor.com/pryors-peoria/
  • Bibliography Template: Author Last Name, First Name. Description of Item/Document. Day month year. Title of Website or Online Exhibit. URL or DOI.
  • Bibliography Example: Peoria Illinois Public Schools. Permanent Record: Richard Pryor. 1945-1955. Richard Pryor's Peoria. https://www.becomingrichardpryor.com/pryors-peoria/
• Harvard
  • In-Text Citation Template: (Author Last Name, Year)
  • In-Text Citation Example: (Peoria Illinois Public Schools, 1945-1955)
  • Reference List Template: Author Last Name First Initial. (Year). "Description of Item/Document." Title of Website or Online Exhibit. Accessed DD MM YYYY, <URL>.
  • Reference List Example: Peoria Illinois Public Schools. (1945-1955). "Permanent Record: Richard Pryor." Richard Pryor's Peoria. Accessed 1 June 2023, <https://www.becomingrichardpryor.com/pryors-peoria/>.

For primary sources found in an archival collection/repository:

• MLA
  • In-Text Citation Template: (Author Last Name) OR ("Description of item/document") if author unknown
  • In-Text Citation Example: (Segrest) OR ("Stonewall Speech:)
  • Works Cited Template: Author Last Name, First Name Middle Name or Initial. Description of Item/Document. Day month year. Collection Name. Collection identifier, Box number, Folder number. Name of repository, Location of repository. 
  • Works Cited Example: Segrest, Mab. Stonewall Speech. 1986. Mab Segrest Papers. RL.01164, Box 94, Folder 2. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.
• Chicago/Turabian (author-date)
  • In-Text Citation Template: Description of item/document (Collection Name).
  • In-Text Citation Example: In a 1986 speech on Stonewall, Segrest states that... (Mab Segrest Papers)
  • Reference List Template: Author Last Name, First Name. Year of Item. Description of Item/Document. Collection Name. Name of Repository, Location of Repository.
  • Reference List Example: Segrest, Mab. 1986. Stonewall Speech. Mab Segrest Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.
• Chicago/Turabian (notes and bibliography)
  • Footnote Template: Author First Name Last Name, Description of Item/Document, Day month year, Collection Identifier, Collection Name, Box Number, Folder Number, Name of Repository, Location of Repository.
  • Footnote Example: Mab Segrest, Stonewall Speech, 1986, RL.01164, Mab Segrest Papers, Box 94, Folder 2, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.
  • Bibliography Template: Author Last Name, First Name. Description of Item/Document. Day month year. Collection Name. Name of Repository, Location of Repository.
  • Bibliography Example: Segrest, Mab. Stonewall Speech. 1986. Mab Segrest Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.
• Harvard
  • In-Text Citation Template: (Author Last Name, Year)
  • In-Text Citation Example: (Segrest, 1986)
  • Reference List Template: Author Last Name First Initial. (Year). Description of Item/Document. [Format] Collection Name. Name of Repository, Location of Repository.
  • Reference List Example: Segrest, M. (1986). Stonewall Speech. [Typescript] Mab Segrest Papers. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.