Template:Source text

A source text is text (usually written but sometimes oral) from which information is derived.

In historiography, distinctions are commonly made between three kinds of source texts:

• Primary source texts are first-hand written evidence of history. Note that other first-hand, primary sources may also be evidence that is not written or textual, such as archaeological findings: pottery, coins, walls...
• Secondary sources are written accounts of history based upon the evidence from primary sources.
• Tertiary sources are compilations based upon primary and secondary sources. These are often meant to present known information in a convenient form with no claim to originality. Common examples are encyclopedias and textbooks.

See also:

• Source#Information ("in research").
• Primary source
• Secondary source
• Tertiary source
• Historiography and History
• Wikisource

External links:

• Wikisource – The Free Library – is the Wikimedia project that collects, edits, and catalogues source texts.