Citation Guide for Primary Sources
General Guidelines
It is important to provide full credit to the creators and publishers of documents, and to allow future scholars to find the source quickly and correctly. Citing a primary source is also crucial to critical thinking and analysis because it requires that the student think carefully about where the source came from, who made it, and in what context the student first discovered it. Methods for citing primary sources differ from those for published works. The discipline in which you are writing and class requirements will determine the citation system you should use. Typical elements of a citation include: document title, document date, location information, collection title, collection number, and repository name.
The following citation guidelines for primary sources are based on those in the Chicago Manual of Style, which you should consult for more detailed information.
Notes
39. Diary of New York trip of John Meachem, Jr., 1922, box 2, John G. Meachem, Sr. and Jr. Papers, Parkside Mss 15, University of Wisconsin-Parkside Libraries, Archives Department.
Subsequent citations of the same item, or items from the same collection, may be shortened for the reader's convenience. The writer announces the use of short forms in a parenthetical statement at the end of the first citation, as follows:
39. Diary of New York trip of John Meachem, Jr., 1922, box 2, John G. Meachem, Sr. and Jr. Papers, Parkside Mss 15, University of Wisconsin-Parkside Libraries, Archives Department. (hereafter cited as Meachem Papers).
40. Copybook of Thomas Meachem, box 3, Meachem Papers.
In a bibliography, the main element is usually the title of the collection in which the specific item may be found, the author(s) of the items in the collection, or the repository of the collection. Specific items are not usually mentioned in a bibliography. We recommend using the collection title as the main element of the citation. If the collection title includes a personal name, we recommend placing the last name first for the reader's convenience.
For example:
Sullivan, John, Papers. Parkside MC 11. University of Wisconsin-Parkside Libraries, Archives Department.
Examples of Citations for Items from the Archives Department of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Libraries
Note Forms
41. Speeches, 1923-1951, box 2, folder 7, Horace J. Mellum Papers, Parkside Mss 13, University of Wisconsin-Parkside Libraries, Archives Department.
42. Speeches and Tributes, 1932-1945, box 2, folder 12, Della Wendt Papers, Parkside MC Â 03, University of Wisconsin-Parkside Libraries, Archives Department.
43. Investment Transactions, 1974-1975, box 5, folder 16, Kemper Hall Records, Parkside Mss 41, University of Wisconsin-Parkside Libraries, Archives Department.
Bibliographic Entries
Kemper Hall Records. 1855-1957, Parkside Mss 41. University of Wisconsin-Parkside Libraries, Archives Department.
Office of the Chancellor. Parkside AC 01. University of Wisconsin-Parkside Libraries, Archives Department.
Wallace, Irving, Papers. Parkside MC 01. University of Wisconsin-Parkside Libraries, Archives Department.
Archives Department staff will gladly provide further guidance on citing primary sources in your research papers.