RPH - Module1

Republic of the Philippines
BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED

SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
City of Naga
This module discusses the fundamental difference between a primary source and secondary
source materials and their importance in understanding what transpires in Philippine History. This
module also identifies different kinds of primary sources and their possible repositories. This module
elaborates on the primacy of primary sources over secondary sources. Besides, this will present
different points of consideration in analyzing both types of resources.
At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:
Differentiate primary and secondary sources of historical records,

identify possible repositories of primary sources,
identify the criteria in evaluating primary and secondary materials; and
evaluate the provenance of primary sources.
In your own words, what is history? What words can you associate with the word history?
HISTORY
1|Page
Distinction between Primary and Secondary Sources
In conducting any historical research, different information sources are required to gain
extensive knowledge on a particular topic. Some researchers rely on written documents, while
others choose to make use of oral sources. No matter what source is being utilized, it is essential to
know which among the gathered sources can provide accurate details and information about the
historical event or subject being researched on. Thus, it led to the importance of distinguishing the
primary from secondary sources.
Primary Sources
 These sources are considered as contemporary accounts of an event, personally written or

narrated by an individual who directly experienced or participated in the said event.
 These sources also include materials that capture the event such as photographs, voice and
video recordings, and the like.
Secondary Sources
 Serves and interpretation or readings of the primary sources.

 In these sources, authors usually incorporate his or her personal insights and interpretation,
thus detaching the original value of the component of the subject being discussed.
 These sources may also be based from the interpretation of other secondary source, or a
combination of primary and secondary sources.
Many historical pieces of research also bank on secondary sources to get a different perspective.
However, relying too much on secondary sources may blur out the precise details of particular
historical events.
1. Using the diagram below, compare and contrast the characteristics of primary and
secondary sources materials. And, try to give an explanation for the overlapping
characteristics. (15 points)
Primary Source Secondary Source

2. List down five (5) examples of primary sources
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
3. List down five (5) examples of secondary sources.

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
4. Choose from the following historical events:

a. Marcos’ Declaration of Martial Law,
b. EDSA People Power 1, or
c. President Joseph Estrada’s Impeachment;
And using online resources, search for primary and secondary sources that shows the
significance of your chosen historical event. Cite the selected sources and identify the
possible biases that they might contain. Please imbed the link of your chosen sources if
possible. (15 points)
Example
Historical Event: President Joseph Estrada’s Impeachment
Source No.1: Joseph Estrada’s diary retrieved from (insert link)
Possible Bias – one-sided version of the story
Evaluation of Primary and Secondary Sources

In this day and age, fake news's proliferation is evident both in print and digital media
platforms. Thus, it becomes more apparent that sources of texts should be scrutinized for their
credibility. As the field established the primacy of the primary sources over secondary sources,
Garraghan (1950) classified six-point of inquiries to evaluate the authenticity of a primary source:
1. Date – When was it produced?

2. Localization – Where did it originate?
3. Authorship – Who wrote it?
4. Analysis – What pre-existing material served as the basis for its production?
5. Integrity – What was its original form?
6. Credibility – What is the evidential value of its content?
In a nation where there is minimal documentation of oral history, it is challenging to trace the
primary sources of many written historical records that can help understand the relevance of
historical events in addressing contemporary issues. In that sense, the significance of secondary
sources arises. Louis Gottschalk (1969) emphasized that historians cannot avoid using secondary
sources due to difficulty accessing primary sources. Specifically, Gottschalk suggested that secondary
sources must be used for:
1. Deriving the setting wherein the contemporary evidence will fit in the grand narrative of
history;
2. Getting leads to other bibliographic data;
3. Acquiring quotations and citations from contemporary and other sources; and
4. Deriving interpretations with the view of testing and improving them but not accepting them
as outright truth.
In addition, Martha Howell and Walter Prevenier (2001) stated that before any sources can be
considered as evidence in a historical argument, it must satisfy three preconditions.
First, It must be comprehensible at the most basic level of vocabulary, language and handwriting.
Second, it must be carefully located in accordance with the place and time.
Third, the source must always be checked and rechecked before being accepted as credible
source in any historical findings.
Given the possibility of forgery and mislabeling, historians do not solely focus on external
characteristics but they also evaluate in terms of internal criteria. Howell and Prevenier (2001)
identified seven factors for internal evaluations of sources.
1. The genealogy of the document

2. The genesis of the document
3. The originality of the document
4. The interpretation of the document
5. The authorial authority of the document
6. The competence of the observer
7. The trustworthiness of the observer
Instructions: Read the full transcript of the undelivered Arrival Speech of Senator Benigno S.
Aquino, Jr and answer the following questions. Please limit your answers to a
maximum of six sentences for question nos. 1, 8, 9, 12, 13 and 14. The speech can be
accessed at
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/631394/undelivered-speech-of-senator-benigno-s-aquino-jr
First Impressions
1. What are your first impression about the undelivered speech? (5 points)
2. What kind of document is it? (letter, ad, newspaper, and so on) (1 point)
Looking More Closely
3. Make a list of unusual or unfamiliar words or phrases you encountered while reading the
speech. (max of 5 points, 1 point for each word or phrase)
4. Is there a specific date on the speech? If so, when is it? If there is none, are there any clue
that might indicate what it was written? (1 points)
5. Is there an indicated location? Where is it? (1 point)
6. Who authored the document? Why did you say so? (1 point)
7. To whom was the document addressed? How did you know? (2 points)
8. What was the purpose of the document? What made you think so? (5 point)
Thinking further
9. What do you think is the most important information that the author conveyed? Why? (5
points)
10. Does the document convey a certain tone? What is it? (2 points)
11. What does the tone imply? (2 points)
12. What is the point of view of the author? Is it objective? Why? (5 points)
13. What is the relationship between the audience and the writer? Explain. (5 points)
Drawing Conclusion:
14. What conclusions can you draw about the historical period when the speech was written? (5
points)
Anonymous. (n.d.). Historical method. Retrieved from

https://edwardseducationblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/historical-method.pdf
Asuncion N., Cruz G.R.. (2019). Readings in Philippine history. Philippines. C&E Publishing Inc.
Farrell, K. (2014). Primary and secondary sources in the study of history. Encased in Steel. Retrieved
from www.encaseinsteel.co.uk/2014/09/19/primary-and-secondary-sources-in-the-study-
of-history

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Republic of the Philippines

BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED

At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

Differentiate primary and secondary sources of historical records,

 These sources are considered as contemporary accounts of an event, personally written or

 Serves and interpretation or readings of the primary sources.

Primary Source Secondary Source

3. List down five (5) examples of secondary sources.

4. Choose from the following historical events:

Evaluation of Primary and Secondary Sources

1. Date – When was it produced?

1. The genealogy of the document

Anonymous. (n.d.). Historical method. Retrieved from

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