Original Source

An ORIGINAL SOURCE is anything that specifies the origin of a fact or piece of information and is not obtained, formed, or developed from another authority. An original source should be differentiated from a DERIVATIVE SOURCE. Original sources may be written, visual, or verbal, and include documents, publications, and people. See SOURCE.

Examples:

• An official death certificate generated at or near the time of death may be an original source.
• A family bible may be an original source, if the information recorded therein is not obtained from another authority.
• A family member or friend may be an original source for information, assuming that the person supplying the information has first-hand knowledge of the information.
• A cemetery monument may be an original source for the monument's design, location, and inscription.
• A last will and testament may be an original source for the wishes of the individual who wrote the will.