The following Web sites take you through the process of finding primary documents and how to use them in your research papers. The first two listed are especially useful.
The National Archives and Records Administration's Teachers' Resources page contains useful information about historical resources and how to use them in the classroom. It includes sections on conducting research and finding primary sources, along with sections on history in the raw (letters, memoirs, dairies, etc.), document analysis worksheet and National History Day.
The University of California at Berkeley has an excellent definition of primary sources. Reading through the first few pages of this Web site will be crucial as you try to find primary documents on your topic.
Yale University provides a great explanation of the differences between primary, secondary and tertiary sources.
