Which of the following is an example of a primary source?

• A. Diary
• B. Textbook chapter
• C. Newspaper editorial written later
• D. Biography

Answer: (A)

A primary source is an original record created at the time of an event or by someone who directly experienced it. A diary fits this best because it is a firsthand, contemporaneous account written by an individual about their own experiences, thoughts, and observations as they happened.

The other options are not primary sources in this context. A textbook chapter analyzes and synthesizes information from various sources, presenting someone else’s interpretations rather than the direct record of events. A newspaper editorial written later offers an opinion about events after they occurred, which makes it a secondary source rather than a firsthand document from the time. A biography tells the story of a person’s life after the fact, drawing on other sources, so it’s also a secondary source.

So, the diary stands out as the original, firsthand record among these choices.