Newspapers

Newspaper articles can provide a useful source of information, serving as a primary source of information about historical and current events. Some of the benefits of using newspaper articles as primary sources include:

• Seeing how people viewed an event when it happened;
• Providing multiple points of view about an issue, including a comparison of the United States and international views;
• Permitting researchers to trace the historical development of subjects over time;
• Examining issues in the context of their time (by seeing how stories about an issue relate to other stories, or by examining the type of coverage provided);
• Giving a snapshot of a time period detailing how people lived, and what they purchased which is helpful for writers, playwrights, historians, etc.

Because newspapers also contain commentaries or retrospective articles about events, they can also serve as a secondary source.

Whether used as a primary or a secondary source, newspapers can provide a valuable research tool.

For more information about using news sources, see our news source tutorial.

• The Columbus Dispatch – Electronic archive to the Columbus Dispatch from 1985-present. Please see our microfilm holdings for access to 1975-present and 1960-1975.

• The Lantern – The official student newspaper of The Ohio State University. See the Lantern’s website for current issues and the Lantern Online Archive for issues 1881-2013.

We'd like to know what you think. If you have any feedback, comments or problems with this page, email libref@osu.edu and let us know.