A published document is a primary source when the work features the original thoughts of the author. Typically, published documents are written for a wider audience in mind. According to the U.S. Library of Congress, examples of these documents include all forms of literature, such as books, magazines and newspapers. Government-related documents, including public issues pamphlets, geographical maps, court decisions and laws, are primary source documents based on the ideas of the government. As primary published documents are the creation of a person, the information may be biased, unreliable or inaccurate. Use judgment to determine the credibility of the author and work, and consider the subtext of a document, which can provide latent details, such as historical, social or political ideals.
All primary source documents do not need to be published, but unpublished documents are limited in their scope and audience. Unpublished documents include first-hand accounts of individuals based on their individual perspective, and are written without the goal of reaching an audience. Examples of these documents that are created from the hand of the author include journals, diaries and personal letters, according to the U.S. Library of Congress. Unpublished documents that are authored by the original person but written in the hand of another author include school report cards, property deeds and personal wills. Community organizations, churches, service clubs and labor unions also keep records, which are unpublished primary documents. Other examples of unpublished documents include family bibles featuring family histories, board meeting minutes, correspondence, research files and financial ledgers. Government documents that are unpublished primary sources include voter registration lists, police records and classified documents. As these documents are not reproduced, it is often difficult to locate their single copy. Also the information can be revealing about the event or past since unpublished documents are not expected to be viewed by outsiders.
Visual documents are primary sources that capture the creator's vision and point of view, according to the U.S. Library of Congress. Types of visual documents include pieces of art, such as paintings or photography. Other types of visual documents that are expressed as written words include novels, poetry and sheet music. Visual documents capture the culture of the time they are created through the individual point of view of the artist. The interpretation of the context of a visual document is limited by the perspective of the viewer.