Primary sources: Difference between revisions

Published versions of primary sources are useful and are sometimes the only way researchers can access necessary information. But beware. They are not always reliable. Errors can occur in even the most careful transcriptions. Sometimes transcribers skip information they consider unnecessary. Sometimes they make "corrections" that actually introduce errors. And even the best translations lose something in the process. In short, use them with caution and recognize that quality will vary. Try to find the most reliable versions of documents that you can.