Kildedokument

Kildedokument is a term used in archives, history, and accounting to designate a document that provides evidence of a fact, event, or transaction. It is typically considered a primary source, as opposed to secondary sources that interpret or summarize those facts.

Examples include original manuscripts, letters, diaries, contracts, invoices, receipts, birth or marriage records, and official acts. In digital contexts, kildedokument can be files such as emails, scanned forms, or database entries, provided they retain their original content and metadata. A key property is provenance—knowing who created the document, when, and under what circumstances—as well as authenticity and integrity, often maintained through metadata and chain of custody.

Uses: historians use kildedokument to reconstruct events; researchers cite them to support arguments; in accounting, source documents underpin financial entries and audits. Their usefulness depends on clarity of origin, completeness, and the context in which they were produced.

Preservation and access: archives preserve kildedokument, with digitization and access policies; privacy and legal restrictions may apply; long-term preservation requires format- and metadata standards. Access often depends on institutional rules and, in some cases, legal permissions or restrictions.

In scholarly practice, kildedokument are evaluated critically, cross-checked with other sources, and used to establish context; they differ from secondary sources that interpret primary data; proper citation is essential.