CHAPTER 10: HISTORICAL RESEARCH:
-Historical research considers the currents and counter currents of present and past events,
with the hope of discerning patterns that tie them all together.
-At its core, historical research deals with the meanings of events.
-The heart of the historical method is, as with any other type of research, not the
accumulation of the facts, but rather the interpretation of the facts.
-Interpretation of the data is central in all research.
-The task of the historical researcher is not merely to describe what events took place but to
present a factually supported rationale to suggest how and why they may have happened.
-Comparative-Historical Research: Comparing historical events and processes across two or
more societies or cultures, with the goal of identifying similarities, differences, and patterns
that could conceivably reflect cause-and-effect relationships.
DATA SOURCES IN HISTORICAL RESEARCH:
-Primary sources are those that appeared first in time—in particular, when or soon after the
events in question occurred.
-These sources take such diverse forms as letters, diaries, newspaper articles,
sermons, laws, census reports, immigration records, probate documents, deeds,
photographs, paintings, films, buildings, and labour-saving tools.
-Another source of primary data, at least for events within the past few decades, can be
found in interviews of people who participated in them.
-This approach is sometimes known as narrative research or oral history.
-Interview data often give life to historical events.
-But just as is true in conducting any interview, the researcher must remember that
participants’ recollections aren’t always accurate.
-Only when several people recall events similarly can a researcher have reasonable
confidence in what the interviews reveal.
-Historical researchers don’t necessarily limit themselves to words, images, and objects;
they often use numbers as well.
-For instance, they might draw inferences about people’s interests during a
particular time period by looking at the numbers of books on various topics that
were sold during that period.
-Secondary sources are the works of historians who have interpreted and written about
primary sources.
-These include history textbooks, as well as more scholarly books and articles written
about a particular event or time period.
-Secondary sources inevitably reflect the assumptions and biases of the people who
wrote them.
-Historical research considers the currents and counter currents of present and past events,
with the hope of discerning patterns that tie them all together.
-At its core, historical research deals with the meanings of events.
-The heart of the historical method is, as with any other type of research, not the
accumulation of the facts, but rather the interpretation of the facts.
-Interpretation of the data is central in all research.
-The task of the historical researcher is not merely to describe what events took place but to
present a factually supported rationale to suggest how and why they may have happened.
-Comparative-Historical Research: Comparing historical events and processes across two or
more societies or cultures, with the goal of identifying similarities, differences, and patterns
that could conceivably reflect cause-and-effect relationships.
DATA SOURCES IN HISTORICAL RESEARCH:
-Primary sources are those that appeared first in time—in particular, when or soon after the
events in question occurred.
-These sources take such diverse forms as letters, diaries, newspaper articles,
sermons, laws, census reports, immigration records, probate documents, deeds,
photographs, paintings, films, buildings, and labour-saving tools.
-Another source of primary data, at least for events within the past few decades, can be
found in interviews of people who participated in them.
-This approach is sometimes known as narrative research or oral history.
-Interview data often give life to historical events.
-But just as is true in conducting any interview, the researcher must remember that
participants’ recollections aren’t always accurate.
-Only when several people recall events similarly can a researcher have reasonable
confidence in what the interviews reveal.
-Historical researchers don’t necessarily limit themselves to words, images, and objects;
they often use numbers as well.
-For instance, they might draw inferences about people’s interests during a
particular time period by looking at the numbers of books on various topics that
were sold during that period.
-Secondary sources are the works of historians who have interpreted and written about
primary sources.
-These include history textbooks, as well as more scholarly books and articles written
about a particular event or time period.
-Secondary sources inevitably reflect the assumptions and biases of the people who
wrote them.
