1. Historical Methodology

2. Value of Historical Research

It throws light on present and future trends.

It enables understanding of and solutions to
contemporary problems to be sought in the past.

It can illuminate the effects of key interactions within a
culture or sub-culture.

It allows for the revaluation of data in relation to
selected hypotheses, theories and generalizations that
are presently held about the past and the present.

3. Steps in a Historical-Comparative
Research Project
 1.
Conceptualization of an idea, topic, or
research question
 2. Locate evidence and do background
literature review
 3. Evaluate evidence
 4. Organize evidence
 5. Synthesize evidence and develop general
explanatory model
 6. Develop a narrative exposition of the
findings

4. Data Sources
 Primary


Sources:
first-hand or eyewitness observations of
phenomenon
Source material closest to the
person/information/period/idea being studied
 Secondary


Sources:
second-hand observation, i.e. the author collected
the data from eyewitnesses
Document relating to information presented
elsewhere

5. Oral History





Oral history interviewing is valuable for history,
anthropology, and folklore.
Collects information about the past from observers
and participants in that past.
Gathers data not available in written records about
events, people, decisions, and processes.
Can show how individual values and actions shaped
the past, and how the past shapes present-day
values and actions.
Methodological problem:

Oral history interviews are grounded in memory, and
memory is a subjective instrument for recording the past,
always shaped by the present moment and the individual
psyche.

6. Source criticism…..
core principles
A
primary source is more reliable than a
secondary source
 The closer a source is to the event which it
purports to describe, the more one can trust it
to give an accurate description of what really
happened.
 A source may be forged or corrupted; strong
indications of the originality of the source
increases its reliability

7.  If
a number of independent sources contain
the same message the credibility of the
message is strongly increased.
 Since the tendency of a source is to provide
some kind of a bias tendencies need to be
minimized or supplemented with opposite
motivation.
 If it can be demonstrated that witness /source
has no direct interest in creating bias its
credibility increases

8. Evaluating Sources
 External

Appraises the authenticity and authorship of the
data source
 Internal

Criticism:
Criticism:
Appraises the meaning and intent of the data
source

9. External Criticism
 Six
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
inquiries
When was the source
written/unwritten/produced?[date]
Where was it produced?[localization]
By whom was it produced?[authorship]
From what preexisting material was it
produced?[analysis]
In what original form was it produced?
[integrity]
What is the evidential value of its contents?
[credibility]

10. Synthesis: historical reasoning
1.
2.
Once individual pieces of information have
been assessed in context, hypotheses can
be formed and established by historical
reasoning.
It includes assembling a body of historical
data and its presentation in terms of
objective truth and significance.

11. Hallmarks of Critical History
1.
2.
3.
Method…correct technique to find and
criticise data and arrangement and
presentation of data according to an
effective plan
Candor..does not conceal or gloss over
matters.
Accuracy/truth…meticulous correctness of
statement.

12. 4
Thoroughness…use of all important
sources which have a bearing on the subject
and treatment of all significant phases of the
subject.
 5 Verifiability….a work of history must be
fortified by indication of sources which will
enable the reader to check for accuracy and
reliability

13. Types Of Historical Research
 A.


Historical Events Research
examines particular events or processes that
occurred over short spans of time
Methodological problems


Meanings may have changed
Information may not be complete

14. Types (cont.)
 B.


Historical Process Research
focus on how and why a series of events unfolded
over some period of time
Methodological problems:




May place too much emphasis on the actions and
decisions of particular actors
Not always clear which example represents general
pattern
definitions may change over time
relies on long-term records and archives

15. Types (cont.)
 C.


Cross-Sectional Comparative Research
comparing two or more social settings or groups
(usually countries) at one particular point in time
Methodological problems:

comparability of measures across countries

16. Types (cont.)
 D.
Comparative Historical Research
combines historical process research
and cross-sectional comparative research
 To understand causal processes at work within
particular groups and to identify general historical
patterns across groups
 Methodological problems:

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history has not been recorded accurately or reliably
difficult to know how to deal with exceptions
difficult to conclude that one factor (and not others) is
what causes some outcome
groups being compared may not be independent
(Galton’s Problem)

17. Equivalence in Historical
Research
 How
can we make comparisons across
diverse contexts (both in time and
geography)?
 Lexicon equivalence
 Contextual equivalence
 Conceptual equivalence
 Measurement equivalence

18. Weaknesses of Historical Method
 1.
Bias in interpreting historical sources.
 2. Interpreting sources is very time
consuming.
 3. Sources of historical materials may be
problematic
 4. Lack of control over external variables

19. Strengths of Historical Method
 1.
The historical method is unobtrusive
 2. The historical method is well suited for
trend analysis.
 3. There is no possibility of researchersubject interaction.

20. Interesting Internet Sites on
Historical Research
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Multimedia History Tutorials at U. of Calgary
http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/
Where To Do Historical Research (Links)
http://www.wheretodoresearch.com/History.htm
History On-Line
http://www.ihrinfo.ac.uk/search/welcome.html
University of Washington History Site
http://www.lib.washington.edu/subject/History/
Oral History Digital Collection Youngstown State U.
http://www.maag.ysu.edu/oralhistory/oral_hist.html
Oral History Project List Columbia University
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/indiv/oral/projects.html