Historical Research

Historical Research

Introduction to Research(Group 5)III-15 BEEd

Definition of Historical Research

Prospero, Abigail

What is History?•The study of the past, particularly how it relates to humans.

•It is an umbrella term that relates to past events as well as the memory, discovery, collection, organization, presentation, and interpretation of information about these events

What is Historical Research?

•Systematic collection and evaluation of data to describe, explain, and thereby understand actions or events that occurred sometime in the past.

•No manipulation or control of variables and primarily focuses in the past.

Views on the Values of Historical

Research

Prospero, Abigail

Views on the Values of Historical Research

Nietzsche's View of the Value of Historical Studies and Methods

Nietzsche is generally regarded as a severe and hostile critic of historical studies, and it is possible that the expression "historical sickness" (historische Krankheit) was made current through him.

Views on the Values of Historical Research?

•Other people believe that we can never truly understand the events in the past in the sense that evidences from the past are questionable

The Purpose of Historical Research

Parfan, Kimberly Shane V.

The Purpose of Historical Research

•To test hypothesis concerning relationships or trends and to assist in prediction.

•To make people aware of what has happened in the past so they may learn from past failures and successes.

Questions Pursued through Historical Research


Some Examples:

How were students educated in the South during the Civil War?

What was instruction like in a typical fourth-grade classroom 100 years ago?

How have working condi-tions for teachers changed

since 1900?

Some Examples:

What were the major discipline

problems in schools in 1940 as compared to

today?

Characteristics of Historical Research



•aim for critical search for truth.• The aim of contemporary history is to conceptualise, contextualise and historicise – to explain –

• There is no agreed definition of what time period constituted contemporary history has existed – or can exist.


1. It is not a mere accumulation of facts and data or even a portrayal of past events

•2. It is a flowing, vibrant report of past events which involves an analysis and explanation of these occurrences with the objective of recapturing the nuances, personalities and ideas that influenced these events.

3. Conducting historical research involves the process of collecting and reading the research material collected and writing the manuscript from the data collected.

Steps/ Methods of Historical Research

Marikit, Shynne Marie P.Ramirez, Christian JirehVuelban, Vanessa Marie

Historical ResearchElusive Subject-matter

• the past, and the peculiarly difficult task of interpretation which this is elusive nature of then subject matter

Defining the Problem•To describe clearly and accurately some aspect of the past as it related to education and/or schooling.

• Take a look one by one at the important motives or reasons which caused you to doubt or to get interested about certain gaps in knowledge in relation to a past event or experience.

Focus

individuals

institutions curricula

facilities

textbooks

projects or programs

procedureseventsconceptsstructures

and processes

phenomenaideas

Defining the Problem

Time in a given setting and culture

Defining the Problem•You may limit your investigation in one era or epoch and one sequence of events in a local, provincial, regional, or national setting.

•Comparison of events in different periods, different societies, or different civilizations.

Defining the ProblemExamples:•“The Schooling Process in First Grade: Two Samples a Decade Apart”

•“Origins of the Modern Social Studies”

Gathering of Source Materials

•varied evidences of the activities engaged in by people who lived in the past.

Historical Source Material

DocumentsNumerical

RecordsOral

StatementsRecords

and Relics

•Are written or printed materials that have been produced in some form or another

•may be published or unpublished•may be intended for private or public consumption

•may be original works or copies.

Documents

•artwork, bills, books, cartoons, circulars, court records, diaries, diplomas, legal records, newspapers, magazines, notebooks, school yearbooks, memos, tests, and so on.

Documents

•Either as separate type of source in and of themselves or as subcategory of documents.

•Any type of numerical data in printed form

Numerical Records

•test scores, attendance figures, census reports, school budgets, and the like.

Numerical Records

•Forms of oral expression have been used by people through the ages to leave a record for future generation.

Oral Statements

•stories, myths, tales, legends, chants, songs

Oral Statements

•Any object whose physical or visual characteristics can provide some information.

Records and Relics

•furniture, artwork, clothing, buildings, monuments, or equipment.

Records and Relics

Classification of Historical Sources

•Primary source is regarded as the source of the “best evidence”.

Ex. One prepared by an individual who a participant was in or a direct witness to the event being described.

Classification of Historical Sources•Secondary source are information

supplied by a person who was not a direct observer or participant of the event, object, or condition. Ex. A document prepared by an individual who was not a direct witness to an event but who obtained his or her description of the event from someone else.

Classification of Historical Sources

•Deliberate sources (preserve information)

•Inadvertent sources(making accurate inferences to

interpret the material)

Criticisms of Data

EXTERNAL CRITICISM

INTERNAL CRITICISM

Involves finding out if the source material is genuine and if it possesses textual integrity (Gay, et al., 1972)

- Concerned with the accuracy and meaning of the data contained in the document.

- Textual criticism

EXTERNAL CRITICISM

“Is it genuine?”

a. Who was the author?

b. What were his general qualifications as a reporter?

c. What were his special qualifications and disqualifications as a reporter of theMatters treated here?

Good and Scates (1972)

EXTERNAL CRITICISM

“Is it genuine?”

d. How soon after the events was the document written?

e. How was the document written?

f. How is the document related to other documents?

Good and Scates (1972)

INTERNAL CRITICISM

“What does it mean?”

“What was the author attempting to say?”

“What thought was the author trying to convey?”

“What inferences or interpretation could be extracted from the words?”

1 Literal meaning and real meaning of statements

2 Competence of the Observer

Tests of Truthfulness and Honesty3

- Words do not have the same meaning to all people

“What is the personal or vested interest of the author, if any?”To what race, nation, party, region, social level, economic group, or profession, which might introduce elements of bias does the observer belong?”

1 Literal meaning and real meaning of statements

2 Competence of the Observer

Tests of Truthfulness and Honesty3

- Words do not have the same meaning to all people

“What is the personal or vested interest of the author, if any?”To what race, nation, party, region, social level, economic group, or profession, which might introduce elements of bias does the observer belong?”

Writing of Historical Research1. Effective historical writing

2. Working Outline

-guide the selection and arrangement of notes

3. Progression- should employ a thesis as a theory of causation

to explain cause and effect relationships (Good and Scates, 1972)

Writing of Historical Research4. Emphasis on Major Elements

5. Art of Narration and Science of History- science of research and literary art are essential

6. Dramatization, Rhetoric and Style- Should possess the characteristics of a good story

Strengths and Limitations of Historical

Research

Roque, Arielle

Strengths of Historical ResearchIt is the only research method that can be study evidence from

the past

It can make use of a wider range of evidence than most other methods

provides an alternative and perhaps richer source of information on topics that can also be studied with other

methodologies.

Limitations of Historical Research

the measures used in other methods of control for threats of internal validity are simple not possible in historical study.

The possibility of bias

Requires much more than digging up good material

Historical research can only give a fractional view of the past

Limitations of Historical ResearchSome scholars contend that history requires a different

method and interpretation because of its elusive subject matter

the absence of technical terminology

Historians cannot agree, too, on the extent to which they can make generalizations

History is life

Sample Study

Diga, Pearl Dianne

A Historical Study on the Growth and Development of the

Elementary Department of Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Manila, 1971

– 2001: An Initial AttemptAngelita M. Delos Reyes

Philippine Normal University

The thesis aims to know the historical background of

Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Intramuros, Manila from

the time it was established up to 2001(the time that the

paper was made). It also attempted to trace and document

the Growth and Development of the elementary

department of the said school. The findings is said to be the

basis to develop implications to management.

The study led to a conclusion that setting clear goals can

help the success of the school. Providing quality services,

maintenance and motivational needs to students, to ensure

the best delivery of educational services. And making every

entity in the school feels that they are the stakeholder in the

institution through participative planning, organization,

implementation and evaluation of all school programs.

The End

Education

Historical Research