3. WHAT IS HISTORICAL RESEARCH
• The systematic collection and evaluation of data to describe,
explain, and understand actions or events that occurred sometime
in the past.
• There is no manipulation or control of variables as in experimental
research.
• An attempt is made to reconstruct what happened during a certain
period of time as completely and accurately as possible
4. PURPOSES
• To make people aware of what has happened in the past in order
to:
• Learn from past failures and successes
• Apply them to present-day problems
• Make predictions
• Test hypotheses concerning relationships or trends
• Understand present educational practices and policies more fully
5. • Period History: often focuses on events and developments that occur in
particular blocks of time.
• World History: study of major civilizations over the last 3000 years or so.
• Regional History: study of certain areas of the world over a period of time or
focusing on a period of time.
• Military History: concentrating on historical wars and warfare, including
battles, military strategies and weaponry, including tribal.
• Social History: study of how societies adapt and change over periods of time.
AREAS OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH
6. • Cultural History: combines the approaches of anthropology and history to
look at language, popular cultural traditions and cultural interpretations of
historical experience.
• Diplomatic History: focuses on politics, politicians and other high rulers and
views them as being the driving force of continuity and change in history.
• Peoples History: attempts to account for historical events from the
perspective of common people.
• Gender History: looks at the past from the perspective of gender and is, in
many ways, an outgrowth of women's history.
• Historiography: the study of the history and methodology of the discipline of
history.
7. GUIDES IN CREATING HISTORICAL RESEARCH
Defining the
Problem
Locating relevant
sources
• Documents
• Numerical records
• Oral statements
• Relics
Summarizing information
obtained from historical
sources
Evaluation of
historical sources
• Internal criticism
• External criticism
8. STEPS IN CREATING HISTORICAL RESEARCH
Isolate the
problem
Collect source
materials, including
primary and
secondary sources
Evaluate source
material
Formulate
hypotheses
Report and
interpret findings
9. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGESADVANTAGES
• The research is not physically
involved in the situation under
study.
• No danger of experimenter-
subject interaction.
• Documents are located by the
researcher, data is gathered, and
conclusions are drawn out of
sight.
• Only research that can study
evidence from the past
• Well suited for trend analysis
DISADVANTAGES
• Cannot control for threats to
internal validity
• Limitations are imposed due to
the content analysis
• Researchers cannot ensure
representation of the sample
• Bias in interpreting Historical
sources
• Interpreting sources is very time-
consuming
• Sources may be problematic
• Lack of Control over External
Variables
