HISTORICAL RESEARCH

INTRODUCTION

• Historical research design is a qualitative technique that studies the meaning of past events in an attempt to interpret the facts and explain the cause of events, and their effect in the present events.
• Historical research tries to collect, verify, and synthesize evidence from the past to establish facts that defend or prove a hypothesis.
• It uses secondary sources and a variety of primary documentary evidence, such as, diaries, official records, reports, archives, and non-textual information [maps, pictures, audio and visual recordings].

SOURCES OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH

• Primary Sources:
  • Eyewitness of the events
  • Oral & written testimonials
  • Public records, Legal Documents, Diaries, Minutes of Meetings, recordings, Records, Journals & drawings
  • Libraries, University Archives
• Secondary sources
  • Oral & written Reports
  • Second hand account of events
  • Textbooks, Newspapers, Encyclopedias, articles, Biographies, other media such as tape recordings & videos

PURPOSES OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH

• The purpose of historical research is to reach insights or conclusions about past persons or occurrences.
• To learn how things were done in the past & to identify whether they might be applicable for present day concerns.
• Historical research entails more than simply compiling and presenting factual information; it also requires interpretation of the information.
• It contributes to the understanding of the significance regarding the phenomenon to be studied.
• It assist in making predictions.

STEPS IN HISTORICAL RESEARCH

• Develop an Idea/ Topic/ Research Question
  • The first step is to find the idea and figure out the research question.
  • To do this the researcher must choose a general area of Interest.
  • Researchers also develop ideas and questions arise when they read other people's research.
• Formulate a Plan
  • This step involves figuring out where to find sources and how to approach them. This is done by making a list of all the places from where information could be collected. (libraries, court archives, private collections) and then identifying where to start.

• Conduct a background Literature Review
  • Conducting Historical literature reviews focus on examining research throughout a period of time, often starting with the first time an issue, concept, theory, phenomena emerged in the literature, then tracing its evolution within the scholarship of a discipline.
• Refine the Research Ideas & Questions
  • Refining the topic is sometimes referred to as narrowing down your topic, is an important aspect because when the your research question is too broad, it will be difficult to cover all the topic in research. And if it’s too small it will be difficult to find enough research material to write in depth in research paper.
  • Once general topic idea is obtained the next step is to refine the topic and ultimately to formulate a research question. This is the process by which an aspect of the topic is chosen to write in the research paper.
  • While refining the topic consider the points & ideas to keep the research focused and on track.
• Locate the primary & Secondary sources
  • Historical research encompasses two forms of sources, also know as "evidence": primary and secondary. "Primary evidence records the actual words of someone who participated in or witnessed the events described.
  • Primary evidence can be located from newspapers, diaries, letters, interviews, speeches, laws, other official statements, and works written by individuals with first-hand knowledge of an event.
  • Secondary evidence records the findings of someone who did not observe the event but who investigated primary evidence.“
  • secondary Evidence can be located from biographies, critical studies of an author's work, and compilations of essays.
• Evaluate the Authenticity & Accuracy of Sources
  • The historian tries to examine every Information obtained, The 5 w’s to evaluate the accuracy of Primary Sources are
    • W- Who created or authored the work?
    • W- When was it created?
    • W- Where was it created, published & disseminated?
    • W- Why was it created or written? The Intended Audience
    • W- What is the document about?
  • The 5 W’s in examining the accuracy of Secondary sources
    • W- Who is the historical subject to be researched?
    • W- When did the event take place?
    • W- Where did it occur?
    • W- What did it entail?
    • W- Why did it happen this way?
• Analyze the data
  • Compare and contrast differing sets of ideas, values, personalities, behaviors, and institutions by identifying likenesses and differences.
  • Consider multiple perspectives of various peoples in the past by demonstrating their differing motives, beliefs, interests, hopes, and fears.
  • Analyze cause-and-effect relationships bearing in mind multiple causation including (a) the importance of the individual in history; (b) the influence of ideas, human interests, and beliefs; and (c) the role of chance, the accidental and the irrational.
  • Draw comparisons across eras and regions in order to define enduring issues as well as large-scale or long-term developments that transcend regional and temporal boundaries.
  • Distinguish between unsupported expressions of opinion and informed hypotheses grounded in historical evidence.
  • Compare competing historical narratives.
  • Challenge arguments of historical inevitability by formulating examples of historical contingency, of how different choices could have led to different consequences.
  • Hold interpretations of history as tentative, subject to changes as new information is uncovered, new voices heard, and new interpretations broached.
  • Evaluate major debates among historians concerning alternative interpretations of the past.
• Develop a narrative explanation of the Findings
  • Outline:
    • Write a preliminary thesis statement, expressing the major findings.
    • Sketch out a broad outline that indicates the structure — main points and sub-points based on the findings.
    • Do not get too detailed in the outline.
  • First Draft:
    • On the basis of this thesis statement and outline, start writing, as soon there is enough information
    • Keep on writing. It is important to try to get to the end point of this writing as soon as possible, even if the thesis is written as pieces still in outline form at first and then fill the gaps when reaching at the end
  • Second Draft:
    • The “second draft” is a fully re-thought and rewritten version of your paper. It is at the heart of the writing process.
    • At this point the paper is outlined  freshly.
    • Ask tough questions whether the argument is clear and whether the order in which the points are presented is effective!
    • Write conceptually a new paper at this point, use paragraphs and especially quotes, factual data in the new draft.
  • Final Draft:
    • Check for basic rules of good writing. check the the accuracy and suitability of words.
    • Eliminate unnecessary passive or awkward noun constructions (active-voice, verbal constructions are usually more effective);
    • Improve the flow of transitions; avoid repetitions
    • Make the style clear and smooth. Check the paper from the beginning till end,
    • cut out unnecessary wordings. Spell-check and proof-read.

ADVANTAGES OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH

• The historical research design provides attractive attention; the act of research does not affect the results of the study.
• The historical approach is well suited for trend analysis.
• Historical records can add important contextual background required to more fully understand and interpret a research problem.
• There is often no possibility of researcher-subject interaction that could affect the findings.
• Historical sources can be used over and over to study different research problems or to replicate a previous study.

LIMITATIONS OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH

• The ability to fulfill the aims of research are directly related to the amount and quality of documentation available to understand the research problem.
• Since historical research relies on data from the past, there is no way to manipulate it to control for contemporary contexts.
• Interpreting historical sources can be very time consuming.
• The sources of historical materials must be archived consistently to ensure access. This may especially challenging for digital or online-only sources.
• Original authors bring their own perspectives and biases to the interpretation of past events and these biases are more difficult to ascertain in historical resources.
• Due to the lack of control over external variables, historical research is very weak with regard to the demands of internal validity.
• It is rare that the entirety of historical documentation needed to fully address a research problem is available for interpretation, therefore, gaps need to be acknowledged.