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

•To test hypothesis concerning relationships or

trends and to assist in prediction.
Questions Pursued through
Historical Research

Parfan, Kimberly Shane V.

Some Examples:

How were students

educated in the South
during the Civil War?

How have working condi-

tions for teachers changed
What was instruction like in a
typical fourth-grade since 1900?
classroom 100 years ago?
Some Examples:
What were the
major discipline
problems in
schools in 1940
as compared to
today?
 Characteristics of
Historical Research

Parfan, Kimberly Shane V.

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.
Characteristics of Historical Research

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 Jireh
Vuelban, Vanessa Marie
Historical Research
Elusive 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.
Defining the Problem
concepts events
structures
and procedures
processes projects or
phenomena Focus programs
ideas
facilities
individuals Time in a
textbooks
institutions curricula 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 Problem
Examples:
•“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

Numerical Oral Records

Documents
Records Statements and Relics
Documents
•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.
Numerical
Records
•Either as separate type of
source in and of themselves
or as subcategory of
documents.
•Any type of numerical data
in printed form
Numerical •test scores, attendance
Records figures, census reports,
school budgets, and the
like.
 Oral
Statements

•Forms of oral expression

have been used by people
through the ages to leave a
record for future generation.
 Oral •stories, myths, tales,
Statements legends, chants, songs
 Records
and Relics
•Any object whose
physical or visual
characteristics can
provide some
information.
 Records •furniture, artwork,
and Relics clothing, buildings,
monuments, or
equipment.
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 INTERNAL
CRITICISM CRITICISM

Involves finding out if the - Concerned with the accuracy

source material is genuine and meaning of the data
and if it possesses textual contained in the document.
integrity (Gay, et al., 1972) - Textual criticism
EXTERNAL “Is it genuine?”
CRITICISM Good and Scates (1972)
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 the
Matters treated here?
EXTERNAL “Is it genuine?”
CRITICISM Good and Scates (1972)
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?
 INTERNAL “What does it mean?”
CRITICISM

“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
- Words do not have the same meaning to all people

2 Competence of the Observer

3 Tests of Truthfulness and Honesty

“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
- Words do not have the same meaning to all people

2 Competence of the Observer

3 Tests of Truthfulness and Honesty

“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 Research
1. 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 Research
4. 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 Research
It 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 Research
Some 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 Attempt
 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