Purpose: Studying events or ideas of past or philosophy of persons and groups at any remote point of time.
Nature: Definitions:
According to Nel (1983), historical research is the process of collecting and objectively evaluating data related to past occurrences to arrive at conclusions about the causes, effects or trends of past events that may be helpful in explaining the present or anticipating future events.
Nature: Definitions:
According to Nel (1983), historical research is the process of collecting and objectively evaluating data related to past occurrences to arrive at conclusions about the causes, effects or trends of past events that may be helpful in explaining the present or anticipating future events.
According to Young (1987), historical research can illuminate current problems and act as temporary influence. There is a need for historical research to produce a faithful record of events. There is need also for historical research aimed at suggesting through a study of previous events, generalizations for guiding behavior.
In views of Mason (1997) the principle product of historical research is context-an understanding of the organizational, individual, social, political and economic circumstances in which phenomena occur.
Steps of historical research
Charles Busha & Stephen Harter have given following steps of historical research
· Recognition of a research problem
· Gathering of as much relevant information about the problem as possible
· If appropriate , the forming of appropriate hypothesis that tentatively explain relationships between historical factors
· Rigorous collection and organization of resources/evidences and the verification of the authenticity and veracity of information and its resources. The researcher can obtain information through following resources
Primary resources: They are those resources that appeared for the first time
· Written documents
· Interviews with people who experienced a particular time frame
· Artifacts, remains or relics
· Oral or written testimony
Secondary resources: Reports of a person who relates the testimony of an actual witness of an event or an actual participant in the same.
· Selection, organization and analysis of the most pertinent collected evidence and the drawing of the conclusions and
· Recoding of the conclusions in a meaningful narration
· Interviews with people who experienced a particular time frame
· Artifacts, remains or relics
· Oral or written testimony
Secondary resources: Reports of a person who relates the testimony of an actual witness of an event or an actual participant in the same.
· Selection, organization and analysis of the most pertinent collected evidence and the drawing of the conclusions and
· Recoding of the conclusions in a meaningful narration
Joanna Nel (1983) has given six steps of historical research
· Selecting a suitable topic
· Searching for evidence
· Taking notes
· Arranging the information into a meaningful pattern
· Presenting results in a way that provides the reader with a full understanding of the subject.
Methods: analysis of historical records, analysis of documents
Techniques:
o Reading of notes-content analysis
o Tap and film listening and analysis
o Statistical compilations and manipulations
o Reference and abstract guides-content analysis
o Interviews with subjects, anecdotal records –content analysis
o Archives-analysis and thorough studies
o Observing and studying the remains
· Selecting a suitable topic
· Searching for evidence
· Taking notes
· Arranging the information into a meaningful pattern
· Presenting results in a way that provides the reader with a full understanding of the subject.
Methods: analysis of historical records, analysis of documents
Techniques:
o Reading of notes-content analysis
o Tap and film listening and analysis
o Statistical compilations and manipulations
o Reference and abstract guides-content analysis
o Interviews with subjects, anecdotal records –content analysis
o Archives-analysis and thorough studies
o Observing and studying the remains
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