Forum is a place, meeting, or medium where ideas and views on a particular issue can be exchanged. So today in Dr. Teoh class, we conducted a forum. My group was assigned to talk about Historical Research.

Definition

-systematic process of critically analyzing and synthesizing the evidences of the past events.

Purposes

 1.)  to find solutions to contemporary problems which have their roots in the past

2.)  to throw light on present trends and help predict future trends

3.) to re-evaluate data in relation to selected hypotheses, theories and generalizations presently held about the past

4.)  to emphasize and analyze the importance and effect of various interactions in prevailing cultures

5.) to understand how and why educational theories and practices developed.

Characteristics

1.)  not a plain gathering of facts and data or description of past events

2.)  involves analysis and explanation of these events with the objective of evoking the nuances, personalities and ideas that influenced. 

3.) The process of collecting and reading the material for research will cause the researcher to read back and forth between collecting, reading and writing.

4.)  It deals with existed data without creating a data using structured tools.

5.) It is analytical as it uses logical induction.

6.)  It also records and evaluates the accomplishment of individuals, agencies or institutions.

Scope

a.) individual, i.e. historical biographies of major contributors to education such as Mahatma Gandhi,

b.) a group, i.e. history of educational administration

c.) an idea a movement or an institution, i.e. historical study of specific educational institutions such as University of Mumbai.

If the research is in the broader scope, for instance an entire country, society or system, it is identified as macro-level historical research. If it is narrow which involved selected set of people or events of interest, it is known as a micro-level historical research.

Approaches

 1.) Qualitative approach which is the search for a chronological factual tale sources such as manuscripts and imprints inferred from a range of written or printed evidence.

2.) Quantitative approach to look for evidence that can be counted. For example, tabulating the printed number of  a particular textbook to estimate popularity.

3.) Content analysis can also be used to focus on examination of the text itself.

4.)  Oral  history approach which turns to living memory by asking reliable respondents.

Steps

1.) to identify a topic and define the problem. Problem that prompt historical inquiry can be classified into five types; current social issues; studies conducted to gain knowledge about unexamined phenomenon; interpreting ideas that seemed unrelated; synthesizing old data or merge the old ones with the newly discovered data by the researchers and the involvement of reinterpretation of past events that have been studied by other researchers.

2.)  to search the source of data. Primary sources come from the remains or relics (non-verbal information) and objects that have direct physical relationship such as documents. Secondary source is from the eyewitness who has no direct physical relationship with the events.

3.)  the evaluation of the historical source.  There are two types of evaluation which are external and internal criticisms. External criticism or known as lower criticism is used to determine whether the sources are genuinely valid primary data. Internal criticism is when the researchers focus on the meaning of written material.

4.)  the researchers have to analyze, synthesize, summarize and interpret the data.

5.)  writing the research report.

problems and weaknesses

a.) The research problem is too broad,

b.) projecting current problems onto historical events which may create distortions

c.) excessive use of easy-to-find secondary sources of data

d.)  inadequate internal and external criticism of historical sources data which is important for validity and authenticity

e.)  including personal values and interests and being biased

f.) faulty interpretation of meanings of words

g.) inability to identify and discard irrelevant facts

h.)  faulty generalization based on inadequate evidence

i.)  use of wrong analogy and faulty comparison of events in dissimilar cultures.

How to evaluate historical research? There are a few criteria in evaluating historical research as follow:

1.      Problem – Has the problem clearly defined and capable of solution? Is it within the competence of the investigator?

2.      Data – Are data of primary nature sufficiently available?

3.      Analysis – Has the dependability of data established and relevance of data explored?

4.      Interpretation – Does the author display adequate mastery of his data and insight into its significance? Are his hypotheses plausible and adequately tested? Does he see the relationship between his data and other ‘historical facts’?

5.      Presentation – Does the writing style attract, inform and reflect scholarliness? Does the report make a contribution in terms of newly discovered data or new interpretation?