Historical research

Group 1

Historical ResearchContent Analysis

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HistoricalResearchHISTORYA record of past events,

usually a written account of the DEVELOPMENT of HUMAN civilization…

PASTWRITTENDEVELOPMENTTelling a Story

And an explanation of HOW and WHY the events occurred.

HOWWHY

SEARCH FOR KNOWLEDGEAND THE TRUTH, A

SEARCHING TO FIND OUT

History is any integrated narrative or

description of past events or facts written

in a spirit of critical inquiry for the WHOLE

TRUTH.

Remember this; HISTORY COMES FROM THE

GREEK WORD HISTOIREWHICH MEANS INQUIRY

To understand more

about the meaning of

history.Let us view

history on how it was written or

analyze…

CAUSATIVE INTERPRETATI

ON OF HISTORYGENERAL PHILOSOPHIES

SPECIFIC SCHOOLS OF HISTORICAL

INTERPRETATION

GENERAL PHILOSOPHIESThe Greek and Roman historians viewed FATE as controlling human destiny.

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHYOF HISTORY

The dominant ideas of divine concern for mankind and of changes in history as slowly tending toward the progress and universality of true religion.

Voltaire’s RationalisticTheory

The events of history were attributable not to the design but to the chance or fortuity.

Hegel’s Doctrine

Every epoch in history was inspired and dominated by some specific idea.

SWERTE SWERTE LANG

As applied to history, means that in social institutions, as well as in the animal kingdom, the rule of the survival of the fittest applies and that acquired characteristics of society are passed on to succeeding generations.

Darwinian TheoryOf Evolution

MARXIAN PHILOSOPHY

The mode of production in economic life primarily determines the general character of the..

Way of life/Cultur

ePolitical

Social

“it is not the consciousness of men which determines their existence……But on the contrary, it is their social existence which determines their consciousness.”

THE RHYTHM PHILOSOPHYHistory swings back and forth like a pendulum between periods of growth and periods of destruction.

“History repeats itself…”“History does not repeats itself…

We repeat HISTORY” – Ambeth Ocampo

SPECIFIC SCHOOLS OF HISTORICAL

INTERPRETATION

SPECIFIC SCHOOLS OF HISTORICAL

INTERPRETATION

GREAT MAN THEORY

Great man theory or hero interpretation of history…. Is closely related to political on, inasmuch as most heroes in world history are conventionally chosen from great kings, emperors, generals, legislators, and so on and so forth…

The main weaknesses of the hero interpretation is that it overstresses the role of individuals

at the expense of larger cultural, religious, social and economic circumstances…

CIRCUMSTANCES

that formthe background without which there can be no meaningful exercise of leadership.

…it is no less true that events mold leaders.”

“Although it is undoubtedly true that leaders mold events…

SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL

THEORYViews human progress as directly correlated with the advances in natural science and technology. Emphasizing that the prevailing state of scientific knowledge and its technical interpretation will determine the existing modes of economic life and activities.

SCIENTIFIC KNOW HOW

Equals: economic life and activities

Economic SchoolContends that the prevailing type of economic institutions and processes in society will, in larger measure, determine the nature o f the resulting social institutions and culture.

Material needs=Molding of history

Geographical TheoryHolds that action of man cannot be fully understood or adequately described when divorced from their physical setting.Other driving forces of History

+Where you live

= HISTORY

Sociological InterpretationDraws from sociology (the science of the life and activities of men in groups) a knowledge of both the causes and results of group life as its basis for a generalized view of the sociological process and social causation.

SYNTHETIC THEORY

Considered the most inclusive and most important type of historical interpretation.

Holding that no single category of causes is sufficient to explain all phases and periods of historical development…

COLLECTIVE PSYCHOLOGY

In writing the history of any institution, region, or whatever may use any theories and specific schools of historical Interpretation …

But the most adequate is the synthetic approach because surely, many factors play important roles in making historical event.One factor may be dominant but other factors contribute their share in making an event occur. It is more accurate to say that the specific school of historical interpretation “are not mutually exclusive but in large measure supplementary”

HISTORICAL RESEARCHA process of selecting the area or topic to write the history about, collecting data about events that occurred in the area or about the topic, collating the data, sifting the authentic from non-authentic and then making an interpretation narrative about or critical inquiry into the whole truth of the events.

It describes what occurred in the past and then makes a critical inquiry into the truth of what occurred.

Truth

HISTORICAL RESEARCHWhy are we using English as a medium of instruction in our schools today?

It must also be interpretative, that is present situations in terms of past events.

FOR EXAMPLE

Connection of

Past and the

Present

Characteristics of Historical

Research

Historical research has five characteristics according to Helmstadter: (cited Treece and Treece, Jr., pp. 167-168)Observations in historical research

cannot be repeated in the same manner as in laboratory experiments and descriptive surveys.The researcher must find satisfaction in spending vast amount of time in the library and in pursuing minute details in relation to the topic understudy.

A historical project usually conducted by one person.

Characteristics of Historical

ResearchA hypothesis is not always necessary in historical research; inferences are made more often from the bits of information gathered to produce the general description of the event or situation

In writing style of the written report tends to be more flexible because the researcher wishes to present the facts and information in an interesting manner

In addition, data are often ideas, concepts, and opinions and hence, conclusions, generalizations, and inferences become subjective. No two investigators would reach the same conclusions in a given instance.

Deficiencies in Historical Research

1. A research area is selected which sufficient evidence is not available to conduct worthwhile study or test the hypothesis.2. Excessive use of secondary sources of information is frequently found in studies not dealing with the events3. Attempts to work on a broad and poorly defined problem.4. Historical data are poorly and inadequately evaluated.

5. Personal bias tends to influence the research procedures.

6. The facts are not synthesized or integrated into meaningful generalizations.

When to Use Historical ResearchHistorical research may be utilized when it

is desired to write a history of the following;Any geographical area or place, say a, historical site, barangay ,town, province, region, country, or the world for that matter.Any institution, say, a school, a

club or association, courtship and marriage or any other custom, the army, Christmas, government, communism, Christianity

Any historical event, say, the Battle of Bataan, the Leyte landing, Liberation of Manila, all of which occurred during the occupation of the Philippines by the Japanese during WW2, etc.,

FOUR MAJOR ACTIVITIES

Choosing and defining the problem

Collecting the dataCritically analyzing the dataSynthesizing research report

In choosing historical research problem, the researcher must consider his resources, availability of data, time constraint and his professional competence.The researcher must be able to finance his research project if no outside funding is available.

Collection of Historical Data

WRITTEN SOURCEOfficial and Public

DocumentsLegislative act such as constitutions, laws, statutes, resolution, charters and records, decisions, letters of instruction, decrees (presidential or royal) speeches and records of cabinet deliberations;

Records of proceedings and orders, circular, bulletins, decisions, reports and other communications of executive departments and lower administrative bodies such as boards, Committees, and commission;

Records of court trials, deliberations, and decision;

Registration of population (census), birth, deaths, cars and other vehicles, land, building and cattle;

Contracts, treaties, executive agreements and other foreign relations exchange;

School records such as registration, grades, and the graduation of the students, orders and reports of school’s officials, decisions of deliberative bodies such as school board or board trustees, school surveys, courses of study and other instructional materials, textbooks, lecture notes, catalogs, etc.,

Books and Master’s thesis and

Doctoral Dissertations

Newspapers and Periodicals with items, news notices,

articles and advertisements, chronicles and annals.

Personal Materials

Autobiographies, memoirs, reminiscences, biographies, diaries, genealogies, and notes.Legal instruments executed by individuals in personal capacity, contracts, wills and deeds.

Handwritten MaterialsPapyri

Bricks

VellumModern Documents

Bearing Cuneiform

writing

Orally Transmitted

MaterialsFolklore

Ballads

Legends

Myths

Epics Sagas

Tales

Traditions

Artistic Production

Historical PaintingsPortraits

Scenic or Portrait

Sculpture

Chiseled StonesCoin Types

Stamped Coins

Figures in

ancient coins

Woven TapestriesVases

Sculptures

TAPE RECORDINGS

Radio and televisionMovie and FilmsDocumentaries

Pictorials, slides, microfilm

Transparencies

Relics and RemainsPHYSICAL

NON PHYSICAL

Historic sites, roads, fortifications, furniture, pottery, utensils, walls, machinery etc.,

Non-PHYSICALLanguage, social institutions, products of the mind, business records, literature, manners, customs and ceremonies

Primary and Secondary

SourceAs much as possible, historical information must come from primary or first hand sources. This is not always possible, however, and the historical researcher may rely, and heavily at that, upon data gathered from secondary sources.

The only solid bases of historical work are the original documents or remains, the first witness to the act.

ORIGINAL

 (excerpts or translations acceptable): Diaries, speeches, manuscripts, letters, interviews, news film footage, autobiographies, official records 

Original

All physical objects, including their photographs…Why do you think this is an example of primary source of data

Cultural Institutions

can be classify as primary

sources of data

and even its practice..

Primary sources or not?

Then what about the SECONDARY

SOURCEAll writing by people who have never experienced nor observed personally the objects and have based their writings upon information gathered from those who have knowledge of the events.

How about facts gathered through interviews.

all the data supplied by the respondents who have actually experienced and observed the events…

The information

gathered was a

primary sources

Data supplied by respondents based on hearsay are secondary data. It follows that the theses and dissertations based on those data become secondary sources.

In other words… Kapag kinuwento

mo na sa iba o pinasa sa iba… hearsay na at

secondary source

Critical Analysis of

Data

External Criticism

Internal Criticism

Authenticity or Genuiness

Truth of the

Statement

Is used to determined the authenticity or genuiness of a historical document. Considered the following factors that may have influenced the production of the documents such as;

AUTHORSHIPPLACETIMEPURPOSE

WHAT PART OF THE

DOCUMENT IS TRUE TO THE

ORIGINAL

CIRCUMSTANCES OR COMPOSITION

The following questions illustrate the problems of external criticism, which are also useful in internal criticism: (Good, cited by Good and Scales, pp 189-1901. Who was the author, not merely what was his name but what were his personality, character, position, and so forth?2. What were his general qualifications as a reporter – alertness, character, bias?3. What were his special qualifications and disqualifications as a reporter of the matters here treated?

a. How was he interested in the events relatedb. How was he situated for observation of the events?c. Had he the necessary general and technical knowledge for learning and reporting the events?

4. How soon, after the events, was the document written? For one purpose, the century of composition may be sufficient; for another the very hour may be essential?

Code of Kalatiaw: A FakeWilliam H. Scott, an American missionary who made study of pre-Hispanic materials for his

doctoral dissertation.(1968)Jose E.

Marco

Who is this

guy anyway?

He is involved in the sale of other fake historical documents.

Dubious origin:

This historical document was presented to Robertson by Marco in 1914. The code itself was contained in an ancient story of the legends of Negros by a so called parish priest of Himamaylan in 1838-1839 named Fr. Jose Maria Pavon.

Dubious origin:

FR. JOSE MARIA PAVON

There is no Pavon in the Philippines in 1838, or a parish priest of that town in 1839, the dates of the manuscript

Dubious Content:The contents of the original manuscript are of dubious value

The author prays for the preservation of the King of Spain in 1838 and dedicates a book to him in 1839…

Spain had no king between 1833 and 1878

“A bad month, for it brought air laden with purified microbes of evil fevers…

Dubious Content:

MicrobesIt was only in the 1850’s that Louis Pasteur discovered the theory of infectious germs, and the word itself was 1st proposed in 1878…

5. How was the document written, from the memory , after consultation with others, after checking the facts, or by combining earlier trial drafts?

6. How is the document related to other documents?

a. Is it an original source; wholly or in part?b. If the latter, what part are original; what are borrowed; whence? How credible are the borrowed materials?c. How accurate is the borrowing done?

d. How is borrowed material changed; how is it used?

Use of Auxiliary SciencesEpigraphy

is the study of inscriptions and the art of deciphering them.is the science of charters and diplomas and includes a knowledge of the practices of chanceries and of the forms used in them.

Diplomatics

PaleographyIs the study of writing, which has a history all its own. The writing of a given scriptorium is usually quite characteristic. Besides, handwriting varies from age to age so that it alone is often quite component to locate a manuscript in time

Philology

In all its branches is of the greatest use in determining date and authenticity.

To give some elementary examples; the word choose was in the 18th century frequently spelled chuse, clothes was spelled cloathes, entire, intire and so on

Archaeology, Anthropology, and

Prehistory in general have the greatest influence upon the study of history; and the first of these might almost be called the science of remains.

Chemistry and the

paper-maker’s

art

May be able to say and have often said, that a given document, written on wood pulp, for example;With a particular ink, cannot be older than the definite data when these materials were first manufactured.

“Evidence speaks for itself…”

PURPOSE OF EXTERNAL CRITICISM

Forgery and Hoaxes

The purpose of external criticism, utilizing the above auxiliary sciences, is to detect the following… (Good and Scale)

Authorship, time, filiations of documentsIncorrect borrowings

Inventions and distortions

Forgery and HoaxesA. A forger removes the name of the originator of an important document by some means and places his name or some other’s name instead. The forger becomes the originator of the document or the person whose name to be places.

My Last FarewellFarewell, dear Father land, clime of the sun caressed

Pearl of the Orient seas, our Eden lost!

Gladly now I go to give thee this faded life’s best,

And were it brighter, fresher, or more blest.

Still would I give it thee, nor count the cost.

JOSE RIZAL

Lawrence Plabol

If the document attributed to a certain person, the forger deletes the name of the person who accomplished the feat and places his name or other’s name.

A splendour of chivalry over our God hath poured.

-Song of Roland

Charlemagne’s Wena Santilan’s

Forgery and HoaxesA forger copies an important document, either on paper, baked clay or stone, and places or some other’s name to show that he or his hero made the documents or accomplished the deed mentioned in the documents.

A person with certain motives writes a document which is attributes to the important person by signing the name of the latter in the document. Certain letters have been attributed to persons who have never made them.

A GOOD EXAMPLE IS RIZAL’S RETRACTION

The retraction document is a forgery. As pointed out by Pascual (1950), the handwriting is questionable, as if only one man prepared it. The point stressed by Pascual was corroborated by the confession made by the forger to Antonio Abad on August 13, 1901, employed by the friars earlier that same year to make several copies of the retraction document. (Rune & Buenafe, 1962)

AUTHORSHIP, TIME ANDFILIATION OF DOCUMENTSThis problem of determining

authorship and time of a document usually occurs with persons who employ ghost writers. For instances, speeches of head of states are usually written by their respective staffs and it is difficult to determine who the real authors of such speeches are.

INCORRECT BORROWINGSIncorrect borrowing occurs as

follows;When one copies an original work without acknowledging the

originator of the work and passes that as his own.

When there are errors in copying the text of the original material.

When the one borrowing misinterprets the ideas being

portrayed by the original material.

INVENTIONS AND

DISTORTIONS

Inventions and distortions are made in the

following ways.A historian invents speeches or

orations which are supposed to have been delivered by great men of history just to project his own

philosophy or ideas

Anecdotes are created to enhance the

prestige of an adored hero

Original works of great men are edited and corrected for poor

grammar but in so doing, distortions occur. The corrected copy may no longer contain the

original idea.

INTERNAL CRITICISMis the process of determining the true meaning and value of statements contained in a document.

INTERNAL CRITICISMis positive, if efforts are made to discover the true meaning of the contents of the document.is negative, if effort are exerted in finding reasons for disbelieving the contents of the documents.

INTERNAL CRITICISM1. What did the author mean by this particular statement? What is its real meaning as distinguished from its mere literal meaning?2. Was the statement made in good faith?a. Had the author interest in deceiving

the reader?b. Was the author under pressure to tell the untruth?c. Was he influenced by sympathy or antipathy to tell the untruthd. Did vanity influence him?

f. Was he influenced by public opinion?

g. Is there evidence of literary or dramatic motives to distort the truth?

INTERNAL CRITICISM3. Was the statement accurate? Or more particularly;

a. Was the author poor observer because of mental defect or abnormality?b. Was the author badly situated in time and place to observe?c. Was the author negligent or indifferent?

d. Was the fact of such a nature could not be directly observed?e. Was the author a mere witness or a trained observer?

4. When it appears that the author was not the original observer, it is necessary to determine the truth and accuracy of his sources of information

INTERNAL CRITICISMTest of

Truthfulness and Honesty (Hocett, cited by Sanchez)

1. What is the personal or vested interest of the author?2. To what race, nation, party, region, sect, social level, economic group or profession does the observer belong, which may introduced bias and prejudice.

3. To what extent is the statement a conventional form where set formulas rather than true sentiments are expressed.

4. Is there any evidence of vanity or boasting5. Does the author want to please some particular individual, group or even the general public.

6. Are exaggerations or embellishments in the form of literary artifices and rhetoric flourishes employed to produced the desired effects.

Synthesizing Historical Events

In writing history, there are certain problems or processed involved among which are the following;

Identification and Definition

of the Problem

Identification and Definition

of the Problem History writing involves identifying and defining the problem. Then, the problem must be delimited to a reasonable scope. It is wise for the researcher to select a problem from which his professional competence may enable him to tackle

There are historical problems that are very complex, even incapable of solution, and the researcher should be able to determine a kind of problem which he is capable of solving.

Formulation of HypothesisAfter identifying and defining the problem, the

historical research should formulate hypothesis or hypothesis to guide him in his research. Without any hypothesis, the researcher would be searching for facts aimlessly. The hypothesis should state exactly what historical data have to be found. It should be noted that in historical research, the hypothesis need not be expressly stated. The specific question raised at the beginning of the INQUIRY serve as the hypothesis.

For Example

If one makes a research on and writes a history about the Fil-American war, one hypothesis

may be the following

Why were the Filipino forces

defeated by the Americans?

<< This question or hypothesis

points out exactly what

data have to be found;The data showing why the Filipino

forces defeated by the American forces…

Inductive and Deductive Reasoning

INDUCTIVEREASONINGGeneral to

specific

For Example:

The Hypothesis:Why were the Filipinos forces defeated by the American Forces during the Fil-American War?

Generally, one historical event is not made to happen by only one cause, there must be several causes…

Why were the Filipinos forces defeated by the American Forces during the Fil-

American War?

Filipinos soldier’s inferior arms

Lack of adequate military training

Lack of efficient military organization

Lack of effective unified command

Enmity between President Aguinaldo and his generals.

If the answer to all these is YES, the inductive

generalization would be

During the Filipino American War, the Filipino soldiers had inferior arms, lacked

adequate training, lacked efficient military organization, lacked unified command ant here was enmity between Pres. Aguinaldo

and his generals and hence they were defeated by the American forces.

Going deeper still, it may be asserted that the Philippine Forces at that time was only barely one year old and not much could be expected from such an army in the face of a well organized, well

armed force like the American Army.

Deductive Reasoning

General to Specific

Generalization:The Filipino armed forces could not stem

the advance of the American Forces due to the former’s inferior arms, lack of adequate

military training, lack of an effective military organization, lack of effective

unified command, and there was enmity between President Aguinaldo and his

generals.

Besides, then Philippine army at that time was barely one year old and not much could be

expected from such an army in the face of a well organized, well armed force like the American

Army.(Specific)

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

TWO WAYS OF EVALUATING

HISTORICAL EVENTSTo evaluate a historical event or

practice in terms of contemporaneous events, conditions, practices, and

traditions existing at the time the event occurred and in the same environment.

French Revolution and

the reign of terror

Spanish Inquisition

Egyptian pictorial arts and Greeks

classical arts

Assassination of Antonio Luna and

the death sentence of

Andres Bonifacio

To judge the events in terms of present day events, conditions, practices, and

traditions and in terms of those existing in other places which are better known.

Remember that this evaluation should not make us despise the people on the past. The point is by understanding how much we have

progress socially, politically and educationally not to mention morally.

Central ThemeIn writing history of some events,

institutions, or regions, there must be a central theme around which the history is woven. For example; in writing the history of Filipino revolts against Spain, the central theme may be nationalism or love of freedom.

Importance of Historical

ResearchHistorical research is important due to the following;

A study of the past makes

people understand the present

better, especially the

factors affecting the

present

For instance, the Philippines is a Catholic nation because for more than three centuries she was occupied by Spain, a zealous propagator, and she will remain Catholic for a long, long time to

come.

“History has three fold purpose: giving us a knowledge of the past, a better understanding of the present and a means of

predicting the future.”(Laucuesta, et al, p. vii)

Historical information serves as a preliminary to reform. Mistakes of the

past may be avoided if we have a knowledge of them.

Sabi nga, Experience is the best teacher and

understanding experience is the most excellent way of

avoiding or at least reducing blunder.

People become more open to change if they are well informed about the past, especially about

tragic events.

People are motivated to respect the contributions of the people of the past to

the present state of things, especially those of heroes.

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