HISTORICAL METHOD AND
ARCHIVAL MEASURE
Caroline Dubois, Julia Fricke, Jules Pitre, Lydia Thorne, Michelle Wood
AGENDA
Introduction & Definitions – Julia
Historical Method – Michelle
Archival Measure – Jules
Biases in Historical Method & Archival Measure – Caroline
Case Study – Lydia
Ethics in the Historical Method – Julia
Conclusion - Julia
INTRODUCTION
Historical Method
defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “a technique of presenting
information in which a topic is considered in terms of its earliest phases and
followed in an historical course through its subsequent evolution and
development”
Archival Measure
 defined by Palys as “any information that is contained in “hard copy” records or
documents (p. 226
Reminder: Qualitative vs Quantitative
Qualitative
Quantitative
Human
Observable variables
Interviews, documents
Data
Historical Method
✓
✗
Archival Measure
✓
✓
Focus
Materials
HISTORICAL METHOD
Identify a topic
Find primary and secondary sources
PRIMARY SOURCES
The original materials which are “produced by people or groups
directly involved in the event or [the] topic under consideration,
either as participants or as witnesses” (Rampolla 2010, p. 6).
What are they?
 Documents – diaries, census data, letters, newspaper and magazine articles,
autobiographies, birth and death registers, literature, etc.
 Unwritten sources – recordings, artifacts, art, films, eyewitness accounts, etc.
Where are they?
 Archives
 Library catalogues
 Edited and/or translated print collections
 Electronic databases
SECONDARY SOURCES
The “books and articles in scholarly journals that comment on and
interpret primary sources” (Rampolla 2010, p. 7).
These sources are very useful; however, they are NOT as valuable
as primary sources
Where are they?
Library catalogues
Online databases
Journals
The internet
Organize, Evaluate and interpret the sources
Present your ideas in writing
HISTORIOGRAPHY
Historiography refers to the study of historical writing and the methods
used by historians
It also refers to the actual writing of history
Historiographic essays are concerned with what historians have
written, how they have interpreted events, and what methods they
used
Focus on the secondary sources
ARCHIVAL PRESERVATION
Archives: “are that small portion of all the info, communications, ideas
and opinions people generate that are recorded and kept. Archives
are tangible products, whether they are physical or electronic, visual,
aural or written” (Millar 2010, p. 2)
Great effect of information technology on modern archival
procedures
Advantages of digital technologies:
Protecting the originals
Representation of the originals
Transcending the originals
General principles for preservation of all materials
Appraisal is both necessary and desirable
Keep the original
Keep multiple copies of objects
Do the minimum necessary to stabilize and preserve the object
Preservation actions should not exceed the abilities of the personnel who apply
them
Preservation actions should aim at the highest quality possible
Preservation actions should not harm the object
Preservation actions should be documented
Preservation actions should adhere to ethical considerations
ARCHIVAL RESEARCH – THE BASICS
“Sometimes, archival research involves following a Nancy Drew-like
trail of clues that culminates in the rare, intriguing, “holy grail” find at
the conclusion of the search – but not often” (Ramsey, et al., eds p.
29)
Tedious and time consuming
Start with a broad research question
Consider the various materials available
Are they truthful? Is background research needed?
General rules when going through archives:
Know what is forbidden
Wash hands before handling documents
Use provided equipment if necessary
Greatly depends on the archival institution
ARCHIVAL MEASURE
Qualitative and Quantitative analysis
Unobtrusive measures: Offers a compendium of techniques and measures that
are less influenced by the intrusion of the researcher. These techniques are nonreactive because the data are produced where there is no thought of the
evidence being analysed in the future and the research gets involved usually
long after the participants have “left the scene” (Webb et al.)
Two Categories: Physical Trace and Archival Measure
Physical Trace: essentially the physical remains after an interaction
Erosion: evidence that is missing from the scene
Accretion: evidence that has been added after a physical encounter
Provides research with information about individuals
Advantages -> inconspicuous and anonymous
Disadvantages -> questions privacy and lack of informed consent
Archival measure: “comprise any information that is contained in
‘hard copy’ records or documents” (Palys, p. 226)
Written or taped records, photographs, newspapers, books, private
materials, government records
Be wary of any shifts in collections maintenance or policy changes
Materials NOT made for researchers observation but for own personal
use!
JACOB SISKIND COLLECTION
Carleton University Archives
Jacob Siskind Music Resource Centre
Biases of Historical Method and Archival Measure
History: event vs records
Data as a social process
BIASES
Biases of Historical Method and Archival Measure
Qualitative and Quantitative
Biases of Historical Method and Archival Measure
Reactivity
Context of Construction
Creator
Biases of Historical Method and Archival Measure
Selective Deposit/Selective Survival
Archival Collection
Biases of Historical Method and Archival Measure
General Limiters
*Quantitative Analysis
CASE STUDY
Crime Statistics
CRIME STATISTICS
How is crime defined?
How would you define crime?
THERE IS NO CONCRETE DEFINITION
Crime is socially constructed
Laws generally reflect the beliefs of society; they are created and/or
defined by people of that society and so can change over time
For ex. in London, England: Robbery stats formerly only included those
cases where the robbery was certain or probable (Palys 2008, p. 231)
The same behaviour that may be considered criminal in one society may
not be in another; they are not universal
Crime statistics also change to reflect a society’s fear of a crime at any
given time
CRIME STATS: ARE THEY ACCURATE?
 Crime statistics:
Not all crimes that are committed
become statistics
This is referred to as the ‘dark figure’
of crime or unreported crime
For a Crime to become a statistic…..relies on 2 measures:
1) Needs to be Reported (by the victim or witness of the crime)
CLASS SCENARIO
What are some of the reasons why you did not report
the ‘crime’?
What did you actually see?
Reasons why people don’t report:
Not perceived as a crime/ Lack of awareness
Nothing could be done, lack of proof
Not important enough/perceive crime as too trivial
Don’t want to bother anyone
Too inconvenient or time-consuming
Fear of reprisal
Fear it may not be taken seriously
Reported to someone else
2) Needs to be recorded (by the police)
Even if police respond - was a report written?
When police arrive on the scene they determine if a crime has
actually been committed
Police use their discretion to investigate some crimes and not others
Re-classifying to increase/reduce the amount of crime that has taken
place has an affect on crime statistics
SOLUTIONS
Remember that your research will give you “a slice of the
truth” as data originates through a social process
Be aware of the biases that might permeate your method
and your data, so that conflicting evidence can be
resolved and a more holistic reconstruction can be
achieved
ETHICAL ISSUES
Legal ≠ Ethical
What is the main issue with archival materials?
Consent!
CONCLUSIONS
• Any Questions?
BIBLIOGRAPHY
• Berg, B.L. & Lune, H. (2012). Qualitative research methods for the social sciences. Boston, MA: Pearson
• Harvey, R., & Mahard, M. R. (2014). The Preservation Management Handbook: A 21st-Century Guide for
Archives, and Museums. Toronto: Rowman & Littlefield.
Librarians,
• Henry, S. (2009). Social construction of crime. In J. Miller (Ed.), 21st century criminology: A Reference handbook
296-305). Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications Inc.
(pp.
• McKee, H.A. & Porter, J.E. (2012). The Ethics of Archival Research. College Composition and Communication,
64(1), 59-81.
• Palys, T., & Atchison, C. (Eds.) (2008). Historical method and archival measure. Research decisions: Quantitative
qualitative procedures (4th ed.). (pp. 223-251). Scarborough, ON: Thomas Nelson.
and
• Pfuhl, E. H., & Henry, S. (Eds.). (1993). The deviance process: Social problems and social issues. New York: Walter
Gruyter Inc.
de
• Rampolla, M.L. (2010). A pocket guide to writing in history (6th ed.) Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
• Ramsey, A. E., Sharer, W. B., L'Eplattenier, B., & Mastranfelo, L. S. (Eds.). (2010). Working in the Archives:
Research Methods for Rhetoric and Composition. Illinois: Southern Illinois University Press.
Practical
• Ryan, G.W., & Russell, B.H. (2003). Techniques to identify themes in qualitative data. Field Methods, 15(1), 85–109.
• Smartt, U. (Ed.). (2006). Criminal justice. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.
• Wildemuth, B. (2009). Applications of Social Research Methods to Questions in Information and Library
London: Libraries Limited.
• Vann, R.T. Historiography. (2014). In Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved from
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/267436/historiography
Science.
THANK YOU!