Historians have become increasingly sensitive to social and cultural theory since the 1980s, yet the actual methods by which research is carried out in History have been largely taken for granted. Research Methods for History encourages those researching the past to think creatively about the wide range of methods currently in use, to understand how these methods are used and what historical insights they can provide. This updated new edition has been expanded to cover not only sources and methods that are well-established in History, such as archival research, but also those that have developed recently, such as the impact of digital history research. The themes of the different chapters have been selected to reflect new trends in the subject, including landscape studies, material culture and ethics. Every chapter presents new insights and perspectives and will open researchers minds to the expanding possibilities of historical research.

The first guide to the sources, techniques and concepts needed for effective historical research. While historians have become increasingly sensitive to social and cultural theory since the 1980s, the actual methods by which research is carried out in History have been largely taken for granted. Research Methods for History encourages those researching the past to think creatively about the wide range of methods currently in use, to understand how these methods are used and what historical insights they can provide.The book covers sources and methods that are well-established in History, such as archival research, together with those that are less widely known. The themes of the different chapters have been selected to reflect recent trends in the subject. Even with more established methods, however, the aim is to present new insights and perspectives and to open researchers' minds to new methodological possibilities.

In today's world of modern research methods, the irony is that even though more materials are readily available now than ever before, this proliferation of sources has actually made the process more difficult for the novice researcher. In addition, today's professors expect high-quality sources to be used in students' undergraduate research precisely because so much information is available; however, without instruction, many students are not even aware of the standard history sources that they should be using routinely for history research projects. Finding History is a practical and modern guide to research for history projects, helping to sort through the available resources and technology for students, scholars, and librarians. Finding History includes practical, step-by-step instructions for discovering historical evidence using library catalogs, databases, and websites. It simplifies and clarifies the research process so that students new to the experience may locate appropriate research material with the same skill as seasoned historians. This book addresses the information literacy skills defined by the American Library Association and the American Historical Association, which include -recognizing the need for scholarly historical information; -defining and identifying the need for primary, secondary, and tertiary sources; -knowing what finding tools are available to help locate historical sources; -using history research tools efficiently and effectively; -learning research vocabulary as well as the vocabulary of the historical profession; -making evaluative judgments about the scholarly value of materials once they are located; -physically acquiring research materials; -using research material effectively to support a thesis or argument; and -using research material ethically and responsibly. Including search samples and tables, Finding History is a valuable resource for anyone wanting to ensure their research draws from the best available sources and those needing instruction in locating, obtaining, evaluating, and using scholarly sources efficiently, directly, and ethically.

This bright, engaging title provides a thorough and integrated review of comparative-historical methods. It sets out an intellectual history of comparative-historical analysis and presents the main methodological techniques employed by researchers, including: - comparative-historical analysis, - case-based methods, - comparative methods - data, case selection and theory. Matthew Lange has written a fresh, easy to follow introduction which showcases classic analyses, offers clear methodological examples and describes major methodological debates. It is a comprehensive, grounded book which understands the learning and research needs of students and researchers.

Appropriate for undergraduate history students researching and writing dissertations, and postgraduate research students. This is the first practical guide to cover the various stages of a history research project, from the selection of the topic and the organization and interpretation of source material, through to the completion of the written-up record.

Winner of the 2008 AJN Book of the Year Award! Named an Outstanding Academic Title for 2008 byChoice! "This well written and well edited book fills a unique gap....[one of the] precious few [books] that focus on science or medicine and [one of] even fewer that cover the history of nursing."(Three Stars)--Doody's Book Review Service While there have been many research texts in the nursing literature, and nursing history is both taught in courses and of popular interest to practicing nurses, there has never been a hands-on text that describes the process of doing historical research in nursing. This book, contributed by well-known and respected nurse historians, provides the necessary direction, guidance, and examples needed to conduct historical research. It covers such topics as historiography, biographical research, using artifacts in historical research, doing archival and other data searches, doing international historical research, and locating funding sources for historical research. Case studies will be used throughout to illustrate various methods and describe how, why, when, and where historical research is used in nursing. Features of this edition: Provides direction and tools for conducting historical research Describes types of research, including biographical and oral histories Covers frameworks used to study historical events, such as social, political, feminist, intellectual, and cultural Addresses contemporary issues such as preserving and storing digitalized and tape-recorded data and obtaining institutional review board (IRB) approval for research, and addressing ethical and legal issues in historical research Includes case studies that provide a "how-to" guide to conducting research

In their acclaimed, much-used Church History, James Bradley and Richard Muller lay out guidelines, methods, and basic reference tools for research and writing in the fields of church history and historical theology. Over the years, this book has helped countless students define their topics, locate relevant source materials, and write quality papers. This revised, expanded, and updated second edition includes discussion of Internet-based research, digitized texts, and the electronic forms of research tools. The greatly enlarged bibliography of study aids now includes many significant new resources that have become available since the first edition's publication in 1995. Accessible and clear, this introduction will continue to benefit both students and experienced scholars in the field.