Topics:

Introduction: History as
History History as reconstruction
Reconstruction
CORE101:
FARM Historical method
• The historian is many times
Learning removed from the events under
Historical /sources investigation.
By Emily Comedis
• Historians rely on surviving records
DLSAU Historical criticism
Adopting lecture of : Dr. Ma. Florina Orillos-
Juan

History as History as
reconstruction reconstruction

• “Only a part of what is

What is historical method
“Only a part of what was observed in the past credible has been
was remembered by those who observed it; grasped, and only a part • Historians have to verify sources, to date them, locate
only a part of what was remembered was of what has been grasped
recorded; only a part of what was recorded can be expounded or
their place of origin and identify their intended
has survived; only a part of what has survived narrated by the historian.” functions
has come to the historian’s attention.”
• Louis Gottschalk, Understanding History

Historical sources Written sources

What is
historical
1. Published materials
• Sources – an object from the past or
testimony concerning the past on which 2. Books, magazines, journals,

method historians depend in order to create their

own depiction of that past.
3. Travelogue
4. transcription of speech
Howell and Prevenier,
From Reliable Sources an Introduction to Historical Method 5. Manuscript [any handwritten
or typed record that has not
The process of critically been printed]
examining and analyzing the • Tangible remains of the past
6.Archival materials
records and survivals of the
7.Memoirs, diary
past Anthony Brundage, Going to Sources
Non written
sources What are Primary What are Primary
• Oral history
Sources Sources
• Artifact
• Ruins • Testimony of an eyewitness • A primary source is a document or physical object
which was written or created during the time
• Fossils
• A primary source must have under study.
• Art works • These sources were present during an experience
been produced by a or time period and offer an inside view of a
• Videorecordings
contemporary of the event it particular event.
• Audiorecordings
narrates
http://www.princeton.edu/~refdesk/primary2.h

Four Main Categories of

What are Secondary
Primary Sources Sources?
What are Primary Sources?
1. Written sources • A secondary source interprets and analyzes
• Primary sources are characterized by their content, primary sources. These sources are one or
2. Images more steps removed from the event.
regardless of whether they are available in original
• Secondary sources may have pictures, quotes
format, in microfilm/microfiche, in digital format, or in 3. Artifacts or graphics of primary sources in them.
published format. 4. Oral testimony
http://www.yale.edu/collections_collaborative/primarysources/primarysources.html http://www.princeton.edu/~refdesk/primary2.html 16 What are Secondary

Examples
Topic: Tejeros What is Historical
Convention Criticism?
• Primary Source:
Santiago Alvarez’ • In order for a source to
account be used as evidence in
Printed materials Practical Example

(serials, periodicals • Secondary Source: history, basic matters

History textbook Teodoro about its form and
which interprets Agoncillo’s Revolt
content must be settled
previous research) of the Masses
• 1. External Criticism
• 2. Internal Criticism
 1. Determine the date of the
3. Anachronistic style e.g.
To spot fabricated, document to see whether they
are anachronistic e.g. pencils did idiom, ortography,
punctuation
not exist before the 16th Century
forged, faked
External documents Tests of 2. Determine the author e.g. Tests of 4. Anachronistic reference
criticism: the Authenticity handwriting, signature, seal to events e.g. too early,
Authenticity
problem of too late, too remote

authenticity
To distinguish a hoax 5. Provenance or custody
or misrepresentation
Louis Gottschalk, Understanding
History 21 e.g. determines its
genuineness

Semantics – Relevant particulars in the 1. Identification of the

determining the document – is it credible? author
meaning of a text What is
or word • e.g. to determine his reliability;
internal Tests of mental processes, personal
Semantics criticism: Credibility attitudes
the problem Verisimilar – as close as what
Hermeneutics – of credibility really happened from a 2. Determination of the
determining critical examination of best approximate date
ambiguities
available sources • e.g. handwriting, signature, seal

3. Ability to tell the truth Sensitivity to

Multiple
• e.g. nearness to the event, 5. Corroboration Three Major Causation

competence of witness, degree of Components

Tests of attention Tests of
Credibility
to Effective
4. Willingness to tell the truth
Credibility Historical
i.e. historical facts – particulars Thinking
• e.g. to determine if the author which rest upon the
consciously or unconsciously tells independent testimony of two
falsehoods
or more reliable witnesses