Social Historical Research and Oral Traditions

Historical research is a method of exploring various elements of history by examining records and other accounts from the past. This form of research utilizes a method in which perception on historical research poses an effort to define social life in a historical setting. Historical research offers theoretical explanations to explain historical events. Unlike historical events that provide chronological timelines regarding events that have occur social historical research provides more of an expressive version of events. Social historical research places the missing puzzle pieces together to bring the past alive. Sources used to piece these events from the past are information that has been left behind in: drawings, diaries, letters, documents or other material that help resuscitate the stories of the past. The understanding of historical research, traditions and its conditions increase the appreciate for modern issues.

Life histories and social history are two different concepts. Life histories result in the researcher evaluating objectives of the authors and vital documents. Thus, has led to the construction of a life history. It is necessary to research the intended motive, for example let us say a diary is found. In this diary are comments that are noted. It is now the researcher’s responsibility to evaluate the diary entry and examine the authors reasoning behind the entry or entries made.

Historiographers classify sources of data into three categories. These sources of data include:

• Primary Sources: Oral or written testimony of eyewitnesses (Salkind, 2008).

• Secondary Sources: Oral or written testimony of individuals of people not present at the time of the occurrence (Rubin & Babbie, 2005).

• Tertiary Sources: Primary or secondary information that has been condensed and obtainable thru some sort of collection. i.e. bibliographies (Presnell, 2006).

Outlining written history thru histography we must begin by selecting a topic and organizing the research topic. As we proceed to move forward with the research the following steps will bring the topic to life.

1. Identify the topic

2. Conduct a background literature review

3. Refine the research idea and questions

4. Determine the historical methods

5. Identify and locate data sources

6. Evaluate the authenticity of the sources

7. Analyze the data and findings

Oral histories take a much different approach. Oral stories were in fact the very first kind of history. Groups of the past participated in what is known as oral tradition. Oral traditions are information that were passed down from one generation to another. They offer access of unreported interest, data and tribulations of life.