Question 1

Identify the unique features of H-C research and compare H-C to field research.

Accepted Answer

H-C research, or human-computer research, is a type of research that focuses on the interaction between humans and computers. This type of research often involves studying how people use technology, how they interact with user interfaces, and how they engage with digital information. Some unique features of H-C research include its focus on the human-computer interaction, the use of technology as a research tool, and the emphasis on understanding user behavior and experiences.

In comparison, field research typically involves conducting research in a natural setting, such as a workplace, community, or environment. Field research often involves observing and interacting with people in their natural environment, collecting data through interviews or surveys, and analyzing the findings to understand a specific phenomenon or behavior.

One key difference between H-C research and field research is the focus on technology in H-C research. While field research may involve the use of technology for data collection and analysis, H-C research specifically focuses on the interaction between humans and technology. Additionally, H-C research often involves the use of experimental methods to study user behavior and experiences with technology, whereas field research may rely more on observational or qualitative methods.

Overall, H-C research and field research both aim to understand human behavior and experiences, but they differ in their focus on technology and the methods used to study human-computer interaction.

Question 2

What are the limitations of using secondary historical sources?

Accepted Answer

Secondary historical sources, which include books, articles, documentaries, and other materials that interpret, analyze, or summarize information from primary sources, are invaluable for understanding the past. However, they come with several limitations:

1. **Interpretation Bias**: Secondary sources are often a step removed from the event or period in question and are subject to the author's interpretation. Authors may have their own biases or perspectives that color their analysis, which can affect the accuracy or objectivity of the information presented.

2. **Contextual Limitations**: Secondary sources may not fully capture the context of the time period they discuss. The author might not include all relevant details or might interpret events without considering all the historical nuances, leading to a potentially skewed understanding.

3. **Dependence on Primary Sources**: The quality of secondary sources is heavily dependent on the primary sources available. If primary sources are incomplete, lost, or unrepresentative, secondary sources may perpetuate these gaps or inaccuracies.

4. **Analytical Errors**: Historians and authors can make mistakes in their analysis or fail to consider all relevant factors, leading to errors or oversimplifications in secondary sources.

5. **Time-Bound Perspective**: Secondary sources are influenced by the time in which they are written. The prevailing attitudes, beliefs, and scholarly methods of the author's own time can affect how they interpret past events.

6. **Selective Use of Evidence**: Authors may selectively use evidence to support their thesis, ignoring evidence that might contradict their arguments. This cherry-picking can distort the historical record.

7. **Accessibility of Sources**: Some secondary sources may rely heavily on other secondary sources rather than primary documents, which can perpetuate misinformation or lead to a 'telephone game' effect where the original context or meaning is lost.

8. **Theoretical Frameworks**: The use of specific theoretical frameworks to analyze historical events can limit the scope of the investigation. For example, a Marxist historian might focus on class struggle, while a feminist historian might emphasize gender relations, each potentially overlooking other important aspects of the historical narrative.

9. **Language and Translation Issues**: When secondary sources are based on primary sources in different languages, the nuances of language and the quality of translations can affect the accuracy of the information presented.

10. **Publication Bias**: The process of publication itself can introduce bias, as certain narratives or interpretations may be favored by publishers, while others are marginalized or ignored.

11. **Overgeneralization**: Secondary sources sometimes generalize findings from limited data, which can lead to broad statements about historical events or periods that may not be entirely accurate.

12. **Outdated Scholarship**: As new evidence comes to light and scholarly methods evolve, older secondary sources may become outdated. Relying on such sources without considering recent scholarship can lead to a misunderstanding of historical events.

To mitigate these limitations, historians and researchers should critically evaluate secondary sources, corroborate information across multiple texts, and remain aware of the inherent biases and constraints of historical interpretation.

Question 3

Identify three advantages and three problems to using a comparative method.

Accepted Answer

Three advantages of using a comparative method include:

1. Increased understanding: By comparing different cases or examples, researchers can gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter. This can lead to new insights and perspectives that may not have been apparent through a single case study.

2. Generalizability: Comparative methods allow researchers to make broader generalizations about a topic by examining multiple cases. This can help to identify patterns or trends that may be applicable to a larger population or context.

3. Rigorous analysis: The comparative method often involves a systematic and rigorous approach to data collection and analysis. This can help to ensure that the findings are robust and reliable.

Three problems with using a comparative method include:

1. Selection bias: Choosing which cases to compare can be subjective and may introduce bias into the analysis. It can be difficult to ensure that the cases being compared are truly representative of the larger population.

2. Complexity: Comparative methods can be complex and time-consuming, especially when dealing with multiple cases or variables. This can make it challenging to manage and analyze the data effectively.

3. Interpretation and causality: Drawing conclusions from comparative analysis can be difficult, as it may be unclear whether observed differences are due to the variables being compared or to other factors. Establishing causality can be particularly challenging in comparative research.

Question 4

Describe how back translation works and explain its purpose.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe how back translation works and explain...

Question 5

Identify at least three major difficulties you should expect if you do archival research.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identify at least three major difficulties you...

Question 6

You pick up a book called the Australia in the Penal Colony Years. When reading it, you notice that the author really only discusses the lives and ideas of five individuals based upon their diaries. The book is very micro-level. It only tells about the particular people with no generalization or integrating themes. This book illustrates which problem with secondary sources?

Accepted Answer

The book's focus on the lives and ideas of five individuals based on their diaries, without generalization or integrating themes, illustrates an individualistic bias. This means the author tends to focus on the actions of specific individuals revealed in primary sources, rather than on broader historical trends or contexts.

Question 7

A great deal of primary historical data is located in archives. Which of the following is TRUE about doing archival research?

Accepted Answer

Archival research can be challenging due to the potential for missing, incomplete, or destroyed documents. However, it can also be rewarding as new materials may provide fresh insights or reveal new connections.

Question 8

Todd conducted a study of American Indian tribes in the state of Colorado between 1880 and 1920. He interviewed elderly Indians about what they remembered of their childhood and the stories told to them by their parents and grandparents. His data is a(n)

Accepted Answer

Oral history is a method of gathering and preserving historical information through recorded interviews with people who have personal knowledge of past events, which aligns with Todd's approach of interviewing elderly Indians about their memories and the stories passed down to them.

Question 9

Professor Henshaw went to the state historical library and state revenue department. He looked up the records of taxes paid each year by the twenty largest companies in the state between 1950 and the present. This type of data is best classified as

Accepted Answer

The answer of Professor Henshaw went to the state historical...

Question 10

Talk about:
-back translation

Accepted Answer

The answer of Talk about:
-back translation...

Question 11

Talk about:
-conceptual equivalence

Accepted Answer

The answer of Talk about:
-conceptual equivalence...

Question 12

Talk about:
-contextual equivalence

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The answer of Talk about:
-contextual equivalence...

Question 13

Talk about:
-external criticism

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The answer of Talk about:
-external criticism...

Question 14

Talk about:
-Galton's problem

Accepted Answer

The answer of Talk about:
-Galton's problem...

Question 15

Talk about:
-Human Relations Area Files (HRAF)

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The answer of Talk about:
-Human Relations Area Files (HRAF)...

Question 16

Talk about:
-internal criticism

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The answer of Talk about:
-internal criticism...

Question 17

Talk about:
-lexicon equivalence

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The answer of Talk about:
-lexicon equivalence...

Question 18

Talk about:
-measurement equivalence

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The answer of Talk about:
-measurement equivalence...

Question 19

Talk about:
-oral history

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The answer of Talk about:
-oral history...

Question 20

Talk about:
-primary sources

Accepted Answer

The answer of Talk about:
-primary sources...

Quiz 12: Historical-Comparative Research

Identify the unique features of H-C research and compare H-C to field research.

What are the limitations of using secondary historical sources?

Identify three advantages and three problems to using a comparative method.

Describe how back translation works and explain its purpose.

Identify at least three major difficulties you should expect if you do archival research.

A great deal of primary historical data is located in archives. Which of the following is TRUE about doing archival research?

Todd conducted a study of American Indian tribes in the state of Colorado between 1880 and 1920. He interviewed elderly Indians about what they remembered of their childhood and the stories told to them by their parents and grandparents. His data is a(n)

Professor Henshaw went to the state historical library and state revenue department. He looked up the records of taxes paid each year by the twenty largest companies in the state between 1950 and the present. This type of data is best classified as

Talk about: -back translation

Talk about: -conceptual equivalence

Talk about: -contextual equivalence

Talk about: -external criticism

Talk about: -Galton's problem

Talk about: -Human Relations Area Files (HRAF)

Talk about: -internal criticism

Talk about: -lexicon equivalence

Talk about: -measurement equivalence

Talk about: -oral history

Talk about: -primary sources