Question 1

Why is equivalence of crucial importance in historical research? Which feature of quantitative research does the problem of equivalence most closely resemble? What specific types of equivalence should be of utmost concern to the historical researcher? How are potential problems with equivalence dealt with?

Accepted Answer

Equivalence is of crucial importance in historical research because it ensures that the data collected and analyzed is accurate and reliable. Without equivalence, researchers run the risk of drawing incorrect conclusions and misinterpreting historical events.

The problem of equivalence in historical research most closely resembles the feature of quantitative research known as validity. Just as validity in quantitative research refers to the accuracy and truthfulness of the data being measured, equivalence in historical research refers to the accuracy and reliability of the data being used to draw historical conclusions.

There are several types of equivalence that should be of utmost concern to the historical researcher. These include linguistic equivalence (ensuring that translations of historical documents accurately convey the original meaning), measurement equivalence (ensuring that the same concepts are being measured across different groups or time periods), and cultural equivalence (ensuring that the historical context is understood and accounted for in the research).

Potential problems with equivalence are dealt with through careful and thorough research methods. This may include using multiple sources of data to cross-validate findings, conducting pilot studies to test the reliability of measurements, and consulting with experts in the field to ensure that cultural and linguistic nuances are accurately represented. Additionally, historical researchers may use triangulation, or the use of multiple methods or sources of data, to ensure that their findings are robust and reliable. Overall, addressing potential problems with equivalence requires a rigorous and meticulous approach to data collection and analysis in historical research.

Question 2

Outline,in chronological order,each of the six steps in a historical research project.

Accepted Answer

1. Formulate a research question: The first step in a historical research project is to identify a specific question or topic that you want to investigate. This question should be clear and focused, and should guide the rest of your research.

2. Conduct background research: Once you have a research question, you will need to gather background information on the topic. This may involve reading secondary sources, consulting historical documents, or conducting interviews with experts in the field.

3. Develop a research plan: After conducting background research, you should develop a plan for how you will gather and analyze primary sources. This may involve visiting archives, conducting fieldwork, or collecting data from other sources.

4. Collect and analyze primary sources: The next step is to gather primary sources that are relevant to your research question. This may include documents, artifacts, or other materials that provide firsthand accounts of historical events.

5. Interpret the evidence: Once you have collected your primary sources, you will need to analyze and interpret the evidence in order to answer your research question. This may involve comparing different sources, identifying patterns or trends, and drawing conclusions based on the evidence.

6. Present your findings: The final step in a historical research project is to present your findings to others. This may involve writing a research paper, giving a presentation, or creating a multimedia project that communicates your research to a wider audience.

Question 3

Describe five features that are specific and unique to historical research.

Accepted Answer

1. Use of primary sources: Historical research relies heavily on primary sources such as documents, artifacts, and eyewitness accounts to gather information about past events. These sources provide firsthand evidence and are essential for constructing an accurate historical narrative.

2. Analysis of context: Historical research involves analyzing the social, political, economic, and cultural context in which events occurred. Understanding the broader context helps historians interpret the significance of historical events and their impact on society.

3. Interpretation of evidence: Historians must critically evaluate and interpret the evidence they gather, taking into account biases, perspectives, and conflicting accounts. This process requires careful analysis and consideration of multiple sources to arrive at well-supported conclusions.

4. Chronological perspective: Historical research emphasizes the importance of chronology and the sequencing of events over time. Historians use timelines and periodization to organize and understand historical developments within a broader temporal framework.

5. Historiography: Historical research involves an awareness of the ways in which historical interpretations and narratives have evolved over time. Historiography, or the study of historical writing, encourages historians to consider how different perspectives and interpretations have shaped our understanding of the past.

Question 4

Which of the following is a characteristic of a distinct historical research method?
A)It focuses on the macro-level only and excludes the micro-level.
B)It tests hypotheses about precisely operationalized variables.
C)It uses a deductive approach.
D)It sees causality as contingent and uses combinational explanation.
E)None of the above.

Accepted Answer

The characteristic described in option D - seeing causality as contingent and using combinational explanation - is distinct to historical research methodology. Options A, B, and C are not exclusive to historical research methods and can be applied to other types of research as well.

Question 5

Historical research helps a researcher identify aspects of social life that are
A)specific to a particular point in time.
B)general across time or units.
C)hidden within a particular context.
D)narrowly defined within a particular historical context.
E)empirically specific to one unit of analysis.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Historical research helps a researcher identify aspects...

Question 6

Professor Regina Aniger is in an archive,gathering evidence on a group of elite male politicians and governors in the 1770s for a book she is writing on how political conflict shaped the West.She discovers that all the existing evidence and documents about them ignore the roles of commoners.What does this missing information refer to?
A)Equivalence
B)Primary data
C)Synthesis
D)Missing cases
E)Silences

Accepted Answer

The missing information referred to as the "roles of commoners" is described as "silences" in the context of the existing evidence and documents about the elite male politicians and governors. Therefore, the best choice is E - silences.

Question 7

Which of the following statements is FALSE about historical research?
A)Historical researchers are flexible and adjust their initial concepts.They question or focus based on what they find in the evidence.
B)Historical researchers attempt to control bias that may arise from a point of view or perspective.They are totally neutral and objective.
C)Historical researchers often use &#8220;grounded theory.&#8221;
D)Historical researchers focus on sequence and process.They tend to see social reality as constructed over time.
E)Historical researchers &#8220;translate&#8221;another culture or time period into terms that a reader can understand.

Accepted Answer

Historical researchers attempt to minimize bias, but it is impossible for them to be totally neutral and objective. They bring their own perspectives and beliefs to their research, which can influence their interpretation of the evidence.

Question 8

What types of historical evidence do historical researchers draw upon? Who would have produced this evidence?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What types of historical evidence do historical...

Question 9

Describe five specific similarities between historical research and field studies.Be certain to emphasize how both approaches are firmly grounded in the interpretive approach in social science research.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe five specific similarities between historical research...

Question 10

In relation to primary sources,what two criteria does a historical researcher use in order to evaluate documents and other sources? Briefly describe this evaluation process and the kinds of issues that each mode of evaluation is concerned with.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In relation to primary sources,what two criteria...

Question 11

Describe the main feature that quantitative content analysis and qualitative content analysis have in common with each other.What are the key differences between quantitative content analysis and qualitative analysis?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe the main feature that quantitative content...

Question 12

Students often use the labels "qualitative content analysis" and "discourse analysis" interchangeably,but they pertain to distinct practices.What is discourse analysis and what makes it unique?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Students often use the labels "qualitative content...

Question 13

Which one of the following features is common to both historical research and field research?
A)Historical approaches and field research try to discover universal laws about human social behaviour.
B)Both perspectives share the view that people construct meaning within structures.
C)Both approaches attempt to link the macro to micro levels of analysis of social reality.
D)Both perspectives assume that social forces shape individual behaviour.
E)Historical approaches and field research both remove the researcher&#8217;s perspective from the research process.

Accepted Answer

Both historical research and field research share the view that people construct meaning within structures, focusing on understanding the context and subjective experiences of individuals.

Question 14

What are some problems that the historical researcher confronts when dealing with narrative history (accounts of the past written by historians)?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are some problems that the historical...

Question 15

Which the following,according to positivists,is a weakness of historical research?
A)It helps researchers examine aspects of social life that are general across units.
B)It raises new questions and stimulates theory.
C)It exposes weaknesses in research design.
D)It is often based on a small number of cases.
E)It helps researchers develop concepts that are not specific to one culture or historical period.

Accepted Answer

According to positivists, a weakness of historical research is that it is often based on a small number of cases, limiting the generalizability of findings.

Question 16

Which of the following research questions is directly applicable to historical research?
A)How do recent changes in big cities like London,Toronto,New York,and Tokyo reveal the rise of a new urban global system?
B)What was it like to live in a hamlet in a remote region of the Yukon during the Gold Rush days?
C)What is the causal relationship between gender and occupational earnings?
D)How do residents feel about recent episodes of vandalism in their neighbourhood?
E)How do members of the Amish community in the Kitchener-Waterloo region engage in helping behaviour?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following research questions is...

Question 17

What are three different approaches a researcher can use when undertaking content analysis? Describe each one.

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are three different approaches a researcher...

Question 18

Which approach to qualitative content analysis identified by Hsiu-Fang and Shannon (2005)most closely resembles quantitative content analysis?
A)Conventional
B)Statistical
C)Inductive
D)Summative
E)Directed

Accepted Answer

The summative approach to qualitative content analysis involves counting and comparisons of keywords or content, similar to quantitative content analysis.

Question 19

In culture A,teachers' primary role is to provide intellectual training for a fee.In culture B,teachers are community members who provide informal instruction to young persons,especially with regards to moral matters.However,when writing a book on teachers,Emit Elliot claims teachers in culture B perform the same function as teachers in culture A.What mistake is Emit making?
A)Mistake of contextual generalizability
B)Mistake of conceptual generalizability
C)Mistake of historical compatibility
D)Mistake of contextual equivalence
E)Mistake of conceptual equivalence

Accepted Answer

The answer of In culture A,teachers' primary role is to...

Question 20

What are the main emphases of historical research? What sorts of research questions does it address? What types of research is it most appropriate for?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are the main emphases of historical...

Quiz 14: Nonreactive Qualitative Research

Outline,in chronological order,each of the six steps in a historical research project.

Describe five features that are specific and unique to historical research.

Which of the following is a characteristic of a distinct historical research method?

Historical research helps a researcher identify aspects of social life that are

Which of the following statements is FALSE about historical research?

What types of historical evidence do historical researchers draw upon? Who would have produced this evidence?

Describe five specific similarities between historical research and field studies.Be certain to emphasize how both approaches are firmly grounded in the interpretive approach in social science research.

In relation to primary sources,what two criteria does a historical researcher use in order to evaluate documents and other sources? Briefly describe this evaluation process and the kinds of issues that each mode of evaluation is concerned with.

Describe the main feature that quantitative content analysis and qualitative content analysis have in common with each other.What are the key differences between quantitative content analysis and qualitative analysis?

Students often use the labels "qualitative content analysis" and "discourse analysis" interchangeably,but they pertain to distinct practices.What is discourse analysis and what makes it unique?

Which one of the following features is common to both historical research and field research?

What are some problems that the historical researcher confronts when dealing with narrative history (accounts of the past written by historians)?

Which the following,according to positivists,is a weakness of historical research?

Which of the following research questions is directly applicable to historical research?

What are three different approaches a researcher can use when undertaking content analysis? Describe each one.

Which approach to qualitative content analysis identified by Hsiu-Fang and Shannon (2005) most closely resembles quantitative content analysis?

What are the main emphases of historical research? What sorts of research questions does it address? What types of research is it most appropriate for?