Methods and Techniques in Historical Research

Code:

HISTO058

Acronym:

MTIHIS

Instance: 2011/2012 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of History, Political and International Studies
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in History

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
GEOGR	20	Study Plan - Geo. Minor in History (2008-2011)	3	-	6	52	162
HISTO	134	Study Plan - Hist. w/ Minor in Geography	1	-	6	52	162
		Study Plan - History	1	-	6	52	162
			2
			3

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

Familiarize students with the basic procedures of historical research
- Make the students aware of the application of methods and techniques essential to the construction of scientific knowledge in History.
- Allow a practical and oriented contact with the procedures needed to search, review and systematise information.

Program

1. Methods and techniques of documentary and bibliographic research: Archives, Libraries, Documentation Centres

1.1 Organization of libraries and archives

1.2 Documentary research tools

1.3 Documentary and bibliographic research methods
1.4 Citations, documentary and bibliographic reference

2. Information processing and analysis: methods and techniques

2.1 Methods for treating historical sources
2.2 Methods for carrying out bibliographic reviews

3. Carrying out scientific work

Mandatory literature

MARQUES, A. H. de Oliveira ; Guia do estudante de História Medieval Portuguesa , ed. Estampa, 1979
BURGUIÈRE, André; Dictionnaire des Sciences Historiques , PUF, 1986 (trad.port.1993). ISBN: 85-312-0295-7 (trad. port.85-312-0295-7)
FRADA, João José Cúcio; Guia prático para a elaboração e apresentação de trabalhos científicos , Edições Cosmos, 1993. ISBN: 972-8081-01-4
ECO, Umberto; Como se faz uma tese em ciências humanas , Editorial Presença, 1995. ISBN: 972-23-1351-7
AZEVEDO, Carlos A. Moreira, AZEVEDO, Ana Gonçalves ; Metodologia Científica. Contributos práticos para a elaboração de trabalhos académicos, Ed. Autor, 1996. ISBN: 972-9114-10-2

Teaching methods and learning activities

A practical, hands-on approach will be used for teaching methodological procedures. Tutorials sessions will be completed with exercises about the different aspects addressed in class in order to a) enhance students’ ability to organize information in a consistent manner, b) develop students’ summarising skills as well as their critical analysis skills in relation to documentary sources, c) enable students to use tools for researching information, d) raise students’ awareness about the appropriate use of resources and technology to produce information.

keywords

Humanities > Information science > Documenttion
Humanities > History

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Description	Type	Time (hours)	Weight (%)	End date
Attendance (estimated)	Participação presencial	42,00
tutorials	Participação presencial	7,00		2011-12-16
Instruments for research in bibliography	Teste	4,00		2011-09-06
Instruments for research in archives	Teste	6,00		2011-10-31
Bibliographical and archive references	Teste	2,00		2011-11-11
Research simulation: the definition of research questions	Teste	12,00		2011-11-30
Research simulation: how to identify sources	Exame	12,00		2011-12-09
Information assesment	Teste	2,00		2011-12-16
Guided tour to an archive	Participação presencial	4,00		2011-12-16
students independent workload: readings and internet search	Trabalho escrito	71,00		2011-12-16
	Total:	-	0,00

Eligibility for exams

Attendance records (in both classes and tutorials) will be kept. Students who are exempted from attending classes due to their special status must contact the lecturer early in the semester.

Calculation formula of final grade

Using bibliographic retrieval instruments: 10%
Exercising the implementation of norms applicable to referencing bibliography and documents: 10%
Using document retrieval instruments: 10%
Evaluating information: method: 20%
Simulating a research process: identifying the entities that produce information (various themes and chronologies): 25%
Simulating a research process: retrieving and analysing the potential of information: 25%

Examinations or Special Assignments

Not applicable

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

For the cases established in the Assessment Regulations, for e.g., students exempted from attending classes, arrangements can be made at the start of the academic year to discuss how assessment will be done, which will consist of the same types of tests.

Classification improvement

Two of the tests planned: evaluate information and simulate a research process, each counting for 50%.