Sociology 2206A/B Chapter Notes - Chapter 14: Falsifiability, Microform, Content Analysis
23 Apr 2016
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Historical and archival social research is a collection of techniques and approaches. This type of research treats what is studied as part of the flow of history, situated in a cultural context. Historical research is a powerful method for addressing big questions: e. g. about social change, social arrangements, social institutions evolving, etc. Historical research is suited for examining the combinations of social factors that produce a specific outcome (e. g. war: appropriate for comparing entire social systems to see what is common across societies and what is unique. Historical research can strengthen conceptualization and theory building: by looking at historical events, a researcher can generate new concepts and broaden their perspective. One needs knowledge of the past or other cultures to fully understand historical studies. The logic of historical research and quantitative research. Historical research: positivist researchers may reject the idea that there is a distinct historical method. They see no difference between quantitative social research and historical research.
