Qualitative Research: An Introduction to Methods and Designs

Summary

Historians engage in detective work. They seek to understand the what's, when's, where's, who's, how's, and why's of the past. They attempt to be scientific by being objective and seeing the past on its own terms. They also follow rigorous procedures and standards for determining sources to be used and how to analyze them. They find data in all kinds of places, from documents in government offices to letters in archives, pictures in art galleries, and toys in museums. And they need pluck—especially their own tenacity in considering how to interpret and analyze the sources so that they can understand the past. But unlike with crime investigations, the case is never closed. Materials and documents surface to provide a new interpretation ...