Historical Method: 5 step process historians use to write history

1. Preliminary Research2. Formulating a working hypothesis3. Research evidence to support/reject

hypothesis4. Formulate a thesis statement5. Writing a historical account

Historical Method: 5 step process historians use to write history

1. Preliminary Research- The first step of the Historical Method is to decide which issue to study and conduct research for evidence to provide information about what happened.

Questions to ask during this step:

1. Where would I go to research this?

2. 5 W’s (who, what where, why, when)

Historical Method: 5 step process historians use to write history

2. Formulating a working hypothesis-Based on the preliminary research a tentative hypothesis is created on what one may believe happened.

Ex. This is a map of Washington’s encampment at Valley Forge

Historical Method: 5 step process historians use to write history

3. Research for evidence to support or reject the working hypothesis.

-Continue to study primary documents. While examining these sources the historian must ask questions about the event and the evidence

Is it primary/secondaryChronological order to examine cause/effect

Is it authentic?Is it reliable?Is it objective/subjectiveDoes it Corroborate?Does it support/refute?

Found in Reading 4

Historical Method: 5 step process historians use to write history

• ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS • Diaries• speeches• manuscripts• letters• Interviews• Poetry, music, art• Clothing, pottery

-

Primary

Secondary

• Textbooks• magazine

articles• Histories• Commentaries• encyclopedias• Internet 

Historical Method: 5 step process historians use to write history

4. Formulate a thesis statement-Once the evidence has been carefully examined then the hypothesis can now become a thesis statement.

This map was created by a French Engineer, docketed by Louis DuPortail, and used early on at Valley Forge as a working fortification map.

Historical Method: 5 step process historians use to write history

5. Writing a historical accountThe essay usually begins with the thesis statement and followed by the evidence.