Page 54 - DLIS407_INFORMATION AND LITERATURE SURVEY IN SOCIAL SCIENCES

Unit 7: Social Science Research Trends

7.2.1 Historical Approach Notes
Historical Approach is a study of past records and other information sources with a view to
reconstructing the origin and development of an institution or a movement or a system and discovering
the trends in the past. The historical method of research applies to all fields of Social Sciences because
it includes their origins, growth, etc., over a period of time. For example, if research is to be conducted
on the problems of canal irrigation in rural India, one major concern would be the history of origin of
the canal from where water is to be made available for irrigation in the area, the government policy
in the past on the distribution of canal water, etc. In the collection of historical information, both
quantitative and qualitative data can be used.
The objective of this approach is to draw explanations and generalizations from the past trends in
order to have some understanding about the present and draw some assumption for the future. It
enables us to grasp our relationship with the past and to plan more intelligently for the future. The
past contains the key to the present and the past and the present influences the future. Historical
study helps us in visualizing the society as a dynamic organism and its structures and functions as
evolving, steadily growing and undergoing change and transformation.

Notes Sources of Data for Historical Research
The key sources of data for historical research include the following:
(i) eyewitness accounts narrated by an actual observer or participant
in an event
(ii) oral testimony by elders
(iii) records and other documentary materials
(iv) relics
The data available from the above sources may be scattered and discontinuous
and fragmented.

7.2.2 Descriptive Research

Descriptive study is a fact-finding investigation with adequate interpretation. It is the simplest type of
research. It is more specific than an exploratory study, as it has focus on particular aspects or dimensions
of the problem studied. It is designed to gather descriptive information and provides information for
formulating more sophisticated studies. Data are collected by using one or more appropriate methods
like observation, interviewing and mail questionnaire.

Criteria
All problems do not lend themselves to descriptive study. This method is applicable to problems
that satisfy certain criteria. First, the problem must be describable and not arguable. For instance,
philosophical and controversial issues are not suitable for descriptive study. Second, the data should
be amenable to an accurate, objective, and, if possible, quantitative assemblage for reliability and
significance. Third, it should be possible to develop valid standards of comparison. Last, it should
lend itself to verifiable procedure of collection and analysis of data.
Objective

A descriptive study aims at identifying the various characteristics of a community or institution or
problem under study, but it does not deal with the testing of propositions or hypotheses. However,

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