Week 2 - The search for sources - How to conduct historical research 

History is the study of people and the choices they made.

Zachary M. Schrag, Author of the Princeton Guide to Historical Research

Introduction and Objectives

This week, you will dig into some of the historians' techniques to find and report information from the historical record. Please listen to the brief audiocast below, then access the NCSU Guide to conducting historical research.  

The Topic This Week

A little audio segment for you...

My colleagues at North Carolina State University (my alma mater, Go WolfPack!) have crafted an excellent guide to conducting historical research. You can access it here. The guide is just that - a guide to things for which you need additional information or experience. Some of the guide's topics may be too rudimentary for your skill level. Skip those and focus on the topics and information you need additional training for.

This class will dive into the unique methods that help us understand how agricultural and extension education efforts have evolved over time. Here are some of the types of research you might do in this class:

• In the Archives: archival research is like digging into a treasure trove of historical documents related to farming and education. We're talking about agricultural journals, extension service records, and historical papers that unveil how agricultural education has grown and developed.

• Oral History: Imagine sitting with farmers, educators, and extension professionals, hearing their stories firsthand. Oral history lets us capture the lived experiences that might not be written down. It's like turning the pages of a personal diary filled with insights into agricultural practices and the impact of extension services.

• Spotting Trends - Comparative Research in Agricultural Education: Let's compare notes! We can spot trends, similarities, and differences by looking at how agricultural education has developed across different regions and periods. It's like connecting the dots to understand how different communities approached farming education.

• Biographical Research in Agricultural Education: Dive into the stories of educators, extension agents, and farmers who shaped the field. It's like discovering the unsung champions who impacted how we learn and teach about agriculture.

Summary 

So there you have it – a tour through historical research methods in Agricultural and Extension Education. These methods are like time machines, helping us explore the roots of agricultural education and understand how it has grown into the vibrant field it is today.  Historical research is not a linear process. It's organic - your readings will lead you to include or discard ideas and concepts from your research papers. You will find facts of which you were previously unaware. The key is to start with a question and keep an open mind. 

Everything has a history, by James Grossman, American Historical Association

60-Minute Assignment - Discussion Post Topic This Week

Oscar-winning actor Julia Roberts recently discovered that the person she thought was her great-great-grandfather was not John Roberts, but Henry McDonald Mitchell Jr. Julia Roberts is not a Roberts. If you watch the video on the blog, you'll see that she is "blown away" by the discovery. Can you give an example of something that you previously thought was true was, in fact, far from the truth? What you thought was an accurate fact from the past was something else? Please reply to the blog posting "Julia Roberts? Maybe Not."

And take some time to read the stories of your colleagues! (Note, comments are moderated and may take a few hours to appear online.)