The historical turn in social science has prompted scholars to engage with the work of historians on a large scale. Here, social scientists face two standard problems of selection bias: confirmation bias and convenience sampling. So far, the record of dealing with these problems has been poor, and little has been done to specify how social…

In this article, the author talks about the proper place of theory in educational history and shares his comments on the essays by Eileen Tamura, Carolyn Eick, and Roland Coloma. Eileen Tamura's positing of most educational historians as practitioners of narrative history is surely on the mark. She invites historians of education to investigate…

Compares the skills and styles necessary to read articles in the "American Historical Review" 100 years ago and today. Analyzes five types of reading and notes that historians may combine two or more of these types. Discusses a type of reading called dialogic reading and argues that it offers insight into historiography. (CFR)

Asserts that, although documentary film is nearly 100 years old, historical film did not have a place in the "American Historical Review" until recent years. Presents an interview with documentary filmmaker Ken Burns on the history and significance of documentary film. (CFR)

Reviews two recent books: Charles Tilly's 1985 work, "Big Structures, Large Processes, Huge Comparisons," and the 1984 volume edited by Theda Skocpol, "Vision and Method in Historical Sociology." Concludes that historians who still harbor negative images of historical sociologists would benefit by gaining a more accurate…

Reports on a study of the opinions regarding the state of the art of historical research, writing, and instruction among 1,047 readers of the "Journal of American History," the journal of the Organization of American Historians. (CFR)

Compares the adequacy of three historical interpretations of the late Medieval period (crisis, cultural decay, and transformation), in describing the phenomena of continuity and change. The author concludes that the first two interpretations are too limited to encompass the cultural diversity which later metamorphosed into the Renaissance. (AM)

Maintains that, except from treatments of slavery as a legal condition, there was little coverage of African Americans in the first half-century of the "American Historical Review." Asserts, however, that coverage of black issues was even less in other scholarly journals. Reviews recent historiography related to African Americans. (CFR)

Discusses recent trends of historiography, particularly efforts to include women and minority groups in U.S. history. Concludes that history that excludes portions of U.S. culture and ignores the experiences of segments of the U.S. population fails to fully explain the American experience to U.S. citizens and others. (CFR)

This paper provides an overview of qualitative studies' antecedents among historiographers and of the positivist tide which nearly engulfed them. Humans live by interpretations. The task of social science--the basic task of qualitative studies--is to study these interpretations so that we can better understand the meanings which people use to…

Compares the historical approach to research methodologies in other social sciences. The author concludes that history, as a discipline, is more of a humanity because it does not claim to understand why changes occur over time, but devotes itself to describing the past events which shape present and future. (AM)

Maintains that, although historiography and historical interpretation of the American Revolution have led to new questions and new answers, historians have become more sensitive to the complexity of that event and era. Presents an extended annotated bibliography of research and writing about the American Revolution. (CFR)

This paper examines Henry Adams' writings on history by considering four topics which comprise the basis of his thinking: politics, religion, sex, and science. Adam's main goal was to make history a means of exploring the most significant dimensions of human being. (Author/RM)

Considers the impact of empirical social science methodology and data analysis techniques on the process of historical analysis and its product, generalizations about the past. Uses political preference and voting information as a vehicle to illustrate the differences in historical conclusions reached by Lee Benson and J. Morgan Kousser. (JDH)

Contends that the results of a survey of historians indicate a profession divided within itself. Maintains that cultural diversity was considered one of the "best" and "worst" attributes of contemporary U.S. society. Discusses the concept of progress and its current historical interpretations. (CFR)