AUGMENTING CONVENTIONAL SOURCES WITH ALTERNATIVE SOURCES IN RESEARCH: AN ANALYSIS OF HISTORICAL DISSERTATIONS AND THESES FROM UNIVERSITIES IN SOUTH AFRICA

Authors

  • Tlou Setumu Robben Island Museum
  • Mpho Ngoepe University of South Africa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25159/0027-2639/1664

Keywords:

conventional sources, alternative sources, primary sources, secondary sources, historical research, records

Abstract

In most historical research works, conventional sources are used. In most cases these are primary sources (eg, professionally obtained archaeological material, rock art, archival records and oral evidence) and original documents (eg, newspapers, reports and diaries), as well as secondary sources (eg, books, journal articles, theses, etc). There is consensus among historical scholars that alternative sources, such as old objects, and artefacts (eg, machinery, wagons, epitaphs, etc), are not always used adequately in research as compared to conventional sources. Researchers point out that rich sources, including alternative sources, enhance the quality of the research outcome. This study investigated the use of alternative sources by master’s and doctoral scholars in historical research at public universities in South Africa in order to compare the use thereof with the use of conventional sources. The study used a non-reactive research method, that is, content analysis of 93 selected master’s and doctoral historical research works from public universities in South Africa, to investigate the extent to which conventional sources are used at the expense of alternative sources. The study findings revealed that historical researchers preferred using conventional sources to alternative sources, which were used in only four theses. The study concluded that the use of alternative sources can enrich historical research works as well as augmenting conventional sources. A further study to investigate why researchers do not use alternative sources is recommended. In addition to historical research, the study model can be extended to fields of study such as Sociology, Anthropology and Archaeology.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

Babbie, E & Mouton, J. 2001. The practice of social research. Cape Town: Oxford University Press.

Barber, S & Peniston-Bird, C. 2013. History beyond the text: a student’s guide to approaching alternative sources. New York: Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203717486

Beck, SE & Manuel, K. 2008. Practical research methods for librarians and information professionals. New York: Neal-Schuman.

Brundage, A. 2013. Going to the sources: a guide to historical research and writing. 5th ed. Chichester: John Wiley.

Chen, C. 2009. Art history: a guide to basic research resources. Collection Building 28/3:122– 125. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/01604950910971152

Fullerton, RA. 2011. Historical methodology: the perspective of a professionally trained historian turned marketer. Journal of Historical Research in Marketing 3(4):436–448. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/17557501111183608

Harvey, K (ed). 2013. History and material culture: a student’s guide to approaching alternative sources. New York: Routledge.

Iuliano, A. 2012. A whole new world: using international information sources. Reference Reviews 26(3):4–7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/09504121211226897

Kaye, D. 1995. Sources of information: formal and informal. Management Decision 33(5):13–15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000003898

Koeller, DW. 2005. Using historical sources. http://www.thenagain.info/classes/basics/usingsources.html (Accessed 14 February 2013).

Korobili, S, Tilikidou, I & Delistavrou, A. 2006. Factors that influence the use of library resources by faculty members. Library Review 55(2):91–105. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/00242530610649594

Leedy, PD & Ormrod, JE. 2010. Practical research: planning and design. 9th ed. Boston, MA: Pearson Education International.

Lukhaimane, EK. 1982. The Zion Christian Church of Ignatius (Engenas) Lekganyane, 1924 to 1948: an African experiment with Christianity. MA dissertation, University of the North, Pietersburg.

Lukhaimane, EK. 1991. The St. Engenas ZCC, in Afro-Christian religion at the grassroots in Southern Africa, ed. GC Oosthuizen & I Hexham. Lewiston NY: Edwin Mellen Press.

Mix, V. 2012. Government publications and primary resources for historical research: a selective bibliography. Reference Review 26(6):9–15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/09504121211251637

Neuman, WL. 2006. Social research methods: qualitative and quantitative approaches. 6th ed. Boston, MA: Pearson.

Singleton, RA & Straits, BC. 2010. Approaches to social research. 5th ed. New York: Oxford University Press.

Verster, F. 2007. 72 Roeland street: the home of our history. Village Life 22:18–21.

Yilmaz, E. 2014. Using constructional records as alternative sources for historical writing. http://www.arct.cam.ac.uk/Downloads/ichs/vol-3-3403-3412-yilmaz.pdf (Accessed 10 February 2014).

Downloads

Published

2016-09-30

How to Cite

Setumu, Tlou, and Mpho Ngoepe. 2014. “AUGMENTING CONVENTIONAL SOURCES WITH ALTERNATIVE SOURCES IN RESEARCH: AN ANALYSIS OF HISTORICAL DISSERTATIONS AND THESES FROM UNIVERSITIES IN SOUTH AFRICA”. Mousaion: South African Journal of Information Studies 32 (3):1-12. https://doi.org/10.25159/0027-2639/1664.

Issue

Section

Articles