Historiography - Oral History

Paper Summary:

The paper begins with a comprehensive definition of oral history (archival tapes). It looks at the importance of interview techniques and of a knowledge of the era in question. The establishment of the credibility of the source is dealt with, as is the investigation of personal biases. The verification of the course of events is raised and the place and use of oral history records amongst other historical sources is discussed.

From the Paper:

"Recording history with accuracy is a task and responsibility that has daunted man forever. Too often, history committed to text is the product of biases, hearsay and cultural mythology. The outcome is a canon of ideals and impressions based on a potentially convoluted version of the past. These discrepancies make it difficult to appreciate history as anything more than folk legend. Using oral histories to convey ideas and information is particularly useful in avoiding many of these snares."

More papers on Historiography - Oral History:

• Research Paper # 107779 : "Oral History and Historiography"
• Term Paper # 102908 : "Herodotus and Greek Historiography"
• Descriptive Essay # 132777 : "Greek Historiography"

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