archival research
Post on 14-Jul-2015
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Archival Research:
Its Value to Social Science
ResearchBy
Augusto V. de Viana, Ph.DChair, Department of History
University of Santo Tomas
By its very definition research from the French word “researche”means “looking back” One can literally go back to the past by looking at its recordsThese records can be found in repositories such as the archives
An archive is a place
Where people store their
old records
It is different from the
rare books section of a library
where books considered old
or out of print are kept
Rare books are those
publications which are not
anymore accessible and
therefore have become rare
and had to be more guarded
Archives or archival
material refer to public
records, papers, periodicals,
books or other items, articles,
or materials whether in the
form of electronic, audio-visual,
print , which by their value
which by their nature and
characteristics, have enduring
archival value that that have been
selected for permanent preservation
a building, a room, storage
where archival materials are
kept and preserved
Its function is to select, collect and preserve archival records and make such records available for public use.
Refers to recorded information regardless of medium and characteristics. It is frequently used interchangeably with “records”
The National Archives of the Philippines also known as the Philippine National Archives (PNA)
While most records are
accessible to the public,
there are records that are
considered restricted because
there exists a legal impediment
or standard advice issued by the Executive
Director of the Archives that such public records be withheld from public access
When it has custody of local government records
The UST also has its own archives
It contains records about the University including wills, lists of students, grades, personnel etc.
It gives a view of the past
Its words are more
Powerful than spoken
ones
Reports
Public archives are those managed by the government.
The PNA contains documents from the Spanish period such as1. Ereccion de Pueblos2. Cedularios3. Bautismos4. Vecindarios5. Difunciones6. Guia de Forasteros7. Varias Provincias8. Sediciones y Rebelliones9. Asuntos Criminales10. Presidios11. Marina12. Filipinos Ilustres13. Planos14. Gaceta de Manila15. Prestacion Personal (Polos y Servicios)16. Other documents that pertain to aspects such as health i.e. lazaretosEconomic matters such as the Tobacco Monopoly, Opium Monopoly, maritima,
agricola, etc.
Plano de Alcaiceria de Binondo
These contain matters of local interest like history, lists of people living in the area, births and deaths, local health matters, economy, industry and events that have taken place there
The archives of the Archdiocese of Manila contain important documents such as
1. Baptisms2. Foundations of parishes, dioceses and archdioceses3. Pastoral letters4. Reports from the various churches5. Letters including retraction letters of
Rizal and Marcelo H. del Pilar6. Controversial matters such as brujerias (witchcraft);
divorce ( actually happened during the Spanish period)
7. conflicts within the church such as rivalries between religious orders
The Dominicans maintain their archive for their order
The Jesuits have theirs at the Ateneo
The Recollects have an archive at their Mission House in Fairview
Most of these are primary sources if they are reports, laws, letters, statements and statistical figures
Not all archival documents are primary sources
Others are now available in microfilm, microfiche and digital copies
Some can be accessed through the Internet
Even genealogical records can now be accessed through the genealogical project of the Church of the Latter Day Saints based in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
It is therefore necessary to know the language
There are many Spanish words not anymore used or the meaning has changed
Cajon means a division in a rice field
There are various terms indicating measurements such as vara for measuring length and quintal for weight
The Spanish legua or league is different from the English league
Such as Dte Gde - Dios te Guarde, may God keep you
Cbllero – Caballero
Idem – same
The researcher must be able to read between the lines and understand the intent of the writer. He could be lying or making things up
In citing archival documents the researcher must write his sources accurately by citing the box number, expediente number and document number, and topic
i.e. PNA, Marianas, 1858-1898, Advertisement of putting up opium dens in the Marianas
PNA, Marianas, Bundle 38, 1884
PNA, Marianas, Bundle 33, Espediente 76, ff. 1-4, 1891
Archival research is an integral tool of history
It unveils truth and destroys stereotypes
It reveals glossed-over details
By using archival materials the researcher ishelping in their preservation by
disseminating them as secondary material. Citing them restores their importance in history
The understanding of these documents conveys to us how Filipinos see themselves and presents to us what was life was during that point in history
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