The methodology of history consists of a set of methods and techniques, used by historians to handle primary sources and other evidence (archival, archaeological, etc.) that contribute to the investigation of past events of great relevance to human societies. This type of investigation tries to reconstruct the past in the most objective and exact way possible.
When the historian investigates, he must have at his disposal extensive information, gather the greatest amount of data and especially know how to master the method of investigation. Its main objective is to provide concrete, truthful and impartial results.
The methodology of the story comprises three stages:
The heuristics, is responsible for the location and compilation of documentary sources.
Criticism refers to the analysis and evaluation of the data found. This is perhaps one of the most important stages in the investigation; the researcher must be very careful when analyzing the sources he uses, as some documents may be false.
Finally, there is the synthesis and exposition, it has to do with the adequate way of relating the information found. It should include the statement of the problem, a review of the documentation used, the formulation of the hypotheses, the methods that were used to test it, and the results obtained.
The research sources used by the methodology of history are:
Primary sources (testimonies of people who were present at the historical events, real objects that were used in the past and that can be studied correctly, basic materials of historical research.)
Secondary sources (magazines, daily encyclopedias, etc.)
According to the Polish historian Jerzy Topolski, there are three types of methodologies to refer to the different areas of thought:
Pragmatic methodology of history refers to the reconstruction and possible assessment of the deduction mechanisms (schemes, principle, etc.) and all other types of reasoning used to solve problems posed by science.
Apragmatic methodology of history: it is one that is responsible for the results of the work of historians, and to study the statements they make, as well as historical generalizations, laws and the concept of narration.
Objective methodology of history: its function is to characterize, in a general way, the field that serves as a model for historical science, in such a way as to differentiate true statements from false ones; provide heuristic guidelines for the analysis of that terrain; provide the theoretical terms necessary for a scientific description of that field.
