Heritage Resources Management (HERM) 312

Overview

Research is basic to all heritage activity. Without detailed knowledge and understanding of the past, it is impossible to develop useful and accurate interpretive programs or to preserve and promote heritage resources. Because heritage resources are so varied, research strategies and methodology are equally varied. This course offers understanding of the place of research in heritage preservation. On successful completion of this course, you will have knowledge of, and an appreciation for, the techniques and methods crucial to research projects that support a range of heritage activities.

Outline

HERM 312 introduces you to some of the central issues, sources, and skills for heritage research. The course is made up of ten units, and requires you to do a number of readings and assignments.

• Unit 1: The Big Picture: Perspectives on Heritage Research and the Public
• Unit 2: Getting Started: Planning a Research Project; Finding and Accessing Documentary Sources
• Unit 3: Documentary Sources: Evaluating and Interpreting Text Primary Records
• Unit 4: Documentary Sources: Examining Pictorial Records
• Unit 5: Oral History: The Document and the Research Method
• Unit 6: Material Culture: Artifact-based Research and Interpretation
• Unit 7: Material Culture: Archaeological Resources and Heritage Research
• Unit 8: Architectural HeritageResources: Documenting, Researching, and Interpreting Buildings
• Unit 9: The Resources of Place: Researching and Interpreting Landscapes
• Unit 10: Putting It All Together: A Case Study in Heritage Research

Course Objectives

HERM 312: Heritage Research introduces students to some of the formative issues and practices in heritage research. After completing the course, you should be able to:

• Explain the importance of research in the multidisciplinary field of Heritage Resources Management.
• Identify and use a wide range of documentary and non-documentary sources for various heritage research needs.
• Understand the problems, advantages, and issues that arise when using various types of sources of evidence including documentary research, oral history, and material culture.
• Plan and undertake basic historical research on a given topic, using a variety of source types, and present your findings in an appropriate format.

Evaluation

To receive credit in HERM 312, you must complete all the assignments and achieve a minimum course composite grade of “D” (50 percent). All assignments must be completed and submitted before your final mark can be calculated. The chart below summarizes the course activities and the credit weight associated with each assignment.

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.