Overview
HERM 312 is based on the premise that the principles of historical thinking and analysis are fundamental to heritage practice. The course focuses on the practice, skills, and understandings of applied historical research. Heritage research provides balanced and accurate information for the identification, collection, documentation, evaluation, conservation, and interpretation of a broad range of heritage resources, both tangible and intangible.
HERM 312 introduces a variety of research methodologies and multiple sources of evidence ranging from documentary—comprising textual and visual sources—to oral interviews, artifacts, archaeological resources, buildings, and cultural landscapes. The course includes extensive web-based readings and introduces the use of online search tools and digital resource collections in libraries, archives, and museums. Attention is given to interpreting primary documents and the ability to identify bias and intent, the nature and value of pictorial records, and their use in heritage research.
Students will undertake independent fieldwork in their community for documentation and research of a heritage building. They will also study methodology and sources for material culture research in support of collection management and the development of exhibits, furnishing plans, and interpretive programming. Issues and considerations underlying the practical steps of oral history interviewing will also be introduced, as well as the use of maps and Historical Geographic Information Systems (HGIS) as a documentary source and research tool for the study of historic landscapes.
This course offers an experiential understanding of planning and undertaking research for those working in any area of heritage resources management, from curators, archivists, interpreters, and programmers to restoration specialists and managers.
Outline
HERM 312 is divided into 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: Planning Heritage Research & Finding and Accessing Documentary Sources
- Unit 3: Documentary Sources—Evaluating and Interpreting Primary Text Records and Secondary Published Sources
- Unit 4: Documentary Sources—Examining Pictorial Records
- Unit 5: Oral History—Research Method and Documentary Source
- Unit 6: Material Culture—Artifact-Based Research and Source of Evidence
- Unit 7: Material Culture—Archaeological Resources and Heritage Research
- Unit 8: Architectural Heritage Resources—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
Learning outcomes
HERM 312: Heritage Research introduces students to some of the formative issues and practices in heritage research. After completing the course, students will be able to:
- Explain the importance and role of research in the multidisciplinary field of Heritage Resources Management.
- Identify, locate, and interpret a wide range of documentary (both non-digital and digital) and non-documentary sources for various heritage research needs.
- Discuss the opportunities, challenges, and issues that can arise when using integrated research strategies, including archival research, oral history interviewing, and the documentation and research required for material culture and landscape.
- Undertake fieldwork to document and research heritage structures in the built environment.
- Plan and undertake basic historical research on a given topic using a variety of research strategies and types of sources, and present your findings in an appropriate format.
Evaluation
To receive creditin HERM 312, you must complete and submit all four assignments and achieve an overall grade of D (50 percent).
You will be evaluated on your understanding of the concepts presented in the course and on your ability to apply those concepts. Your final grade in the course will be based on the marks achieved for the following activities.
| Activity | Weight |
| Assignment 1: Analyzing Visual Images | 20% |
| Assignment 2: Learning to Listen | 15% |
| Assignment 3: Documenting and Researching Heritage Buildings | 30% |
| Assignment 4: Research Plan | 35% |
| Total | 100% |
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.
Materials
This course either does not have a course package or the textbooks are open-source material and available to students at no cost. This course has a Course Administration and Technology Fee, but students are not charged the Course Materials Fee.
All course materials for HERM 312 are available online from the course home page. These materials include a Course Information and a Study Guide. All of the required readings for the course are available in the Digital Reading Room.