Source Criticism and historical methodology

6 ECTS credits
150 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 1020809ANW for working students in the 1st semester at a (A) Bachelor - preliminary level.

Semester

1st semester

Enrollment based on exam contract

Impossible

Grading method

Grading (scale from 0 to 20)

Can retake in second session

Yes

Enrollment Requirements

NOTE: registration for this course is only possible for working students. Day students can register for courses whose code ends with an R. At Inschrijven / studentenadministratie@vub.be you must be registered at the VUB as a working student for the current academic year.

Taught in

Dutch

Faculty

Faculty of Languages & Humanities

Department

History, Archaeology, Arts, Philosophy and Ethics

Educational team

Alexander Meert
Anne Winter (course titular)
Ward Leloup

Activities and contact hours

18 contact hours Lecture
6 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
110 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study

Course Content

The aim of the course "Historical criticism" is providing concepts, criteria and tools with which students can scientifically and critically analyse the nature of arguments and sources and thereby evaluate the value of information. While the focus of the course lies with historical sources and historical argumentation, it aims to teach a systematically-critically attitude in dealing with information and evaluating arguments in general.
The course deals with the following themes:
• nature & typology of sources
• critical analysis of sources (falsifications, external and internal criticism)
• characteristics of and evolutions in historical argumentation
• most important schools concerning visions of history and historical change

The course consists of lectures and meetings of working groups. The working group meetings will discuss assignments submitted individually in advance. The precise dates and calendars will be communicated at the start of term in class and via Canvas.

Course material

Digital course material (Required) : Slides, opdrachten, aanvullend lesmateriaal, Canvas
Practical course material (Required) : Lesnotities
Handbook (Required) : Historici en hun métier, Een inleiding tot de historische kritiek, Marc Boone, Gent: Academia Press, 9789038225289, 2016

Additional info

Lessons can take place face to face and/or online, depending on the corona measures imposed by the government and the availability of classrooms.

Handbook: Marc Boone, Historici en hun métier: Een inleiding tot de historische kritiek, Gent: Academia Press, 2015.
Course slides, assignments and additional course materials will be made available via Canvas.

Learning Outcomes

General competencies

Students have insight in the typology of sources, their history,
accessibility and conservation.
Students know the principles of historical criticism and can apply them to scientifically and critically evaluate sources and their informational value.
Students have insight in the structuration of and evolutions in historical argumentation.
Students can identify and contextualise the most important schools and their development concerning visions of history and historical change.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 100% of the final mark.

Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

Written exam with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 100% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

Participation in the working group meetings and advance submission of the associated assignments are mandatory. Students who fail to attend a working group meeting, do not submit the preparatory assignment in time, or have their assignment evaluated as unsatisfactory, will have their exam result reduced with up to 4 marks in total (maximum 2 marks per working group meeting).

Allowed unsatisfactory mark

The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context