GEED 10033

Geneva Curato
 “Sources are the artifacts that have
been left by the past. They exist either
as relics, what we might call ‘remains’,
or as testimonies of witnesses to the
past.”
– Howell and Prevenier
• Relics or remains offers a clue
about the past simply by virtue of
their existence
• Testimonies are the oral or written
reports that describe an event
whether simple or complex.
Speeches and commentaries are
also testimonies.
• The authors of such testimonies
can provide the historian
information about what happened,
how and in what circumstances the
event occurred and why it
occurred
• Sources are those materials from
which historian construct meanings.

• A source provides us evidence

about the existence of such event,
a historical interpretation is an
argument about the event
• Primary Sources • Archaeological
Evidence
• Secondary Sources
• Oral Evidence

• Material Evidence
Refers to remains Pertains to folk tales, Material evidence
such as artifacts myths, legends, folk includes
and ecofacts which songs and popular photographs, art
help a historian in rituals. These works, videos, and
determining the sources might sound recordings.
culture of the area contain information
where the evidence pertaining to the
was found. Include culture of the
tools, ornaments, people who
fixtures, etc. created them.
 “a primary source is “the
testimony of an eyewitness,
or of a witness by any other “the testimony of anyone
of the senses, or of a who is not an eyewitness–
mechanical device like the that is, one who was not
Dictaphone–that is, of one present at the events of
who or that which was
present at the events of which he tells”
which he or it tells”
• the raw materials which is • contains historical
the foundation of historical interpretation
research and writing
• Birth/Baptismal/Marriage/Death • Textbooks/Books
Certificates
• Bibliographies
• Affidavits
• Commentaries
• Memoirs/Diaries
• Annotations
• Government Reports
• Dictionaries
• Artifacts • Encyclopedias
• Autobiographies • Journal Articles
• Newspapers Articles • Magazines
(contemporaneous to a historical time)
• Monographs
• Oral Testimonies/Interviews of
eyewitness • Researches (Theses and
• Letter/Correspondences Dissertations)
• Website Articles
• Audio Recordings
• Newspaper Articles
• Photographs
• Videos
• Provides raw data
• Brings the historian to the milieu and
perception of the eyewitness
• More credible than a secondary
source
• "Original" source of historical data
• Makes the historian professional
and adept in his field

• Usually inaccessible
• Primary sources for the study of
Philippine history can mostly be
found overseas
• Susceptible to ravages of
time/decay
• The older the source, the more
difficult to study and understand
• More accessible
• Easy to understand
• Already provides analysis and
interpretation that might help the
reader/historian/researcher in
understanding historical events

• Subject to the bias of the

researcher
• Less credible than primary sources
• Contains errors
• Frequent use might deteriorate the
competence of a
researcher/historian
Historical documents are easily fabricated
for several reasons: (a) used to bolster a
false claim or a title, (b) are counterfeited
for sale, (c) genuine documents are
intended to mislead contemporaries and
hence have mislead subsequent historians
• Test of Authenticity or Originality

• In order to determine the

genuineness of sources

• Is for the historian to detect

misleading sources
• The discovery of an author’s
name

• The period when the document

was created or published

• The place of publication of the

document
• Test of Credibility

• It tells whether the source is

worthy to use by the historian in
his study

• Its purpose is to establish the

trustworthiness of the contents of
the document

• Is used to detect and determine

whether the document contains
errors or lies
• The character of the document
• The literal and real meaning of
the text
• The knowledge of the author
• Competence and reliability of the
author
• Author’s personal connection with
the event, which he explains
• Author’s source of information in
producing the document
• The influences prevalent at the
time of writing
• The elements of personal bias
• The elements of deliberate and
intentional errors
• Corroborating evidence
Sources like relics, artifacts, remains, documents, and witnesses are
accurate when proven to be authentic and credible. Relics, artifacts, and
remains, though, are more reliable while documents (or narratives) and
witnesses are more detailed and specific.

The authenticity of a source increases the credibility of that

source.

A primary source is more reliable than a secondary one

The credibility of a source is increased if it is corroborated by

independent sources.
Sources would tend to be bias, especially to its provenance or to
the one who made it or held its custody.

If sources like witnesses or their testimonies do not have

immediate interest or direct involvement to the event, they
become more credible than those who have interest or direct
involvement.

If all independent sources agree to a certain event, then the event

becomes usually acceptable or factual.

Testimonies of witnesses are credible if the witnesses are mentally

and emotionally fit at the time of the interview or declaration.

The source that does not conform to its milieu is considered a

fabricated source
If two sources disagree with each other and there is no
way wherein one could be examined over the other and
vice-versa, the source with more logical reasoning and
which accords common sense would be considered.

If sources or witnesses do not agree on certain points, the

source that gives more proofs to its authenticity and
credibility becomes more reliable.
If the source or witness is hostile, it becomes less credible.
Corroboration to other independent and types of sources
would be more necessary.

A source or witness that holds orientation from one school of

thought or philosophy— e.g., Marxism—is usually argumentative or
hostile with other sources. Thus, the milieu of the source or the
events tackled must be examined by looking at other sources that
convey the same theme and that do not hold orientation from any
school of thought.