id: b17defd62d9744a58987b8aa1bd2214e parent_id: 18057de8dcd04444a6ab4d5b9c73c784 item_type: 1 item_id: 0a397eaa339b4483921cde5c8f59f17b item_updated_time: 1673271708768 title_diff: "[]" body_diff: "[{\"diffs\":[[1,\"- \"],[0,\"Week 1:\\\n\"]],\"start1\":0,\"start2\":0,\"length1\":8,\"length2\":10},{\"diffs\":[[0,\"eek 1:\\\n\\t\"],[1,\"- \"],[0,\"Research\"]],\"start1\":3,\"start2\":3,\"length1\":16,\"length2\":18},{\"diffs\":[[0,\"stion\\\n\\t\\t\"],[1,\"- \"],[0,\"Differen\"]],\"start1\":25,\"start2\":25,\"length1\":16,\"length2\":18},{\"diffs\":[[0,\" (1-4)\\\n\\t\"],[1,\"\\t\\\nHow to specifiy a historical research question?\\\n\\\nIn historical research, it is important to investigate different aspects, or levels, connected to the topic under investigation. Therefore, if you want to write, for instance, something about an historical computer program, it is not enough to simply describe the software. Your readers also want to know something about the people involved in the development. Just as important is the investigation of the reasons why, for instance, a technology was developed in the first place.\\\n\\\n1st level – Descriptive: give a description of the (possibly technical) details: hardware, software, functions, etc.\\\n\\\n2nd level – Dynamic: investigate the changes in (biographical) detail: people involved in the development; if possible find something out about their personal history, their relation to the project or technology under investigation; connect the people to institutions, interest groups, enterprises, government (connection to third level)\\\n\\\nDynamic also implies: in doing history it is not productive to fix a concept or an object by strict definition. Typically, the meaning of terms will change over time; that is history.\\\n\\\n3rd level – Cultural, political, and/or social context: why was the technology developed (place it within the discipline; find reasons and explain them to the best your ability), who financed project, were there any difficulties from political, institutional, or the public side? If so, why? Now you are doing history. You have implicitly chosen a certain perspective; start making that explicit. Economic history will reveal the entrepreneurial and business interests. Institutional history emphasizes the embedding in organizations. Political history gives the political and policy aspects of a train of events. History of science makes one see the evolution of ideas. Most often the choice of subject will lead you to an approach most adequate to it.\\\n\\\n4th level – Self-reflection on doing history: what are our sources and how are our results based on them. Especially in the case of web-archaeology and the digital archives preserved, it is crucial to keep in mind the historical distance between today and the time of the “freeze”. “Freeze” derives from the name given to the 1996 back-up of the DDS, De Digitale Stad, a case we have been studying intensely in this study course. The archival material is deceivingly accessible and programs can be reconstructed and run. But the same game and the same e-mail-program, even if playable today, does not have the same meaning it had in 1996. This reflexive level is not part of the research question per se, but needs to be kept in mind while formulating our historical questions.\\\n\\\nA topic taken in a certain historical perspective becomes a historical subject and the research questions are phrased accordingly.\\\n\\\nAfter the first week (i.e. on Monday) chapters from the book Computer or A new history of modern computing and an article specific to the project theme are presented through summaries by each team. Chapters of the book are presented followed by questions for discussion. The team is free to assign one or more presenters. The presentation is graded as a group activity; that is, no individual grades are assigned.\\\n\\\n- \"],[0,\"Presenta\"]],\"start1\":51,\"start2\":51,\"length1\":16,\"length2\":3274}]" metadata_diff: {"new":{},"deleted":[]} encryption_cipher_text: encryption_applied: 0 updated_time: 2023-01-09T13:46:38.525Z created_time: 2023-01-09T13:46:38.525Z type_: 13