| CODE | HPA1307 | |||||||||
| TITLE | Introduction to Research Methods | |||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course | |||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | |||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | |||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Church History, Patrology and Palaeochristian Archaeology | |||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit introduces students to a basic understanding of how to conduct research in an archive and enables them to understand basic notions of the creation of an archival fonds and the tools to understand such structures. Two main components of these skills are paleography and diplomatics. This study of Paleography aims at acquainting the student with the history of script in its various phases of development as well as the techniques used in different eras. This discipline studies the process of production of written texts as well as the products of these processes. The discipline of Diplomatics provides a critical study of the document with the aim of determining its value as a historical testimony and focuses on the form, rather than on the content, of a document. The study-unit includes both a theoretical introduction to the development of the Latin script from Antiquity to the Renaissance, a historical presentation of the development of both paleography and diplomatics. Study-Unit Aims: The study-unit aims at acquainting the student with the basic notions of archival research and the disciplines of Palaeography and Diplomatics. Thus the student will be able to view a document in a more scientific manner in that these disciplines shed light on the physical aspect of the document rather than its contents. To make students aware of the main archival and manuscript collections of the Church in Malta from different periods on the Diocesan and Parish level. - To equip students with the necessary research skills needed to outline the administrative history of the Catholic Church. - To expose students to the various research possibilities that such collections offer. - To make students aware of the challenges still facing ecclesiastical archival holdings. - To introduce the science of paleography and diplomatics to participants interested in appreciating the archival and ecclesiastical patrimony of the country. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: With regard to archival structures, the student will analyse the organic build up of archives and the concept of provenance and original order. With regard to Paleography, the student will analyse a script as an instrument independent of the contents it expresses; - Define the various techniques of execution, appropriate instruments and materials; - Recall the aesthetic quality of scripts; - Acquire the capability to read the texts contained in these manuscripts. With regard to Diplomatics, the student will analyse the rules which govern the drawing up of a document in a given place and era; - State the juridical value of a document 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - describe and evaluate the situation in a given Ecclesiastical archive/s, highlighting what can be considered as being strong and weak aspects and suggesting ways in which such challenges may be - recognize the importance of archival sources for the writing of 'history from below'. Thus, it would be possible for future graduates to instill in ecclesiastical archives the wider scope of the holdings, not simply for specialized research but also as an important source for the writing of locality history and genealogy. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Battelli, G. (1999). Lezioni di paleografia (Citta' del Vaticano: Libreria Editrice Vaticana). (Ed.). Available at Z114 .B375 1999. - Bezzina, J. (2002). "Developing norms for the ecclesiastical archives of the future". (Melita Theologica 53/2). 167-173. Available at https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/32218. - Farrugia, C. (2008), Guardians of Memory: Essays in remembrance of Hella Jean Bartolo Winston. (Malta: National Archives). (Ed.). Available at MZX,PL. - Lodolini, E. (2016). Archivistica: Principi e problemi. (Milano: Franco Angeli Editore). Available at CD971.L63. - Nicolai, G. (2020). “Select to Preserve: The Construction of Memory in Ecclesiastical Archives Between History and Practice”. Bibliothecae.It 8 (2):255-96. https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.2283-9364/10369. - Tight, M. (2019). Documentary Research in the Social Sciences. (London: Sage). Not available at the UM Library. - Yeo, G. and Shepherd, E. (2003). Managing Records: a handbook of principles and practice. (London: Facet). Available at the UM Library. Supplementary Readings: - Farrugia, C. L-Arkivji ta' Malta. (Malta: Pubblikazzjonjonijiet Indipendenza). - Fiorini S.-Zammit W., (2018). Ecclesiastical Archives in Malta: Crossroads of Culture and Religions 1968-2018. (Malta: Cathedral Archives). (Eds.). Available at MZU3. - Vagnoni, S. (1995). Archivistica : Ordinamento, normativa, classificazione, sistemi, economia, informatica. (Latina: Edizioni Bucalo). CD957 .V343 1980. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Fieldwork | |||||||||
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| LECTURER/S | Nicholas Joseph Doublet |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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