Historians, like other scholars of the 1980s, have incorporated word processing into their work lives. But only a tiny minority uses other applications, such as database management, spreadsheets, or classroom simulations. This article first focuses on the exceptional cases—those few historians who have embraced and applied computer technology to teaching and research. It describes ways of integrating software into the history classroom. Second, it sketches online research and teaching possibilities open to historians who communicate via modem. Finally, it closes with some projections on the future potential and problems that face computing historians. Keywords: history, historian, social science, humanities, teaching, archaeology, research, archive, simulations.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Adman, Peter. (1987). Computers and history In Sebastian Rahtz (Ed.). Information Technology in the Humanities Tools, Techniques and Applications (pp. 92-103). Chichester: Ellis Horwood & New York: John Wiley.
2.
Anderson, Sherwood. (1989, June). The world on a shoestnngShareware, pp. 14-15.
3.
Archaeological Computing Newsletter, Institute of Archaeology, 36 Beaumont St., Oxford OX1 2PG, England.
4.
Auden, Richard, & Allen, Desmond Walls. (1989, June). Finding your past. Shareware, pp. 15-18.
Burnham, David. (1984, August 26). Historians say computers may limit federal records. News and Observer, Raleigh, pp. 1A, 21A.
7.
Burton, Orville Vernon. (1979, November). Using the computer and manuscript census returns to teach American social historyThe History Teacher , 12, 71-88.
8.
Burton, Orville Vernon, Blomeyer, Robert, Fukada, Atsushi, & White, Steven J. (1987, Winter). Historical research techniques: Teaching database exercises on the microcomputer."Social Science History, 11 (4), 433-448.
9.
Burton, Orville Vernon, & Finnigan, Terrence (1989, Spring). New tools for'new' history : Computers and the teaching of quantitative historical methodsHistory Microcomputer Review, 5, (1): 13-18.
10.
Burton, Orville Vernon. (forthcoming). Teaching historians to use the technology: Databases and computersInternational Journal of Social Education .
11.
Conference on Latin American History. (1988 , October). Membership ListSan Diego, CA .
12.
Coombs, Norman R. (1988, Spring). History by teleconferenceHistory Microcomputer Review, 4, (1), 37-39.
13.
Crane, Gregory. (1988). Extending the boundaries of instruction and researchT.H.E. Journal: Macmtosh Special Issue , 51-54.
14.
Crookall, David. (Ed.). (1987). Simulation & Games , Alexandria, vA: International Simulation and Gaming Association.
15.
Davis-Wright, Ryan. (1989, June 5). HYPERPAD: PCS get HYPERCARD's powerPC Week, pp. 89-90.
16.
DeLoughry, Thomas J. (1989a, March 8). Professors are urged to devise strategies to help students deal with 'information explosion' spurred by technologyChronicle of Higher Education, pp. A11, A17.
17.
DeLoughry, Thomas J. (1989b, March 22). Scholarly journals in electronic form seen as mean to speed pace of publication and promote dialogueChronicle of Higher Education, pp. A11, A16.
18.
Denley, Peter, & Hopkin, Deian. (Eds.). (1987). History and computing.Manchester: Manchester University Press.
19.
Dowse, Elizabeth, & Murphy, Margaret. (1989). The Chancery Project in the Medieval History Department, Trinity College, DublinHumanities Communication Newsletter, 11: 29-31.
20.
Edeburn, Mary. (1988). Progress or peril? [Online document]Raleigh: North Carolina State University, Computing Center.
21.
Ezzard, Dick. (1988). Electronic haystacks: A look at GOferFoglight, 3(6), 12-16.
22.
Fahey, David M., & James M. Murray . (1988, Fall). Notebook computers and other portables: Their progress and potentialHistory Microcomputer Review, 4 (2), 9-14.
23.
Falk, Joyce Duncan. (1989, May-June). OCLC and RLIN: Research libraries at the scholar's fingertipsAmerican Historical Association Perspectives, pp. 1,11-13,17.
24.
Furger, Roberta. (1989, June 12). A technology comes of ageInfoWorld, pp. 47-51.
25.
Galgano, Michael J. (1989, April 7). Letter to the author ( 1989, April 7). Harrisburg, VA: James Madison University.
26.
Gutman, Dan. (1985, January). Seven cities of goldPopular Computing, p. 149.
27.
Heisler, Steve. (1988, March). ScholarNet: Plato and Locke have entered the information ageElectronic Learning, pp. 18-19.
28.
Historical Methods. (1988, Summer). History, microcomputers, and teaching, 21 (3).
29.
Hoffer, William. (1985, June). Personal computers look backwardPopular Computing, 36-37.
30.
Home, Paul A., Jr. (1988, Spring). The American RevolutionHistory Microcomputer Review, 4 (1): 44-46.
31.
Humanities Communication Newsletter. (1989). 11.
32.
Hume, Brit. (1989, March 6). For writing on the run, Toshiba's T-1000 fills the bill nicelyWashington Post, reprinted in Journalism Forum, CompuServe.
33.
InfoWorld. (1989, June 5). Alternatives: The ultimates in lightweight PC portables, p. 56.
34.
Jensen, Richard. (1987, Winter). The hand writing on the screenHistorical Methods, 20, (1): 35-45.
35.
Johnson, Stuart J. (1989a, May 15). OOP hailed as way of the futureInfoWorld, pp. 17, 23.
36.
Johnson, Stuart J. (1989b, May 22). Objects: Real world vs. computersInfoWorld, pp. 21-22.
Jones, Franklyn. (1988b, November). Q&A Version 3.0: Database manager & word processorCompuServe Online Magazine, Software Reviews.
39.
Kinko's Service Corp. (1989). Kinko's Academic Course Exchange Spring 1989 CatalogVentura, CA.
40.
Kren, George M. & Christakes, George. (1988). Scholars and personal computers: Microcomputing in the humanities and social sciencesNew York: Human Sciences Press.
41.
Kuehl, Warren F. (1984, May-June). Computer-stored data: How to cite?American Historical Association Perspectives, 22 (5), 24.
42.
Latner, Richard B. (1988, February), Witches, history, and microcomputers: A computer assisted course on the Salem witchcraft trialsThe History Teacher, 21 (2): 173-193.
43.
Leboutte, René, Alter, George, & Gutman, Myron.Analysis of reconstituted families: A package of SAS programsHistorical Methods, 20 (1): 29-34.
44.
Lougee, Carolyn Chappell. (1988, Spring). 'The would-be gentleman': A historical simulation of the France of Louis XIVHistory Microcomputer Review, 4 (1), 7-14.
45.
McKnight, Cliff, Richardson, John, & Dillon, Andrew. (1989). Hypertext authoring: Some basic issuesHumanities Communication Newsletter , 11: 25-29.
46.
Mamque, Cecilia G. (1988, Spring). The American RevolutionSocial Science Computer Review, 6 (1): 160.
47.
Miller, Michael J. (1989, June 5). Supercard employs, extends HYPERCARD's functionalityInfo World p. S12.
48.
Morris, R. J. (Ed.). (1987). History and computing. Department of Economics and Social History, William Robertson Building, George Square,Edinburgh EH8 9JY, Scotland.
49.
Munger, Guy. (1984, September 16). N.C. historians fear computer gaps for historical researchersNews and Observer, Raleigh , pp. 1D, 8D.
50.
Newton, Jeffrey L., and Thomas, David S. (1986, February). The Clio project: A program of computer-based instruction in the western history surveyThe History Teacher, 19(2): 181-199.
51.
Organization of American Historians. (1986 ). History in context: A bibliography about the teaching of history and trends in higher educationBloomington.
52.
PC-SIGShareware Magazine.Sunnyvale, CA.
53.
Peebles, Patrick. (1988, Fall). The Impact of computer technology on historical researchHistory Microcomputer Review, 4 (2), 21, 28.
54.
Roblyer, M.D. (1988, September). The effectiveness of microcomputers in education: A review of research from 1980-1987T.H.E Journal, 85-89.
55.
Romano, David Gilman. (1989, March). The Athena Polias Project/The Corinth Computer Project: Computer mapping and city planning in the ancient worldAcademic Computing, pp. 26-27, 51-53.
56.
Rothschild, Enc. (1988, October). Simulations: Stimulation for scholarship in American history, American Historical Association Perspectives , pp. 8, 10, 12, .
57.
Russell, James M. (forthcoming). Using the computer to teach undergraduates quantitative methodology in historical researchInternational Journal of Social Education.
58.
Sargent, James E. (1985, Winter). Napoleon's empireSocial Science Microcomputer Review, 3 (4): 387-389.
59.
Schick, James B. M. (1987). Historians and computing, circa 1987Social Science Microcomputer Review, 5 (4), 514-528.
60.
Schick, James B. M. (Ed.). History Microcomputer Review.Department of History, Pittsburgh State University, Pittsburgh.
61.
Schick, James B. M. (1988, October). What will the historian of 2001 be like? What will the history class of 2001 be like?Council of Chairs Newsletter, pp. 1-5.
62.
Schick, James B. M. (1990). Teaching history with a computer: A complete guide for college processorsChicago: Lyceum Books.
63.
Scott, Andrew M. (1988, March-April). Designing a societal simulationAcademic Computing, pp. 6-1043.
64.
Slatta, Richard W. (1985). Teaching historical research methods with data base softwareHistory Microcomputer Review , 1 (2), 28-33.
65.
Slatta, Richard W. (1987a). Students discuss microcomputers and historyHistory Microcomputer Review, 3 (2), 7-16.
66.
Slatta, Richard W. (1987b, May). Telecommumcations for historians: ScholarNetOrganization of American Historians Newsletter , pp. 17-18.
67.
Slatta, Richard W. (1988a). CASTELLON: Simulation of decision-making in a fictitious developing country in Latin AmericaSocial Science Computer Review, 6 (3), 442-444.
68.
Slatta, Richard W. (1988b, March-April). The army marches onlineLmk-Up, pp. 20-2126.
69.
Slatta, Richard W. (1988c, July). The text collector and GOfer: Two excellent text retrieval programsFoglight, 3 (10), 11-13.
70.
Slatta, Richard W. (1988d, October). Microcomputers in historical research and writing : Course suggestions and a sample syllabusCouncil of Chairs Newsletter, pp. 5-12.
71.
Slatta, Richard W. (1988e, October-November). A $20 WordStar starShareware, pp. 24-2561.
72.
Smallen, David L. (1989, April). Infusing computing into the curriculum: Challenges for the next decadeAcademic Computing, pp. 8-12, 32-35.
73.
Social Science Microcomputer Review (1987, Winter). News and Notes.5 (4), 566-567.
74.
Stem, Peter. (1988, July). Online in the humanities: Problems and possibilitiesJournal of Academic Librananship, pp. 161-164.
75.
Stoll, Marylyn. (1986, May 6). Scholars use PCs to decipher ancient writingsPC Week, p. 170.
76.
Walker, Lynn. (1984, June). Exploring the new worldPersonal Software, p. 71.
SEVEN CITIES OF GOLD, Electronic Arts, 2755 Campus Dr., San Mateo, CA 94403 (telephone: 415-571-7171)
94.
SUPERCARD , Silicon Beach Software, 9770 Carroll Center Rd., Suite J, San Diego, CA 92126 (telephone: 619-695-6956)
95.
THE TEXT COLLECTOR, O'Neill Software, PO Box 26111, San Francisco, cA 94111 (telephone : 415-398-2255)
96.
VIDEO DISPLAY EDITOR, public domain word processing software, available free on CompuServe or for $5 from Triangle Database Users Group, 3304 Dell Drive, Raleigh, NC 27609.
