HISTORICAL APPROACH:

Meaning and Characteristics In  the following text the meaning and characters of historical approach will  be discussed. 

Definition:  It is concerned with identification, location evaluation and synthesis of data from  the past. It does not seek to discover the past  but  also to relate with the present and to the future. Leininger (1985) describes that work "Without  a past there  is no meaning  to  the present, nor can be  develop a sense of ourselves as individuals and  as members of  groups". Historical research may  be more  difficult  to conduct than some of the other type  of research. Historical research must develop the curiosity, perseverarice, tenacity and skepticism of the detective. 

Characteristics: The data of historical  is  usually found in documents or  in relics and artifacts. Documents may include vide range  of printed material, oral reports found in libraries, archives,  or  personal collection. 

Sources

The sources of data collection  for historical  researcfi may  be primaji and  . secondary. 

1) Primary source are  those that provide first  hand  information or direct evidence. Primary sources should be  used  in historical research, when possible. There are many examples of-primary sources a) oral history b) written records  c) diaries  d) eye witnesses e) pictorial sources f)  physical evidence. In case nurse researcher wants to examine the practices  of nurse midwife in 1940. An  oral histn;~  might be  obtained from older member  of nursing professionals, who haJ practiced  as nurse midwife during  that time. Researcher might  even explore some field notes written by people during that period. Some women who  had undergone  care might be  the eyewitnesses. Some old  equipment which were used may also be identified. Hence, all these sources will help to collect adequate data for the study. 

2)  Secondary source: Second or third hand information  on  account of historical  eirents or experiences for  e.g.  text book, encyclopedia, other reference books written by individuals who  are  summarizing or  interpreting primary  source material  e.g. Newspaper and other documents which  are less reliable.