Researching and Teaching with British Newsreels
1Merton College, Oxford, UK.
20 Century British History
|October 31, 2024
Summary
Digitized newsreels are valuable primary sources for 20th-century British history. This guide helps students and researchers critically use newsreels in academic and teaching settings.
Area of Science:
- Historical Research Methods
- Media Studies
- British History
Background:
- Digitized newsreel collections are now freely available online.
- Newsreels served as a significant medium in 20th-century Britain.
- Skepticism exists regarding the reliability of newsreels as historical sources.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish newsreels as a primary source for British history.
- To offer guidance on integrating newsreels into research and teaching.
- To address and overcome skepticism about newsreel reliability.
Main Methods:
- Historical overview of the British newsreel industry (production, distribution, audience).
- Discussion of digital newsreel archive construction and usage.
- Case study analysis of inter-war university 'rag' films.
Main Results:
- Newsreels can be critically engaged with as reliable primary sources.
- Digital archives facilitate access and use of newsreel collections.
- Practical strategies for incorporating newsreels into undergraduate teaching are demonstrated.
Conclusions:
- Newsreels offer unique insights into 20th-century British life and culture.
- Critical engagement is key to overcoming perceived unreliability.
- Newsreels are a viable and valuable resource for historical inquiry and pedagogy.
Related Concept Videos
01:40Archival Research
15.9K
Some researchers gain access to large amounts of data without interacting with a single research participant. Instead, they use existing records to answer various research questions. This type of research approach is known as archival research. Archival research relies on looking at past records or data sets to look for interesting patterns or relationships. For example, a researcher might access the academic records of all individuals who enrolled in college within the past ten years and...
15.9K
01:56Ethics in Research
22.9K
Today, scientists agree that good research is ethical in nature and is guided by a basic respect for human dignity and safety. However, this has not always been the case. Modern researchers must demonstrate that the research they perform is ethically sound.
22.9K
02:30Naturalistic Observations
15.4K
If you want to understand how behavior occurs, one of the best ways to gain information is to simply observe the behavior in its natural context. However, people might change their behavior in unexpected ways if they know they are being observed. How do researchers obtain accurate information when people tend to hide their natural behavior? As an example, imagine that your professor asks everyone in your class to raise their hand if they always wash their hands after using the restroom. Chances...
15.4K
01:22Case Studies
11.6K
There are many research methods available to psychologists in their efforts to understand, describe, and explain behavior and the cognitive and biological processes that underlie it.
11.6K
01:28Behaviorism
2.2K
The field of behaviorism was pioneered by figures such as Ivan Pavlov, John B. Watson, and B.F. Skinner fundamentally shifted the focus of psychology to the observable and controllable aspects of human and animal behavior. This shift marked a critical evolution in the discipline, emphasizing scientific rigor and experimental methodology.
The core premise of behaviorism is its focus on observable behavior rather than internal thoughts or feelings. This approach argues that true scientific...
The core premise of behaviorism is its focus on observable behavior rather than internal thoughts or feelings. This approach argues that true scientific...
2.2K