M1 - Learner Manual

Verifying information from research and oral histories is important. Not only is this the ethical thing to do, but it also honours the people you are researching. It may also assist others looking for the same material.

Librarians and archivists are usually happy to work with people when finding this information. Be diligent in making notes so that information can be cross checked.

Tranby has developed protocols around researching, so people may understand that we recognise rights, roles and responsibilities of those being researched, as well as those doing research. Many Indigenous research bodies and organisations now have Indigenous research protocols in place, especially in the education and health sectors. Education protocols are usually reflective of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Guide and the National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines. Both underscore the importance of working with Indigenous people and organisations, and gaining informed consent when seeking to conduct research with and for Indigenous peoples and organisations. 

You can access the AIATSIS  Research Guide through the following link: www.aiatsis.gov.au

Oral histories are a very important part of research practice and additional information from articles, newspapers etc. is often used to inform, and or validate the experiences of people being interviewed. 

Oral history is a field of study and a method of gathering, preserving and interpreting the voices and memories of people, communities, and participants in past events. It is both the oldest type of historical inquiry, predating the written word, and one of the most modern, initiated with tape recorders in the 1930s and now using 21^st century digital technologies.

Methods you can use to analyse, evaluate and verify (test) the information or hypotheses may include:

·       looking at how other people have developed their family tree with professional researchers or archivists such as ancestry.com or aiatsis.gov.au

·       comparing documents with oral stories

·       linking dates and places of events from oral histories with documented information etc.

·       comparing different versions of the same or related stories (different family members or friends of family)

·       considering the culture and political climate of the time when events took place

·       maps of old reserves, missions or settlements

·       map of Indigenous Australia to refer to tribes and language groups

·       former employment records

·       event and program flyers

·       newsletters, newspapers and such as ‘New Dawn’, ‘Koori Mail’ or ‘National Indigenous Times’.

Documenting what you have found is also important, as well as the process of how you found the material or information.

Additional information can change historical ideas as they cause the researcher to re-think when and how events have taken place. This can lead to further research into missing information and may lead to finding lost family members through finding memorabilia such as medals and awards, burial and gravesites, and family treasures. These additional pieces of evidence can place people at events, times and places that were previously unknown.

Finding the right information can be pivotal in changing the course of history and thus the future for Indigenous peoples. Verifying land boundaries or locating applicable ancestors may be important for Native Title cases.

It is important to verify your research methods and information so it can be acknowledged and accepted as being factual and credible.