5

Historical Research Methods

Answer: B

Historians once relied almost exclusively on written documents to understand the past. Today, however, many historians incorporate evidence from archaeology, oral traditions, and even DNA analysis. This multi-disciplinary approach has been particularly valuable for studying societies that left few written records, such as many pre-colonial African civilizations. By combining different types of evidence, researchers can construct more complete and nuanced pictures of the past.

According to the text, why is the multi-disciplinary approach valuable?

A. It is faster than traditional research methods
B. It allows study of societies with limited written records ✓
C. It proves that written documents are unreliable
D. It was developed by African historians

Detailed Explanation

Choice B is correct. The text explicitly states this approach "has been particularly valuable for studying societies that left few written records."

Key Evidence:

• "particularly valuable for studying societies that left few written records"
• Example: pre-colonial African civilizations

Why others are wrong: A (speed not mentioned), C (doesn't say documents are unreliable), D (doesn't say who developed it).

← PreviousNext →