| Effective Term: | 2025/02 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Education, Arts & Community |
| Unit Title: | Introduction to Archival Research and Genealogy |
| Unit ID: | BAHIS1002 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | Nil |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | Nil |
| ASCED: | 090305 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
This unit will teach students the fundamentals of archival research, examining different types of historical collections, and engaging with both primary and secondary historical resources. The unit will also engage with the growing area of family history, which provides scope for pursuing private and business interests. It will examine problems of genealogical research, oral history, and the regulations and ethical considerations in collecting, describing and digital publishing of primary sources. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: No |
| Supplementary Assessment:Yes |
| Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment |
| Course Level: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | |  | | | | | Intermediate | | | | | | | | Advanced | | | | | | |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Define and distinguish between different types of sources in history, including archives, manuscripts, newspapers, archaeological sites, audio/visual materials and contemporary publications. |
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| K2. | Apply principles of arranging and describing archival collections. |
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| K3. | Critically assess primary and secondary sources |
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| K4. | Analyse the role of community and family history |
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| K5. | Understand ethical issues involved with acquiring and publishing historical objects and oral histories. |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Research topics relevant to course content, including locating and appraising authoritative sources both primary and secondary. |
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| S2. | Undertake archival description and object-based cataloguing |
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| S3. | Undertake archival research |
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| S4. | Undertake oral history interviews. |
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| S5. | Demonstrate skills in historical pedagogy and communication. |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Identify connection and tensions between issues, debates, concepts and perspectives related to course content. |
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| A2. | Utilise and integrate relevant conceptual and theoretical understandings in genealogical publishing. |
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| A3. | Plan and conduct online research, locating and managing historical data, and write socially responsible reports based on research |
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| Unit Content: |
Characteristics of Archives and manuscripts.
Development of record keeping systems
Government records – arrangement, conservation and storage.
Role of Planning Schemes and Heritage Overlays
Types of collecting institutions – government and private.
Role of Historical Societies.
Critical analysis of primary source materials – historiographical questions of truth, bias etc.
Newspaper research, esp. TROVE, British newspaper databases.
Digitisation of archives.
Family history research; Ancestry and difficult family history research – especially finding how people arrived in Victoria.
Privacy, freedom of information and copyright considerations
Legislation affecting Collecting institutions – Aboriginal and Archaeological considerations)
Oral history |
| Graduate Attributes: |
| Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FEDTASKS (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are be embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and Co-operative Learning opportunities. One or more FEDTASK, transferable Attributes, Skills or Knowledge must be evident in the specified learning outcomes and assessment for each FedUni Unit, and all must be directly assessed in each Course.
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| FED TASK and descriptor | Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit | | Level | FEDTASK 1
Interpersonal | Students will demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate, inter-act and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display skills in-person and/or online in: • Using effective verbal and non-verbal communication • Listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Showing empathy for others • Negotiating and demonstrating conflict resolution skills • Working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students will demonstrate the ability to apply professional skills and behaviours in leading others. Students will be required to display skills in: • Creating a collegial environment • Showing self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect • Inspiring and convincing others • Making informed decisions • Displaying initiative | Level 1 - Students require directions and boundaries from mentor | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students will demonstrate an ability to work in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically • Evaluating ideas, concepts and information • Considering alternative perspectives to refine ideas • Challenging conventional thinking to clarify concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving. | Level 1 - Students require directions and boundaries from mentor | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students will demonstrate the ability to work fluently across a range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Finding, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information • Collating, managing, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding to messages in a range of digital media • Contributing actively to digital teams and working groups • Participating in and benefiting from digital learning opportunities. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 5
Sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students will demonstrate the ability to consider and assess the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Making informed judgments that consider the impact of devising solutions in global economic environmental and societal contexts • Committing to social responsibility as a professional and a citizen • Evaluating ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Embracing lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to diverse others • Implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K2, K4, S1, S2, S5, A1, A3 | Catalogue an object belonging to an historical collection of a society or organization. | Catalogue entry | 25-30% | | 2. | K1, K2, S1, S3, S5, A1, A3 | Research Report on a property | Heritage Report | 30-35% | | 3. | K3, K5, S2, S3, S4, A1, A2 | Guide to a collection of primary sources. | Written report and audio-visual presentation | 40-45% |
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