The Use of Quantitative Information in History - Topic for Discussion

Abstract:     
This text (published in Portuguese) deals with quantitative information (QI) as a historiographical instrument: its individual characteristics and those it displays in sets, its capacity to describe historical phenomena and its uses by historians. It examines in especial the meaning and the limits of quantitative precision in historiographical practice. It also discusses the object of QIs, the process of its generation and the standards employed. The concept of a historian's focus is introduced, combining temporal, spacial and conceptual axes and scales. The consequences of homogeneity and heterogeneity in time series and synchronic QI are discussed. Published in Locus-Revista de Historia, Juiz de Fora-MG, Brazil v14n1

Note: Downloadable document is in Portuguese.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 49

Keywords: QUANTITATIVE METHODS, CLIOMETRY, HISTORIOGRAPHY, HISTORICAL STATISTICS

JEL Classification: N01, B40, C00

Accepted Paper Series