Computing for Historians: An Introductory Guide

This guide is intended to introduce historians to some of the ways in which the computer revolution can be of benefit in dealing with their sources and presenting their findings. Based on the authors' practical experience, the book aims to demonstrate the use of databases for the storage and analysis of historical sources, and discusses a fundamental aspect of computing - the presentation of historical findings using a word processor. The book falls into three parts. Part 1 provides a general background, explaining how historians can use the computer, setting out the basic elements of a computer system and demonstrating how historians can use the word processor. Part 2 covers the basics of using a database and explains the description, correlation and sampling of simple statistics. Part 3 explores more advanced database techniques and demonstrates the use of tables and spreadsheets. The book is aimed especially at university students, although it should also be useful in secondary schools at an advanced level, and is based on the level of technology available in universities, schools and even homes in the early 1990s.