A Glossary of Important Terms
(Mostly for history courses, but applicable to other areas as well)
I.General terms
Chronological = arranged in the order of time (past to present)
Civilization = social and cultural traditions that are characteristic of a particular group of people and/or a particular place, at a given time in history; often applies to the standards set by a more advanced, established society, or the high cultural achievements of a particular group
Contemporary = existing around the same time; may also refer to the current time period
Context = the background and specific circumstances of a subject, useful for determining connections between discrete events, people, etc.
Culture = everything about humans that is NOT biologically inherited through DNA, including language, religion, laws, art, foods, fashion, political or social structures, ideas, assumptions, expectations, etc.
Geographic = relating to the physical landscape
Thematic = relating mainly to a unifying subject or focus, rather than a particular time period or place
II. Types or fields of historical study
Cultural = the study of popular traditions and interpretations of historical experience through philosophy and the arts, broadly defined; often interdisciplinary and associated closely with intellectual history
Demographic = the quantitative study of changes in human population dynamics over time and space
Economic = historical studies relating to capital, production systems (agricultural, industrial, etc.), and other money-related issues
Environmental = examining the influence of natural phenomena (including landscape, climate, disease, etc.) on human history
Ethnic = the social/cultural study of specific ethnic groups and immigrants
Gender = examining how gender ideas, expectations and identities (more so than biological sex itself) affects societies and cultures historically
Intellectual = the study of ideas and philosophical trends in history, closely associated with cultural and political history
Interdisciplinary = the study, or practice, of a history that also applies the methods and approaches of other disciplines (such as archaeology, sociology, psychology, etc.)
Labor = the study of the historical development of working people. Including social/economic class structures and inequalities, industrial relations, and activism
Material = interpreting history through the study of physical objects, including buildings and physical spaces, furniture, clothing, toys, etc.
Medical = studying the effect of disease, and ideas about health, illness and disability on human history
Military = the study of armed conflict and its impact on historical societies, cultures, economies, and relationships with other groups
Political = the study of political events, ideas, movements, and leaders
Social = a very broad category of historical study, mainly focused on the lives and activities of ordinary people (rather than just leaders)
III. Critical Thinking Terms
Argument (opinion) = more than a statement of fact; a conclusive and persuasive statement that uses reasons or evidence for support
Bias = an inclination towards a particular perspective or point-of-view, inherent in almost any argument
Evidence = any kinds of examples or “clues” that can be used to demonstrate a particular argument
Historiography = methods, theories, and principles that historians apply to their study of the past; the study of what other historians have argued.
Interpretation = an understanding or explanation of the meaning behind someone else’s argument or opinion
Sources = anything that can give us information about the subject
- Primary source = any kind of document, artifact, or other material that was created in the historical context you are studying, or is directly related to that context
- Secondary source = any material or document created about the historical context you are studying, but by somebody removed from the context (a non-witness) – this includes textbooks and classroom lectures
- Tertiary source = a guide that can point you towards primary and/or secondary sources, such as an index or catalog
Subjective vs. objective
- Subjective = an observation, conclusion or statement based on one’s own interpretation of something more so than the thing itself
- Objective = an observation, conclusion or statement based solely on facts rather than one’s own interpretation