How historians work The study of history involves many processes and techniques, but most historians follow a few basic steps in their work. First, they select for study an issue or person from some period of the past. Then they interpret the information obtained from these sources. Finally, they write a narrative history or a biography. Choosing and evaluating sources.
Historians use two main types of sources in their research, primary sources and secondary sources.
Primary sources consist of documents and other records produced during the period being studied. They include books, diaries, letters, and government records. Motion pictures and tape recordings also serve as primary sources. Secondary sources are materials prepared later by people who studied the primary sources. Historians choose documents that reveal most accurately the facts they wish to know.