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Hallo Kameraden!
I have been thinking about a “Research How To,” and have come up with this “quick and dirty,” basic, “exercise in researching” to take Newcomers to research through a sample “project.”
Granted, it is not a “full blown,” complete, or exhaustive study, but I believe it may be of help start for those down the path of researching. Of the three basic question forms of research, this project is of the “Descriptive” type research. Meaning, it seeks primarily to describe what existed, and what was going on.
It is intended to “instruct” on process, not to fully cover everything and all things from researching to proving or disproving the hypothesis I have created for this quickie post.
This “how to” is not about how to “write a research paper;” it is how to do one form of basic research and then move to the area of “applied research” in how the results can be used to further our knowledge and improve our impressions/personae.
This is done to help counter “The Dangers and Pitfalls of Internet Laziness” as well as “Hobby Lore and Myth.”
“Internet Laziness” is the total or near total over-reliance on “virtual research.” At its worst, it can and does, make one lazy- plus it also prevents as well as erodes basic research skills.
One of the key goals of “research” is to develop the ability to understand artifacts, relics, and documents and then make links between multiple sources, and then make inferences and analyses that can be applied to Reenacting and Living History.
This can only be achieved through the process of selecting, viewing and analyzing “reference material” both “in person and in the flesh“ as well as through shared research, interpretation, analysis, inference, and application to our impressions and personae.
The Internet should be seen as a research tool, not a research substitute.
On to the Project then…
This is just a constructed “project’ to illustrate research methods and techniques. It is not intended as an exhaustive or definitive study on the topic…
Part 1: “The Idea”
This is a made up exercise. Any similarities between me and any and all reenacting or living history units with my name, or the name of “Company “B” of the 116th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry,” is used here for instruction only and bears no connection or intentional or unintentional coincidences to persons or units real or imagined.
Background: I am a member of Company “B” of the 116th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, a “PM” (Progressive Mainstream) unit. Our impression is of Company “B” during Gettysburg in July 1863. Our unit standards call for cartridge box plates and waist belt plates sold by Sutler Sam’s Skinner Mercantile. I want to be more authentic, and suspect that the Pakistani plates are not historically correct in the first place, and not correct for Company “B,” at Gettysburg in 1863 in the second place.
Part 2: “Literature Search”
What does the printed and on-line “literature” reference materials say about this topic?
Are there books on the 116th PA?
Are there papers on the 116th PA?
Are there for a postings on the 116th PA?
Part 3: "Form a Hypothesis"
This involves doing some critical thinking and condensing things down to a simple statement of “belief.” To “get there,” one needs to look at a variety of questions, such as, but no limited to:
1. What manner of plates was Company “B” of the 116th PA using at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863?
A. What did they look physically look like (materials, pattern, form, dimensions, markings, etc.),?
B. Who made them? Where did they come from (arsenal, contractor)?
2. What manner of plates does the recreated Company “B” of the 116th PA use now?
A. What do they look physically look like (materials, pattern, form, dimensions, markings, etc.)?
B. Who made them?
One’s “Thesis Statement” is like a declaration of your belief. The main portion of one’s research will consist of evidence, inferences, and arguments to support and defend this belief.
After reviewing the “literature” and the research of others (if there is any), after looking at a number of ideas, notions, observations, and questions- I (as a member of Company “B,” of the 116th PA have the following hypothesis to research:
I believe that the cartridge box and waistbelt plates now being used by Company “B” of the 116th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry are not historically correct for Company “B” of the 116th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry during Gettysburg in July of 1863.
Part 4: "Setting the Stage To Prove or Disprove the Hypothesis"
Getting to the “actual physical research.”
My “literature search” turned up nothing on Company “B,” of the 116th PA in regards to their accoutrement plates.
However, a review of Sydney Kerksis’s PLATES AND BUCKLES OF THE AMERICAN MILITARY 1795-1874, and Michael O’Donnell and J. Duncan Campbell’s AMERICAN MILITARY BELT PLATES has given me a basic understanding of the “evolution” of waist belt and cartridge box plates from Prewar “large flat ovals” to “medium flat ovals” to “medium convex ovals;” as well as from “puppy paw” studs to “arrowhead” studs.
A search of modern day maker and vendor/sutler offerings, over the past 30 years, shows:
1. Some 90% of the plates are of a mid to late 1863 “medium convex oval” with arrowhead stud, design as typified by Kerksis Figure 32, or O’Donnell & Campbell’s Plate 507. This is the MOST commonly found CW Reenacting plate.
Hobby lore states that these are struck from original Civil War dies.
2. Some 8% of the plates are of a similar design, but one that is “softer” and does not match any known surviving plate. These are modern Pakistani copies being sold at the same prices as the better made plates as in No. 1 above, to boost sutler profits.
3. Some 1% or less of the plates are of a correct Pre War and Early War “large flat oval” design. These are more often found among the H/A end of the CW Community and are now being featured on the accoutrements made by the “premium” makers. Some of these also now include arsenal or contractor stamps- a feature not found on No. 1’s.
4. Some 1% or less are No. 2 above but with epoxy filler instead of being lead backed- marketed to reenactors concerned about toxic lead exposure.
Percentages do not add up to 100.
The “primary, secondary, and tertiary literature and relic searches” shows that No. 1 “style” plates, “medium convex ovals with arrowhead studs,” are a mid to late 1863 item (and contractors still made the earlier versions into 1864).
The “primary, secondary, and tertiary literature and relic searches” shows that No. 3 “style” plates, “large flat ovals with ‘puppy paw’ studs,” are a PreWar and Early War well into 1863.
Since I cannot yet find conclusive evidence what Company “B,” 116th PA Volunteers had at Gettysburg in July 1863, I will look to the PEC Concept (Plain, Everyday, and Common) to hope to find a plate that is “more probable” than a late 1863 to 1864 plate that would not have been there at that time.
I will use the relic and artifact “pool” housed at modern-day Gettysburg to provide the answers. Perhaps in the various collections on display there, will be documented Company “B,” 116th PA Volunteers plates. Failing that, the artifacts and relics should help determine what was PEC versus what came later and would not be probable let alone possible.
Next: Part 2 “Proving or Disproving the Hypothesis” and “Applying the Research Results.”
Curt-Heinrich Schmidt
I have been thinking about a “Research How To,” and have come up with this “quick and dirty,” basic, “exercise in researching” to take Newcomers to research through a sample “project.”
Granted, it is not a “full blown,” complete, or exhaustive study, but I believe it may be of help start for those down the path of researching. Of the three basic question forms of research, this project is of the “Descriptive” type research. Meaning, it seeks primarily to describe what existed, and what was going on.
It is intended to “instruct” on process, not to fully cover everything and all things from researching to proving or disproving the hypothesis I have created for this quickie post.
This “how to” is not about how to “write a research paper;” it is how to do one form of basic research and then move to the area of “applied research” in how the results can be used to further our knowledge and improve our impressions/personae.
This is done to help counter “The Dangers and Pitfalls of Internet Laziness” as well as “Hobby Lore and Myth.”
“Internet Laziness” is the total or near total over-reliance on “virtual research.” At its worst, it can and does, make one lazy- plus it also prevents as well as erodes basic research skills.
One of the key goals of “research” is to develop the ability to understand artifacts, relics, and documents and then make links between multiple sources, and then make inferences and analyses that can be applied to Reenacting and Living History.
This can only be achieved through the process of selecting, viewing and analyzing “reference material” both “in person and in the flesh“ as well as through shared research, interpretation, analysis, inference, and application to our impressions and personae.
The Internet should be seen as a research tool, not a research substitute.
On to the Project then…
This is just a constructed “project’ to illustrate research methods and techniques. It is not intended as an exhaustive or definitive study on the topic…
Part 1: “The Idea”
This is a made up exercise. Any similarities between me and any and all reenacting or living history units with my name, or the name of “Company “B” of the 116th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry,” is used here for instruction only and bears no connection or intentional or unintentional coincidences to persons or units real or imagined.
Background: I am a member of Company “B” of the 116th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, a “PM” (Progressive Mainstream) unit. Our impression is of Company “B” during Gettysburg in July 1863. Our unit standards call for cartridge box plates and waist belt plates sold by Sutler Sam’s Skinner Mercantile. I want to be more authentic, and suspect that the Pakistani plates are not historically correct in the first place, and not correct for Company “B,” at Gettysburg in 1863 in the second place.
Part 2: “Literature Search”
What does the printed and on-line “literature” reference materials say about this topic?
Are there books on the 116th PA?
Are there papers on the 116th PA?
Are there for a postings on the 116th PA?
Part 3: "Form a Hypothesis"
This involves doing some critical thinking and condensing things down to a simple statement of “belief.” To “get there,” one needs to look at a variety of questions, such as, but no limited to:
1. What manner of plates was Company “B” of the 116th PA using at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863?
A. What did they look physically look like (materials, pattern, form, dimensions, markings, etc.),?
B. Who made them? Where did they come from (arsenal, contractor)?
2. What manner of plates does the recreated Company “B” of the 116th PA use now?
A. What do they look physically look like (materials, pattern, form, dimensions, markings, etc.)?
B. Who made them?
One’s “Thesis Statement” is like a declaration of your belief. The main portion of one’s research will consist of evidence, inferences, and arguments to support and defend this belief.
After reviewing the “literature” and the research of others (if there is any), after looking at a number of ideas, notions, observations, and questions- I (as a member of Company “B,” of the 116th PA have the following hypothesis to research:
I believe that the cartridge box and waistbelt plates now being used by Company “B” of the 116th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry are not historically correct for Company “B” of the 116th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry during Gettysburg in July of 1863.
Part 4: "Setting the Stage To Prove or Disprove the Hypothesis"
Getting to the “actual physical research.”
My “literature search” turned up nothing on Company “B,” of the 116th PA in regards to their accoutrement plates.
However, a review of Sydney Kerksis’s PLATES AND BUCKLES OF THE AMERICAN MILITARY 1795-1874, and Michael O’Donnell and J. Duncan Campbell’s AMERICAN MILITARY BELT PLATES has given me a basic understanding of the “evolution” of waist belt and cartridge box plates from Prewar “large flat ovals” to “medium flat ovals” to “medium convex ovals;” as well as from “puppy paw” studs to “arrowhead” studs.
A search of modern day maker and vendor/sutler offerings, over the past 30 years, shows:
1. Some 90% of the plates are of a mid to late 1863 “medium convex oval” with arrowhead stud, design as typified by Kerksis Figure 32, or O’Donnell & Campbell’s Plate 507. This is the MOST commonly found CW Reenacting plate.
Hobby lore states that these are struck from original Civil War dies.
2. Some 8% of the plates are of a similar design, but one that is “softer” and does not match any known surviving plate. These are modern Pakistani copies being sold at the same prices as the better made plates as in No. 1 above, to boost sutler profits.
3. Some 1% or less of the plates are of a correct Pre War and Early War “large flat oval” design. These are more often found among the H/A end of the CW Community and are now being featured on the accoutrements made by the “premium” makers. Some of these also now include arsenal or contractor stamps- a feature not found on No. 1’s.
4. Some 1% or less are No. 2 above but with epoxy filler instead of being lead backed- marketed to reenactors concerned about toxic lead exposure.
Percentages do not add up to 100.
The “primary, secondary, and tertiary literature and relic searches” shows that No. 1 “style” plates, “medium convex ovals with arrowhead studs,” are a mid to late 1863 item (and contractors still made the earlier versions into 1864).
The “primary, secondary, and tertiary literature and relic searches” shows that No. 3 “style” plates, “large flat ovals with ‘puppy paw’ studs,” are a PreWar and Early War well into 1863.
Since I cannot yet find conclusive evidence what Company “B,” 116th PA Volunteers had at Gettysburg in July 1863, I will look to the PEC Concept (Plain, Everyday, and Common) to hope to find a plate that is “more probable” than a late 1863 to 1864 plate that would not have been there at that time.
I will use the relic and artifact “pool” housed at modern-day Gettysburg to provide the answers. Perhaps in the various collections on display there, will be documented Company “B,” 116th PA Volunteers plates. Failing that, the artifacts and relics should help determine what was PEC versus what came later and would not be probable let alone possible.
Next: Part 2 “Proving or Disproving the Hypothesis” and “Applying the Research Results.”
Curt-Heinrich Schmidt