Aims

Attract attention to the possibilities of enriching certain historic procedures through recourse to quantitative methods. Explanation of elementary techniques. At the end of the course, the student should be able to offer proof that, using the methods taught, he is able to critically solve simple historical problems based on numerical data.

Main themes

Criticism of numerical documentation
Treatment of a statistical series by elementary methods (data arrangement and treatment, descriptive analysis, graphic presentation)
Notions of sampling

Content and teaching methods

- Presentation of the interest of quantitative methods for solving historical problems - based on many examples. - Collection, arrangement and presentation of data. - Analysis and description of a data series (reduced to a unique value, dispersion and concentration indices). Analysis of a chronological curve. Data adjustment methods, correlation and covariation. - Simple and synthetic indices. - Sampling. Elementary presentation of a few techniques.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Prerequisites : The mathematical knowledge normally acquired by the end of humanities (secondary studies).
Evaluation : Written examination. Bearing on the theory and, principally, solutions to practical questions.
Teaching materials : Student notes.
Bibliography, a portfolio of graphics and statistical tables.
Teaching : by the instructor and, in some cases, assistants assigned by the Department.

Programmes in which this activity is taught

Other credits in programs