Historical Research Terms

noun a person who compiles bibliographies or works in the field of bibliography

• The bibliographer carefully cataloged and analyzed the rare manuscripts in the library.
• The bibliographer is the go-to person for all things related to books and documents.
• That bibliographer is a total bookworm, always surrounded by piles of books.
• As a bibliographer of life experiences, she could trace the origins of people's stories through their personal libraries.

noun a situation or information that is revealed or discovered

verb to be revealed or discovered; to become known

preposition to

• After a thorough investigation, the truth about the company's financial discrepancies finally came to light.
• I heard some gossip about what really happened at the party, but I'm not sure if it will ever come to light.
• The scandalous details of the celebrity's personal life are bound to come to light sooner or later.
• As she delved deeper into her memories, the forgotten emotions began to come to light.

noun a film bearing a miniature photographic copy of printed or other graphic matter, usually of a document or book, made for a library, archive, or the like

verb not applicable

adjective not applicable

adverb not applicable

pronoun not applicable

preposition not applicable

conjunction not applicable

interjection not applicable

article not applicable

• The library archives historical documents on microfilm for preservation purposes.
• I found some old newspapers on microfilm at the library.
• Let's check out the microfilm for some vintage gossip!
• The memories of that day are like tiny images on a microfilm strip, preserved in my mind forever.

noun a date that is later than the actual date

verb to assign a date that is later than the actual date

• The document was postdated to ensure it would not be processed before a certain date.
• I postdated the check so it wouldn't be cashed until after my payday.
• I told my friend to postdate the message so it looks like she sent it earlier.
• Her actions seemed to postdate her true feelings, creating a sense of confusion.

noun A note added to a mathematical or philosophical work as an explanation or commentary

• In his research paper, the scholar included a scholium to provide additional clarification on his findings.
• I added a little scholium at the end of my essay to explain my point further.
• I threw in a scholium at the end of my presentation to make sure everyone understood.
• The scholium at the end of the book served as a guiding light for readers to interpret the deeper meaning of the text.

noun Foundation is a noun that refers to the basis or support upon which something is built or established.

adverb Without is an adverb that indicates the absence or lack of something.

• The accusation made against him was without foundation and lacked any evidence.
• She claimed that the rumors about her were without foundation and completely untrue.
• That gossip is totally without foundation, don't believe a word of it.
• His argument was without foundation, like a house built on sand.