Ethics in historical research

Context Although the subject matter and sources for historical research differ from that of mainstream health and social care research, there is still a requirement for historians to behave ethically and to follow a recognised code of practice (for example: American Association for State and Local History (AASLH), 2012).

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icon.png Practical example of ethics in historical research This article concerned a lady identified as Mary Rutherford Ives and was sent in to Keiron by a family historian asking for the report to be verified:

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There were many irregularities in this report:

No nurse has ever been awarded the Victoria Cross; The Victoria Cross was never awarded for general service and only for very specific acts of bravery in the face of the enemy; Mary Rutherford could not be identified on any data source related to the Boer War, although this in itself did not preclude her service; Mary Rutherford was not known as one of the Nightingale nurses who went to South Africa and they were well documented; If she had volunteered for service at the start of the war she could not have gone to the Transvaal, which at that point was a Boer Republic (unless she was a volunteer for the medical support to the Boers for which she would not have got recognition from Britain); Few nurses stayed four years in South Africa. The war lasted three years and those that stayed were those who joined the QAIMNS or who were retained for Government service. If she was awarded anything on her return after four years it would have been by the King as Queen Victoria had died by then. Like many family histories, their's was based on snippets of information and this newspaper report. What should I tell the family that asked for my help? Please post your answers in the Week 2: What should we say? discussion board.

icon.png References and Reading American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) (2012) Statement of Professional Standards and Ethics Download Statement of Professional Standards and Ethics. Nashville: AASLH