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5. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Historical background is about the discoverer/developer. Specifically:
- · How was the concept discovered? (What experiments led to the discovery?)
- · What are the main points of the discoverer’s life? (What could have influenced this discovery?)
- · Other important general facts about the discoverer.
- · Social context of the time of the discovery.
For example, Robert Boyle (Boyle’s Law) was a colleague of Robert Hooke (Hooke’s Law of Ideal Springs). He worked with Hooke to envision gas particles like springs, which influenced his own development of Boyle’s Law.
Historical background also includes how this discovery was used to influence other scientists’ work and other socio-political events since the discovery. (Not Real World Application, which is ideas, but specific events and scientists.)
Historical background is very useful for teachers and students. Often, it is difficult to learn science because it is taught from a sterile perspective, rather than the (true) human perspective of discovery and investigation. Ideally, if students see what led scientists to their conclusions, they will be easier to accept and internalize.
Historical background should be researched and appropriately cited. It is best to create superscript numbers for end-notes and cite the sources in the Works Cited section at the bottom.
It is immaterial what official citation format you use, as long as it is consistent.
