1. Collection of Data
The techniques of data collection is called heuristics
Data collection is concerned is with three aspects
Work identification of place
2. Data identification
3. Classification of the data.

2. Classification of data (sources)
Sources are classified into two types (i) Primary (ii) Secondary
Primary Sources
Primary sources are unpublished original material, contemporary records, journals, official transactions, minutes, proceedings, private letters, Archeological evidences, inscriptions, coins, literary evidences, foreign accounts, Folklore, ballads
Secondary sources
Secondary sources are published work in material form like books, journals, and later works.

3. Work Identification of data
Most of the primary sources were available in State Official record repositories called Archives. In archives a researcher can get original records about an events, important statesmen, administrators, government policies etc
Popular Archives: Government Archives 1. British Record Office, London, India Record office London, National Archives, New Delhi, Regional Archives in states.
Institutional Archives: 1. Jesuit Archives in Senbagnur (Kodaikannal) 2. DRM Railway Archives Trichy 3. AIR Sound Archives Trichy

4. Preparing Bibliography
Preparing bibliography gives a research scholar an idea of the range of materials on the subject.
The bibliography work is a continuous process. It requires periodic addition.
A bibliography is prepared by using the card catalogues system like indexes used in libraries
Here also a scholar should use the card system.
Copy each title on a separate card generally 3x5 inches, keep these cards in alphabetical order
different kind of bibliography would be required from that of area of research history

5. Bibliography
Bibliography means is a list of the books referred to in a scholarly work. The Relevant Sources are listed. In writing bibliography certain principles are formulated for the citation of sources.
Reference to Published Work.
Name of the Author starts with Intials,
Title of the Work(Italic),
Volume Number & Part(if any)
Publishers name,
Place of Publication,
Year of Publication,
Page number.

6. Ex. To Reference to Published Work
V.A. Smith, Catalogue of the coins in the Indian Musuem, Oxford, 1906, p-131
2. B. N. Mukherjee’s, Commentary on H.C. Raychaudhari’s Political history of Ancient India, 8th Edn, New Delhi, 1996, pp-592-6

7. Reference to an Unpublished Thesis
Name of the Author with Initials,
Title of the Thesis,(with in Quotations)
Degree for which the thesis was submitted,
Name of the University,
Year of Submission,
Page number.

8. Ex.Reference to an Unpublished Thesis
Sanjukta Das Gupta, ‘ A middle Indian Tribe in Transition: The Ho of Singbhum, ’, Ph.D. thesis,Calcutta University, 2006, Chp.2, p-22
K. Chandran, ‘Working Class Movement in Kerala’,Ph.D. Thesis, M.K. University, Maduari, 1990, p-273

9. Reference to an Article
Name of the author(contributor) with Initials,
Title of the article,(in Double Quotations)
Title of the Journal,(Italic)
Serial Number,
Place,
Year of Publication,
Page Nunber.

10. Ex. Reference to an Article
Iqtedar Alam Khan, “ Middle Class in Mogul Empire”, The Proceedings of the Indian History Congress, Aligarh Session (Aligarh,,1975), p-50
M. Rama Rao, “ Religion in Ancient Andhradesa”, Oriental Journal, VOL.VII,(Kavali,1964), pp50-55

11. Reference To Inscriptions
Name of the Source(add if any editor name mentioned),-Italic
Source location in brackets,
Number of Volume,
Number of Plate or pages

12. Ex. Reference To Inscriptions
Inscriptions of the Vakatakas, corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum, Vol.V, ( Archaeological Survey of India, Ootacamund, 1965), p-22f
H. Krishna Sasatri,ed, South Indian Inscriptions, (Manuscript Library, Madras), Vol-II, plate-6

13. Reference to Archival Sources
1. Name of the Document, 2. Number of the document/file, 3.Date of the document issued, 4. Page number, 5. Place of source Location.

14. Ex. Reference to Archival Sources
Home Political Deposit, File no.21/ File nos , May 1918, p-96,(National Achieves of India)
Public, G.O.342, 18/4/1918, p-4(Tamil Nadu state Achieves)

15. Reference to Letter Name of the person who wrote,
To whom it was written,
Place and date
Present location of citation

16. Ex.Reference to Letter
H. Harrison, Letter to War department, Indian Affairs, Vol. IV, 18th November, 1786, NAI