What does a Historian do?

According to people in this career, the main tasks are...

TaskImportance
Gather historical data from sources such as archives, court records, diaries, news files, and photographs, as well as from books, pamphlets, and periodicals.
84%
Organize data, and analyze and interpret its authenticity and relative significance.
80%
Prepare publications and exhibits, or review those prepared by others, to ensure their historical accuracy.
78%
Organize information for publication and for other means of dissemination, such as via storage media or the Internet.
78%
Conduct historical research as a basis for the identification, conservation, and reconstruction of historic places and materials.
78%
Conserve and preserve manuscripts, records, and other artifacts.
77%
Present historical accounts in terms of individuals or social, ethnic, political, economic, or geographic groupings.
76%
Research the history of a particular country or region, or of a specific time period.
76%
Conduct historical research, and publish or present findings and theories.
76%
Determine which topics to research, or pursue research topics specified by clients or employers.
74%
Recommend actions related to historical art, such as which items to add to a collection or which items to display in an exhibit.
72%
Coordinate activities of workers engaged in cataloging and filing materials.
72%
Research and prepare manuscripts in support of public programming and the development of exhibits at historic sites, museums, libraries, and archives.
72%
Collect detailed information on individuals for use in biographies.
71%
Speak to various groups, organizations, and clubs to promote the aims and activities of historical societies.
68%
Teach and conduct research in colleges, universities, museums, and other research agencies and schools.
67%
Advise or consult with individuals and institutions regarding issues such as the historical authenticity of materials or the customs of a specific historical period.
66%
Interview people to gather information about historical events and to record oral histories.
63%
Trace historical development in a particular field, such as social, cultural, political, or diplomatic history.
62%
Edit historical society publications.
57%
Translate or request translation of reference materials.
52%