Guide to the Human Relations Area Files (HRAF) in Print and Microfiche

The Human Relations Area Files (HRAF) are a specially organized collection of thousands of full text sources on almost 400 cultures worldwide. HRAF is useful for background information or specific data on a particular ethnic group, culture or country, as well as subjects like architecture, kinship, political structure or settlement patterns on a comparative cross-cultural basis.

HRAF is available in print, microfiche, and new installments are available only via eHRAF (for search hints, see the eHRAF World Cultures Guide). Many older installments, however, are available only in print or microfiche, not online. For a list of which cultures are covered in what format, see the table "HRAF Collection of Ethnography (complete collection) - April 15, 2008" available online at: http://www.yale.edu/hraf/CCL/HRAFCollectionList2008.pdf. Note: Roe (2002) notes that a small number of sources in the print version were not reproduced in microfiche due to copyright issues. Thus, the print version contaions unique material.

Two additional access points to HRAF are Outline of World Cultures (OWC) (025.419 M974ou 1983; shelved in HRAF area) and Outline of Cultural Materials (OCM) (025.419 M974o 2000; shelved in HRAF area and available online at http://www.library.uiuc.edu/edxold/hraf_ocm.pdf ).

SELECTING A CULTURE: OUTLINE OF WORLD CULTURES (OWC)

The Outline of World Cultures (OWC), organized geographically, classifies cultures by codes consisting of two letters and a number. All known cultures are listed in the OWC, but not all cultures have HRAF files since development of the files is ongoing. Please check the appended "Human Relations Area Files Collection of Ethnography" for information on which cultures have HRAF files in what formats.

The first letter of the OWC code corresponds to one of eight major geographical regions of the world:

A = Asia
E = Europe
F = Africa
M = Middle East
N = North America
O = Oceania
R = Russia
S = South America

The second letter of the code represents a regional subdivision, usually political or geographical-cultural. These regional subdivisions are often, but not always, countries.

The number portion of the code is a group identifier. These may represent geographical-cultural units, country entities, or culture-bearing population units. Historical and archaeological cultures are also included (e.g., NT3 = Prehistoric Southwestern U.S.).

The detailed index to OWC allows access to a specific culture when its geographical region is not known. For an A-Z index of cultures included in eHRAF, see http://ets.umdl.umich.edu/cgi/e/ehraf/ehraf-idx?c=ehrafe;browse=owc;start=1;size=25 .

RESEARCHING TOPICS AND SUBJECTS: OUTLINE OF CULTURAL MATERIALS (OCM)

Outline of Cultural Materials (OCM) codes represent various topics and subject headings that you may wish to research. Each OCM code consists of a three digit number: the first two digits represent general subject categories which are then further subdivided into more specific, related terms.

The OCM "Table of Contents" (PDF) provides a brief listing of these codes and subjects. You should also check the subject description in the OCM (also available in print), to ensure that the subject you have selected covers the topics in which you are interested. A useful "see also" section follows each explanation and indicates other related topics.

The detailed alphabetical index to the OCM (also availabe in print), was set up to facilitate use of the HRAF files for all social and behavioral scientists. An effort was made to include terms utilized in the fields of political science, economics, geography, and general science.

AIDS FOR CROSS-CULTURAL STUDY

Index to the Human Relations Area Files
The Index may be used to find whether there is information in the files on a given OCM topic for a particular cultural group. The 1988 cumulative edition of the index is on microfiche and can be obtained from a staff member.

The equivalent for the eHRAF files is available at eHRAF's Subject Categories by clicking on the term and then on the [eHRAF Ethnography Documents with this OCM] link to locate any documents pertaining to that subject. All information is listed by OCM category code; if your culture group is not listed under a given OCM category code, then there is not any information processed for that combination of culture and cultural material.

Probability Sample File
A Probability Sample File (PDF) was created in order to facilitate cross-cultural studies. This file lists sixty culture files which are fairly complete in their coverage of OCM topics. This file also suggests cultures that can be substituted for the original sixty.

PHYSICAL FORMAT OF THE HRAF FILES

Physical Format
There are three distinct formats in the HRAF files at the UIUC Library.

1. The older format consists of 5" x 8" individual paper file pages produced in two slightly different styles. Each OCM category is separated by paper dividers.
picture of paper HRAF file

2. Microfiche sheets, which hold up to 60 individual file pages, were in use from 1984 through 1994. Microfiche sheets contain "flashers" -- eye-readable OCM category numbers which indicate the beginning of each new category.
picture of microfiche HRAF file

3. HRAF began to be issued in electronic format in 1995, available online as eHRAF. Retrospective conversion of the print and fiche text has not been done, so a comprehensive search will involve the paper or fiche and eHRAF.

The HRAF print and microfiche files are made up of individual file pages. These file pages are facsimile reproductions of pages from source articles and monographs. Files are arranged geographically. Within a given culture group, file pages are arranged according to OCM code which are written in the margin of the file pages to indicate relevant information within a file page. The complete works covered in the file are reproduced at the beginning of each file.

The top line of each file page contains coded information related to the author, reliability of the data, years during which the field work was conducted, and year of publication. Keys to these codes are listed below:

Author Identification

A: Archaeologist, Antiquarian
B: Folklorist
C: Technical Personnel (engineers, agricultural experts, foreign aid advisors)
D: Physician, Physical Anthropologist
E: Ethnologist, Social Anthropologist (formerly used also for Sociologist, see Z)
F: Foreign Resident
G: Government Official (Administrator, soldier, foreign diplomat)
H: Historian
I: Indigene
J: Journalist
K: Geographer
L: Linguist
M: Missionary, Clergyman
N: Natural or Physical Scientist
O: Lawyer, Judicial
P: Psychologist
Q: Humanist (philosopher, critic, editor, writer, etc.)
R: Artisan (artist, musician, architect, dancer)
S: Social Scientist (other than those designated)
T: Traveler (tourist, explorer)
U: Unknown
V: Political Scientist, Propagandist
W: Organizational Documents and Reports (constitutions, law codes, government or UN reports and documents, censuses)
X: Economist, Businessman
Y: Educator (teacher, school administrator)
Z: Sociologist

Source Evaluation: (Gives an indication of the quality of the data).

1: Poor sources
2: Fair sources
3: Good, useful sources, but not uniformly excellent
4: Excellent secondary data (e.g., compilations and/or interpretations of original data and primary documents)
5: Excellent primary data (e.g., travelers' accounts, ethnological studies, etc., as well as primary documents such as legal codes, other legal documents, autobiographies, etc.)

LOCATION AND USE OF THE HRAF FILES

All print and microfiche files are in the file cabinets located beyond the book shelves in the back room of the Education and Social Science Library. The files are arranged alphanumerically first by OWC code (i.e., geographically by continent or region) and then subdivided by OCM category. Keys to the filing cabinets may be obtained from the office staff.

Removing paper file pages and microfiche:

When removing paper file pages, please remove the file divider and all file pages behind that particular divider (i.e., all file pages within the OCM category). Microfiche cards can be removed individually. PLEASE DO NOT REFILE PAPER FILE PAGES OR MICROFICHE!

After use, paper file pages and microfiche should be placed in the bins on top of the filing cabinets.

INFORMATION ON SOURCES USED IN HRAF

Source information in the files
Each file page lists the source number from which the page was drawn. Information on these sources can be found in OCM categories 110-116.

OCM 111 - provides full bibliographic citations for each source processed for the file. These are arranged chronologically by source number.

OCM 112 - provides bibliographic information on sources consulted but not processed for the file.

OCM 113 - contains additional references, consisting of bibliographic information that appears in sources not included in HRAF (e.g. footnotes and endnotes).

OCM 116 - contains copies of the entire texts processed for the file. OCM 116 is especially useful for examining the context of a given file page within a given document or source article. (In some instances, HRAF was not able to secure permission to reproduce the entire document, but individual pages are reproduced within the relevant OCM headings).

HRAF Source Bibliography

In addition to OCM category 111 within each file, the Source Bibliography (blue binder in HRAF reference area) can be used to locate bibliographic information on sources contained in the HRAF files. Listings are arranged by OWC code, and the date in the upper left corner of each page indicates when each particular list was most recently updated. Updates are issued by HRAF at least once a year.

The HRAF files are not meant to be current events information sources. HRAF places emphasis on the addition of material on cultures not already included in the files rather than on updating information in the existing files.

CITING HRAF DOCUMENTS

Sources simply reproduced by HRAF (primarily English language monographs) can be cited as if the information were found directly in those sources (HRAF need not be mentioned). If HRAF sources are used heavily in research for a publication, however, authors sometimes mention that fact in a note.

Citations for sources translated for HRAF should contain translation information (e.g. "Translated for the Human Relations Area Files by M. E. Fontaine, 1989").

HRAF REFERENCE GUIDES AND INDICES

UNCAT: HRAF	HRAF Source Bibliography: Cumulative, 1976.
MFICHE 016.306 H88	Index to the Human Relations Area Files, 1988-. Continues Index to the HRAF Files, Supplement I, Steffens, 1979 and Index to the HRAF Files Naroll and Morrison, 1972 (both of which are 8 print vols.) This index may be used to find whether there is information in the files on a given OCM topic for a particular cultural group. The 1988 cumulative edition is on microfiche and can be obtained from a staff member. The equivalent for the eHRAF files is available at eHRAF's Subject Categories by clicking on the term and then on the [eHRAF Ethnography Documents with this OCM] link to locate any documents pertaining to that subject. If a culture group is not listed under a given OCM category code, then there is not any information in the files for that combination of culture and cultural material.
UNCAT: HRAF	Nature and Use of the HRAF Files: A Research and Teaching Guide, Lagace, Robert O. New Haven: Human Relations Area Files, 1974.
930.101 P413o	Outline of Archaeological Traditions, Peter N. Peregrine, ed. 2001. A companion to the eHRAF Collection of Archaeology, this text is “an attempt to catalog all known archaeological traditions, covering the entire globe and the entire prehistory of humankind.” Each entry provides the name of the tradition; the approximate time period for the tradition; brief information on the tradition’s location and salient characteristics; and the tradition’s alphanumeric code used in the eHRAF Collection of Archaeology.
025.49 M974o 2000	Outline of Cultural Materials, 5th Edition with Modifications, 2000. George P.Murdock, et al., eds. A comprehensive classification scheme used by HRAF to index ethnographic and archaeological texts by subject. Cross references are provided along with scope notes. An alphabetical index is also provided which uses terms common to all social science disciplines, which may be helpful to those less familiar with anthropological terminology. The 5th edition reflects changes made in subject-indexing the new eHRAF Collection of Archaeology, as well as shifts in ethnographic research interests.
025.419 M974ou 1983	Outline of World Cultures, 5th ed., Murdock, George P. New Haven: Human Relations Area Files, 1983. A geographical classification of all cultural groups worldwide. Each group is assigned a code consisting of two letters and a number. All known cultures are listed, but not all cultures listed here have HRAF files since development of the files is ongoing.