自然科学与社会科学是科学的基本类别，自然科学是研究自然界各种物质和现象的科学，社会科学则是研究各种社会现象的科学。研究对象的不同，决定了研究方式、方法的不同。但是，历史研究的方法无论在自然科学领域还是社会科学领域都是不可或缺的研究方法。
我认为，所谓历史方法就是对自然界、人类社会某种事物、现象的发展、衍变及其规律、原因进行探究的研究方法。这种方法可以帮助我们更准确、客观的认清事物或现象的本质，发展的轨迹，以及发生、发展的原因和未来变化的趋势。
总之，任何事物或现象都不可能是骤然产生、瞬间消失，都有一个发生、发展、衍变的过程，将研究对象纳入到一定的时代序列中并做出历史的描述，是当前研究中必要的、科学的研究方法。
Science is generally classified into natural science, the study of various substances and phenomena in nature, and social science, the research of various social phenomena. Though the adoption of different research methods is determined by subjects to be researched, historical approach is indispensable in both social and natural sciences.
The approach is referred to as the study of an object or a phenomenon in nature or human society in terms of its development, evolution and related regularities and reasons. It can help recognize in a more accurate and more objective way not only the nature and developing locus of objects or phenomena, but also reasons for their occurrence and development and the tendency of their future change.
In summary, it is nowadays a necessary and scientific research method to offer a historical description of the research subject in a certain time sequence, as any object or phenomenon definitely cannot occur or disappear all of a sudden, rather, it goes through a process of occurrence, development and evolution.
