宋代是史學極盛的時代，不僅超越漢唐，而且凌駕元明，甚至清代史學亦有所不及。宋代史學的特質可述者四：（一）博徵與考信。史學著作徵引浩博，體大思精，考證謹嚴，如司馬光修成《資治通鑑》，自為《考異》。（二）經世與義理。歷史在述人事，前代治亂足為今日之鑑戒。而人事之善惡是非尤賴辨明，方為對後世有益，故應重義理。（三）承襲前代的編年體和紀傳體，並恢宏了編年史體，更進而創綱目體和紀事本末體。（四）貫古與通今，宋代史家長於考證古史，亦重通史，以求通古今之變，尤其對本朝史的纂修成就。

　　　　　The study of history during the Song Dynasty thrived to an extent unseen before and since. Among its special features are:(1)wide references and extensive textual research; (2)emphasis upon the application of historical knowledge and perspectives; (3)the introduction of new styles in history writing ;(4)the construction of a general history. The historians in the Song period were devoted to a very wide varieties of subject matter, and very productive in their research, dwarfing historians in the Yuan and Ming Dynasties. Even the historians in the Q'ing Dynasty were no match to their Song's predecessors, whether in historiographical research or in the study of contemporary history.