Since immemorial times, man has sought to understand and act upon the world around him. To this end, he uses several ways to explore his surroundings, seeking an explanation for the phenomena, be they natural or not. One of these ways is based on the attention to elements that may seem insignificant, or irrelevant, but that carry essential information. These elements are called clues, that is, traces that can be spun for the construction of history. This article aims to analyze the conceptualization and historicization of the so-called indicia method using as reflexive support the text: "Signs: roots of an indicia paradigm", by Ginzburg (1989), at the same time as it inventories the academic production that uses the indicia method in the history of education in graduate programs in History and Education, seeking to understand if this is a theoretical-methodological paradigm viable to the historian of education. The search for the production took place on the Oasisbr Portal using the descriptor "indicial method". This is, therefore, a literature review and document analysis study. The results indicate that most of the research carried out with procedures of the indicative method comes from post-graduation programs in Education. Another important aspect concerns the possibilities of diversification of the research themes, which problematize the body, the woman, pedagogical practices, and educational policies using official sources.
