Module Directory

You've spent years studying History – now is the opportunity to off your skills as a historian. The History Research Project is the culmination of the degree scheme. Building on and extending the skills developed in the earlier parts of the degree, you will contribute to historical knowledge and understanding through conducting independent research on a topic of your choice.

You will have the opportunity to choose how you want to present your research. You can choose to submit an 8,000-word dissertation or a 5,000-word research report plus a public history output such as a podcast, web resources, or film script that showcases historical research for a non-academic audience. Whichever route you choose, you will be supported by the expert guidance of an academic supervisor who will help you to identify and analyse primary sources, place these in the context of secondary sources, and understand your topic in relation to wider themes and debates.

The aims of this module are:

• To communicate ideas and arguments effectively, whether verbally or in writing, in an accurate, succinct and lucid manner.


• To identify and analyse different types of primary sources.


• To understand historical arguments as presented in secondary scholarship.


• To negotiate between primary and secondary sources in formulating historical argument.


• To formulate and justify arguments and conclusions about a range of issues, and present appropriate supporting evidence,


• To use a range of resources to assist with information retrieval and assignment presentation.


• To manage their time effectively and independently organise their workloads.

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:

1. Identify an appropriate area of historical, historiographical or conceptual enquiry.


2. Conduct a search for materials and sources relevant to their chosen area and produce a preliminary bibliography.


3. Devise and, in the light of subsequent research, modify a plan of the dissertation. Students will develop the ability to critically analyse examine primary sources.


4. Evaluate and engage critically with relevant historiographies.


5. Integrate their understanding and analyses of primary and secondary evidence in coherent discussions of their chosen topic.


6. Formulate and justify their own arguments and conclusions based on a detailed analysis of primary and secondary sources.


7. Deliver an assessed ten-minute presentation on an aspect of their research, and afterwards take questions from their peers.


8. Present, accurately, succinctly and lucidly, their arguments in forms appropriate to their intended audience(s).


9. Organise their time effectively to work independently.

Introductory Reading

• Jules R. Benjamin, A Student's Guide to History (9th edition, Boston, 2004), especially chapter 4 and appendices.


• Jeremy Black and Donald M. MacRaild, Studying History (3rd edition, Macmillan, 2007), especially chapter 9 on writing a dissertation.


• Stella Cottrell, Dissertations and Project Reports. A Step By Step Guide (Palgrave Study Skills (Palgrave Macmillan, 2014).


• Simon Gunn and Lucy Faire (eds), Research Methods for History (2nd edition, Edinburgh University Press, 2016).


• Tracey Loughran (ed.), A Practical Guide to Studying History. Skills and Approaches (Bloomsbury, 2017).


• Colin Robson, How to Do a Research Project. A Guide for Undergraduate Students (2nd edition, Wiley, 2014.)


• Gary Thomas, Doing Research (Palgrave Pocket Study Skills, 2nd edition, 2017).


• Gary Thomas, How to do your Research Project. A Guide for Students (3rd edition, Sage Publications, 017).


• Kate Williams, Planning Your Dissertation (Palgrave Pocket Study Skills, 2013).

This module will be delivered via:

• Six 50-minute lectures.
• Three 20-minute workshops.

All Module information will be available via Moodle. Key readings will be digitised an available on Talis Aspire.