HR101-4-AU-CO:
Becoming a Historian

The details
2021/22
History
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Undergraduate: Level 4
Current
Thursday 07 October 2021
Friday 17 December 2021
15
14 October 2021

 

Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)

 

(none)

Key module for

BA V100 History,
BA V101 History (Including Year Abroad),
BA V102 History (Including Foundation Year),
BA V103 History (Including Placement Year),
MHISV199 History,
MHISZV98 History (Including Placement Year),
MHISZV99 History (Including Year Abroad),
BA MV91 History and Criminology,
BA MV92 History and Criminology (Including Placement Year),
BA MV98 History and Criminology (Including Foundation Year),
BA MV9C History and Criminology (Including Year Abroad),
BA QV21 History and Literature,
BA QV22 History and Literature (Including Placement Year),
BA QV2C History and Literature (Including Foundation Year),
BA VQ12 History and Literature (Including Year Abroad),
BA LV31 History and Sociology,
BA LV32 History and Sociology (Including Placement Year),
BA LV38 History and Sociology (Including Foundation Year),
BA LV3C History and Sociology (Including Year Abroad),
BA V1W6 History with Film Studies,
BA V1W7 History with Film Studies (Including Placement Year),
BA V1W8 History with Film Studies (Including Foundation Year),
BA V1WP History with Film Studies (Including Year Abroad),
BA V1L2 History with Human Rights,
BA V1L8 History with Human Rights (Including Foundation Year),
BA V1LF History with Human Rights (Including Year Abroad),
BA V1LG History with Human Rights (Including Placement Year),
BA V140 Modern History,
BA V144 Modern History (Including Foundation Year),
BA V148 Modern History (Including Placement Year),
BA V149 Modern History (Including Year Abroad),
BA VL12 Modern History and International Relations,
BA VL14 Modern History and International Relations (Including Placement Year),
BA VL18 Modern History and International Relations (Including Foundation Year),
BA VL1F Modern History and International Relations (Including Year Abroad),
BA LV21 Modern History and Politics,
BA LV22 Modern History and Politics (Including Placement Year),
BA LV28 Modern History and Politics (Including Foundation Year),
BA LV2C Modern History and Politics (Including Year Abroad),
BA V200 History and Heritage,
BA V201 History and Heritage (Including Foundation Year),
BA V202 History and Heritage (including Placement Year),
BA V203 History and Heritage (including Year Abroad),
BA VM10 History and Law,
BA VM11 History and Law (Including Foundation Year),
BA VM12 History and Law (including Placement Year),
BA VM13 History and Law (including Year Abroad),
BA V114 History and Drama,
BA V115 History and Drama (including Foundation Year),
BA V116 History and Drama (including Placement Year),
BA V117 History and Drama (including Year Abroad)

Module description

The module is designed to train students in the key skills necessary for university study, with specific emphasis on those skills specific to the discipline of history. By taking the module you will be given the opportunity to develop the following skills: research and information-gathering skills (including use of the internet); the critical analysis of primary and secondary sources; the construction and communication of ideas verbally and in writing; the ability to work in groups; and the development of a self-reflexive approach to your learning.

These skills are also transferable to the world of work. They are valued by employers and will be of benefit to you when applying for jobs in future. For this reason, the module will also help you to plan, to record and to reflect on your personal skills development. The aim is to ensure that this will be the start of an ongoing process that will continue throughout your university career and beyond.

Module aims

The main aim of the module is to introduce students to the study of History as an academic discipline and equip them with the necessary tools with which to study the subject. Students will begin to develop the skills employed by professional historians, as well as developing key transferable skills useful for university study and beyond.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students will:

1. Have deepened their understanding of the relationship between research, writing and history.

2. Be aware of the requirements of a history essay and how to write one.

3. Have discussed, practised and developed a range of skills relevant to the study of history at university level.

4. Have become more conscious of their strengths, as well as areas that need to be improved, and developed an awareness of the importance of regular reflection on the development of research and writing skills.

5. Have developed the confidence to work on issues individually and in groups.

Module information

General reading list:

Black, J. and Macraild, D.M., Studying History (Basingstoke, 2000).

Carr, E.H., What is History, 2nd edn. (Basingstoke, 2001).

Loughran, Tracey, A Practical Guide to Studying History: Skills and Approaches(London, 2017).

Learning and teaching methods

Lectures and seminars.

Bibliography

This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam Description Deadline Coursework weighting
Coursework   Footnotes Exercise    15% 
Coursework   Summary / Abstract (250 words)    15% 
Coursework   Finding the argument (750-1000 words)    35% 
Practical   Group presentation    35% 

Additional coursework information

Anticipated coursework assessment for 2021/22: A 250-word Summary/Abstract (15%); a 750-1000-word Finding the Argument (35%); a Footnotes Exercise (15%); and a Group Presentation (35%).

Exam format definitions

  • Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
  • In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary, for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.

Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.

Overall assessment

Coursework Exam
100% 0%

Reassessment

Coursework Exam
100% 0%
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Prof Tracey Loughran, email: t.loughran@essex.ac.uk.
Belinda Waterman, Department of History, 01206 872313

 

Availability
No
No
No

External examiner

Dr Mark Williams
Cardiff University
Senior Lecturer in Early Modern History
Resources
Available via Moodle
Of 50 hours, 47 (94%) hours available to students:
2 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
1 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.

 

Further information
History

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