Topics in History is a module taken by all single- and joint-honours History students, which will develop students' ability to design and deliver a historical research project, both individually and as part of a group. It achieves this through a combination of general skills lectures, specialist seminar workshops, and independent study meetings. Alongside a programme of weekly lectures in historical research design and delivery skills, students will choose one from a number of specialist options related closely to the research interests of the academic staff teaching on the module in a given year. Through fortnightly staff-led seminar workshops, students will work in small groups to devise and investigate a tailored research project relating to the broader specialist topic area, through detailed engagement with secondary literature and primary sources. In addition students will meet weekly without academic supervision, to develop their projects. Assessors will judge the Group Presentation on the basis of 'content' and 'style'. There will be integrated academic and peer assessment (i.e. presenting groups taking turns to act as assessing groups).
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module students should be able to:
analyse and explain key events and historical processes relevant to the chosen topic
analyse and explain reasons for and implications of these events and processes (including analysis of primary evidence where appropriate
identify the main scholarly views on the topic under investigation
work effectively in examining a specific historical topic, normally as part of a group
synthesise and analyse a range of primary and secondary sources using oral and visual communication skills in the context of a group presentation
demonstrate the ability to independently conceptualise and design an individual research topic in the form of the research proposal
Assessment
Assessment Methods & Exceptions
Assessment:
50% group presentation (20 minutes). The mark awarded reflects the performance of the group. The timing reflects a student group size of c.4-5.
50% 1,000 word research proposal.
Reassessment:
Research proposal: resubmission of failed component (50%)
Individual absence from Group Presentation: 5 minute individual video presentation (50%)