Introductory description

Undertaking a dissertation will allow students to undertake a substantive piece of historical research and produce an article-length essay. It gives students the opportunity to work in a way similar to an academic historian: identifying a suitable research topic; mastering the relevant historiography; immersing themselves in a wide variety of primary sources, where appropriate; and being able to sustain a coherent and logical argument. As a final year module it will encourage students to put the training received in their earlier years of study to practical use.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Summer Term of Year 2
Week 4 Lecture: what is a dissertation; linking the dissertation to a third-year module; summer preparation
Weeks 4-10: Preliminary meeting with dissertation supervisor

Autumn Term of Year 3
Week 1 Lecture: how to narrow down your subject and find a good research question
Week 2 Lecture: how to develop a secondary bibliography; how to engage with secondary literature
Week 3 Lecture: how to find and use primary sources; ethical considerations
Week 4 Lecture: planning; writing the dissertation; presentation
Week 5 Lecture: what can we learn from the experience of others; what makes a good dissertation
Weeks 1-5: Second meeting with supervisor: finding an area
Week 7 -10: Third meeting with supervisor: designing a proposal; locating sources; planning
Week 10: Submission of title and description to Department

Spring Term of Year 3
Weeks 1-5: Fourth meeting with supervisor: discussion of progress on research and thinking
Weeks 7-10: Fifth meeting with supervisor: progress on research and thinking; guidance on oral presentation of work
Week 10: Presentation on dissertation

Summer Term of Year 3
Weeks 1-2: Sixth meeting with supervisor: guidance on writing and final presentation of work
Week 2: Submission of dissertation

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Critically review and consolidate the secondary literature on their area of research.
• Act with minimal supervision and take responsibility to identify and design an original research project.
• Demonstrate an awareness of research ethics and personal responsibility and incorporate this into their practice where appropriate.
• Critically evaluate evidence from a range of primary sources to support their argument.
• Demonstrate a systematic understanding of their area of research to produce a coherently argued and professionally-written thesis.
• Effectively reflect on and communicate their research progress.

Subject specific skills

See learning outcomes.

Transferable skills

See learning outcomes.