HIS4612 - Discovering British History II: Enquiry and Interpretation

Objectives:

(1) Analyse the problems posed by historical sources and the complexity and diversity which exists within historical explanation;
(2) Demonstrate sufficient understanding of the issues and arguments to begin to make their own decisions concerning the evidence and interpretations presented by other historians;\
(3) Formulate, test and modify a hypothesis and draw conclusions on the basis of predominantly primary source evidence;
(4) Give a brief presentation with the aid of powerpoint software (or equivalent)
(5) Report briefly on independent research in the form of an essay.

Content:

This module has two sections.
In the Enquiry section of the module students study primary sources on a clearly defined topic, identifying issues which the sources raise and using these to test their hypotheses and contextualizing their findings within current scholarship. Precise topics offered each year depend on staffing but may include, for instance, Alfred the Great and the Viking Invasions.
In the Interpretation section students examine one of the debates of history, for instance working-class life in Britain during the 1930s and World Ward II, considering in part, the extent to which historians disagree with each other when discussing such issues . Both sections encourage students to develop their research skills and understanding of how to use both primary and secondary sources, building on the basic skills developed in Discovering British History 1.

Learning and Teaching Information:

Learning is supported through weekly classes, using a range of teaching strategies, including role playing and empathy exercises in the Enquiry section.

Classes
Contact hours 29
Number of groups 2

Group Tutorials
Contact hours 15 mins x 4

Assessment:

001 Report 1 x 1500 words (end of sem 1) 30%
002 Group presentation 20 mins (end of sem 1) 20%
003 Assessed essay 1 x 2500 words (end of sem 2) 50%


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