Modern History Dissertation Mode A

[Cambabol]

My main concern is: How much does the dissertation need to be based on primary sources?

I know this is an independent project and all that but I feel like we've hardly been given any instruction on how we are supposed to be doing our research. I was wondering if anyone who'd already done one had any idea/tips.

Also, this is probably a stupid question but if we're using something like interviews are we supposed to record the interview and include a transcript or anything like that?

And does your supervisor mark it and then someone else moderate?

And one last question(!), is there a mark scheme available or anything like that? I mean what are they looking for, aside from obvious things like a clear well argued paper with good use of evidence etc e.g. Do they want a theory base like IR do?

I'm feeling rather confused about all this and not too sure where to start! Thank you for any help/advice!

[someone]

Quoting cambabol from 23:26, 10th Jul 2007
My main concern is: How much does the dissertation need to be based on primary sources?

Mine was - but my topic was something that hadn't been studied that much. I think you definately need some.

I know this is an independent project and all that but I feel like we've hardly been given any instruction on how we are supposed to be doing our research. I was wondering if anyone who'd already done one had any idea/tips.

Make sure it is organised- i.e. have notes of all page numbers etc. Look for articles and books on saulcat, jstor and the historical abstracts database and then look at their footnotes. depends what your topic is where you should look for primary sources...

Also, this is probably a stupid question but if we're using something like interviews are we supposed to record the interview and include a transcript or anything like that?

I don't know

And does your supervisor mark it and then someone else moderate?

yes.

And one last question(!), is there a mark scheme available or anything like that? I mean what are they looking for, aside from obvious things like a clear well argued paper with good use of evidence etc e.g. Do they want a theory base like IR do?

not sure if there is a mark scheme. mine had a bit of theory in it but not that much and i got a decent mark.

I'm feeling rather confused about all this and not too sure where to start! Thank you for any help/advice!

Your supervisor is the person supposed to help you- although mine was rather hard to get hold of. I started by reading some of the secondary literature I found- but I didn't really start researching mine properly until after the summer (although might have saved some stress if i had) i mostly looked at old newspapers in the National Library of Scotland
I suspect that there isn't one right way to go about it and how you do depends on your topic so I can't really help that much.

I think if you go to the modern history library you can read dissertations submitted from previous years- maybe that will help give you an idea? (although the library might be closed over the summer im not sure)

[Okocim]

My modern history dissertation was done back in 2002 but I got a very good grade for it so perhaps if I outlined what I did it might help? My title was "The 19th century governess and images of womanhood".

Firstly, I read up on all the secondary literature I could get my hands on (I had a very unresearched topic!) and then tried to summarise what it was saying, what the key debates were, and the limitations of previous studies. (For example, I could find almost nothing written about Scottish, Welsh or 1800s-1840s governesses)

Next, I collected notes on all my primary sources (of which there were many - the National Library in Edinburgh was a Godsend).

Then, there was the writing up. That was hard. The results of my research were surprising and so I had to completely change direction several times. I don't think there are any right or wrong answers as to how you should structure a dissertation, but my overall argument broke down into three neat sections, so I wrote a chapter on each. Then I just added an introduction and conclusion and it was all done - simple as that!!!

This summer I'm doing another dissertation, but in HR this time rather than history. I'll be doing interviews and transcribing them (TIP: use coloured pens to highlight different themes within your transcribed interviews. It makes the process of analysis much easier). However, the transcripts are just for my notes and will not by included in my final submission as that would be considered unethical. I don't know whether it's the same in history, but your supervisor will be able to tell you.

Sorry this went on so long. I got a bit carried away. Good luck!

[Guest]

Quoting cambabol from 23:26, 10th Jul 2007
My main concern is: How much does the dissertation need to be based on primary sources?

Mine was - but my topic was something that hadn't been studied that much. I think you definately need some.

I know this is an independent project and all that but I feel like we've hardly been given any instruction on how we are supposed to be doing our research. I was wondering if anyone who'd already done one had any idea/tips.

Make sure it is organised- i.e. have notes of all page numbers etc. Look for articles and books on saulcat, jstor and the historical abstracts database and then look at their footnotes. depends what your topic is where you should look for primary sources...

Also, this is probably a stupid question but if we're using something like interviews are we supposed to record the interview and include a transcript or anything like that?

I don't know

And does your supervisor mark it and then someone else moderate?

yes.

And one last question(!), is there a mark scheme available or anything like that? I mean what are they looking for, aside from obvious things like a clear well argued paper with good use of evidence etc e.g. Do they want a theory base like IR do?

not sure if there is a mark scheme. mine had a bit of theory in it but not that much and i got a decent mark.

I'm feeling rather confused about all this and not too sure where to start! Thank you for any help/advice!

Your supervisor is the person supposed to help you- although mine was rather hard to get hold of. I started by reading some of the secondary literature I found- but I didn't really start researching mine properly until after the summer (although might have saved some stress if i had) i mostly looked at old newspapers in the National Library of Scotland
I suspect that there isn't one right way to go about it and how you do depends on your topic so I can't really help that much.

I think if you go to the modern history library you can read dissertations submitted from previous years- maybe that will help give you an idea? (although the library might be closed over the summer im not sure)