Modern History Dissertation

[Colleen]

Hello lovely people. I've already asked my module co-ordinator this (single history honours) but got a rather cold and unheakpful reply so thought I'd ask here instead.

I'd quite like to do the modern History Dissertation A, which I know requires a bit of forethought and getting a supervisor on side early on. However, I have no idea how you'd go about contacting a supervisor, other than just e-mailing. How is best to phrase this e-mail? Is it better to go in person? How much preperation do I need to have in advance?

All help appreciated!

[hr]

taking shots for mother nature

[Tigger]

If i were you i would find a nice helpful, (favourite) senior lecturer, and get his advice. not only can this be invaluable, but also he/she will be able to, possibly, in advance, give you some target information on the best person to present to dependant on your topic!
If its still a struggle, then you could always ask the advice of Katie Stevenson, 2nd year modules coordinator, or go further and spea to someone like nicky haxell. either way, i wish you luck!!!
xx


[hr]

My Wings Are Like A Shield of Steel...
(Claire Raynor)

[Guest]

before you approach a tutor how do you come up with a title? Can it be something that you have a interet in studying but have not done in university?

[Lord Alisk]

I'm doing mediaeval history, but I suppose that the process is the same. I just emailed the academic who I wanted to supervise my dissertation, we met, talked about it for a while, and we agreed he would supervise me.

I just e-mailed my supervisor straight out, and everything was fine (though as soon as I met him, it became so embarrassingly obvious how hopeless I was about an area I am quite interested in).

It didn't matter for me that my dissertation title is really vague - we deciced upon a title so wooly it could cover just about anything relating to 15th century northern England. I am hoping to do something pretty random, so it doesn't matter whether you have done anything relating to that or not.

In mediaeval history, each member of staff can only supervise four dissertation students, so you'd probably better get a move on.

In terms of phrasing the e-mail, I just said 'would you please supervise my dissertation, I am interested in ..., thanks'

[Okocim]

Quoting from 21:42, 16th Apr 2008
before you approach a tutor how do you come up with a title? Can it be something that you have a interet in studying but have not done in university?

Unless the rules have changed significantly in the last few years, you can choose any subject you like, so long as it gives you a narrow enough focus, offers some level of originality, is reasonably close to your supervisors's specialism, and there are plenty of primary and secondary sources for you to consult. Mine was on nineteenth-century British governesses - just because I love Jane Eyre and thought it would be interesting. It turned out to be a great topic to research in the end.

A tip: If you're going for something really obscure it will help to do some prior research and identify an initial list of sources to use BEFORE you speak to a potential supervisor. This will help to persuade them of your topic's viability (or give you a chance to change your mind quickly!)

[Garnet]

I think it's crazy for IR we have to submit a brief about our dissertations for next year in about 2 weeks time - i'm never going to have time to do proper research what with essays. - sorry not really related, just didn't deserve thread of its own

[hr]

so alive, so full of fire and music!

[unreg]

I ve found that going to the supervisor with a dissertation title in mind and meeting them directly is best. I ve done that with both of my dissertations for 4th year and have got two interesting and complimentary projects to do. One thing I had to be careful about was ensuring that the projects didnt overlap (they are both in the same general area of research) and they couldnt build on anything I ve done before or covered in other modules.

[Guest]

Yep, thats exactly the same for social anthropology. we have to do our research proposals for a few weeks time.

Quoting garnet from 18:43, 18th Apr 2008
I think it's crazy for IR we have to submit a brief about our dissertations for next year in about 2 weeks time - i'm never going to have time to do proper research what with essays. - sorry not really related, just didn't deserve thread of its own

[hr]

so alive, so full of fire and music!

[Guest]

be glad you dont do JH geography, got 5 modules on the go plus having to submit a 2000 word research proposal on the 2nd.

Quoting garnet from 18:43, 18th Apr 2008
I think it's crazy for IR we have to submit a brief about our dissertations for next year in about 2 weeks time - i'm never going to have time to do proper research what with essays. - sorry not really related, just didn't deserve thread of its own

[hr]

so alive, so full of fire and music!

[Colleen]

I've got a meeting to sort the whole thing out now so thanks for all your help! Now, if someone knows where I can find a timeturner to do all my reading for my classes, my essays and everything else I have to do, that would be great.

And as for those complaining about research projects; the history deadline is on Thursday. So it could be worse!

[hr]

taking shots for mother nature

[Edinburgh Boy]

One way to impress would to suggest a list of books/sources (especially of a primary type such as documents) that you could use to show that there is enough out there to support your topic.

What's yout topic?

[Colleen]

Charles II during the Interregnum. Not a great deal of work done on it previously, but enough primary sources in terms of letters, proclamations, propaganda and all the good stuff to fill by 12,000 words. I'm currently trying to haul together a list of it...

[hr]

taking shots for mother nature

[someone]

When i organised my history dissertation in i emailed my would be supervisor with some really vague idea and he suggested i write about something completely different- which i did in the end.
i think i also only handed in the form the day it was due in and not sure i had much of a list of sources (i might have just written
'newspapers') - although i cant remember exactly.
so really from what you are saying you sound very organised and shouldnt have much to worry about.

[Guest]

Quoting Colleen from 19:30, 21st Apr 2008
Charles II during the Interregnum. Not a great deal of work done on it previously, but enough primary sources in terms of letters, proclamations, propaganda and all the good stuff to fill by 12,000 words. I'm currently trying to haul together a list of it...

[hr]

taking shots for mother nature

I wouldn't pick it if a not a lot has been done on it previously. Even with plenty of primary sources it can still be difficult to write 12,000 relevant words and easy to go off the subject. Remember this is a dissertation not a phd, you don't need to offer the world a new insight to Charles II in the interregnum. You simply need to stick to the point, make good observations, look at the historiography and try to offer some interesting and maybe mildly original thoughts.

[Okocim]

[s]

I wouldn't pick it if a not a lot has been done on it previously. Even with plenty of primary sources it can still be difficult to write 12,000 relevant words and easy to go off the subject. Remember this is a dissertation not a phd, you don't need to offer the world a new insight to Charles II in the interregnum. You simply need to stick to the point, make good observations, look at the historiography and try to offer some interesting and maybe mildly original thoughts.

[/s]

I disagree. It sounds like a fun subject. With passion and some good original sources, you should manage. Even if there is only a small amount of secondary material on this particular period, there will be plenty on Charles II in general. You could even end up looking at how your primary sources from the interregnum compare with historians' assesment of his character later on.

[box_of_delights]

I would strongly suggest you choose a topic that if it's totally new to you then at least you have a fair degree of certainty you'll enjoy it. Most dissertations taken at least six months from planning to completion, so it's a lot of time and stress to concentrate on something you could take or leave.

Don't be afraid to go "far out" with your topic or question... I didn't realise quite how bizarre one could go, and so I tried to be all proper and academic with my subject and title (Conquest of Wales between 1066-1170) and wish in many ways that I'd been a bit braver and thought more originally.

But yeah, as others have said, email some tutors and ask if they'll be your supervisor. When I went along to the Mediaeval History dissertation meeting a couple of years ago they handed us a list of current supervisors and rough ideas of their field of interests to get us started.

[Edinburgh Boy]

Okocim is right - if you like the topic go for it. And yes you can be "far out" as long as someone is willing to supervise it. Most supervisors are fairly broad minded as long as it is in their general area of competence.