This course aims to enable students to undertake original research in history.  Questions of method and ethics in historical research and writing will be discussed.  Students will be helped to formulate an independent research proposal based on primary evidence and to conduct research using a variety of traditional and non-traditional historical sources. Excursions will be arranged to local archives and staff will provide an introduction to holdings, relevance to historical research, and methods of access to the collections.  Finally, workshops will encourage students to experiment with historical writing, reflect on their work and offer each other constructive criticism and support.

Writing: The primary goal of the Researching and Writing History course is to introduce students to the practices, problems, and strategies involved in the writing of history. With this goal in mind, this unit will address issues of style, narrative, argument, and the ethical and literary decisions involved in the movement from the collection of evidence to the written essay. Accordingly, students in the course will acquire the ability to:

• develop a research proposal.
• frame an argument.
• use evidence in generating a readable narrative.
• see writing as a process of creation and revision.

Research Skills: Many of the tasks involved in historical research continue to reflect traditional skills. These skills involve the finding and use of paper, microfilm, and microform documents, the use of collection finder's guides and hard-copy bibliographies, and the use of published materials that may be considered too ephemeral or unwieldy to be made available electronically. In other words, the ability to master traditional (library or archive-based) research will continue to be necessary for the historian. Accordingly, students in HIST6506 will practise:

• navigating the library (both virtually and physically).
• using finder's guides for document collections.
• undertaking archival research.
• analysing and assessing evidence.
• emphasising sources as evidence for argument.

Information Technology and Management: Development of electronic resources continues apace. Yet this does not necessarily mean that they are all equally reliable or entirely trustworthy when it comes to historical research. HIST6506 aims to sharpen your critical skills in terms of:

• using electronic databases, bibliographies, and text storage sites to best effect.
• navigating and discriminating between resources posted on the internet.

• employing digital technologies to manage your own research.

A 4,000 word research essay (in three stages based on writing workshops) (80%); and two 750 word exercises interpreting source material (20%).

Seminars and excursions, class contact average three hours per week.

HIST6505 Third Year Honours Seminar

Howell, M., & Prevenier, W., From Reliable Sources, Cornell, 2001. 

Curthoys, A., & McGrath, A., (eds) Writing Histories, Monash Publications, 2000.