School of Humanities  
 
 
HIS-30103 Dissertation for History - ISP  
Co-ordinator: Dr Christoph Dieckmann    Room: CBB1.063, Tel:33087  
Teaching Team: Miss Amanda  Roberts, Dr Philip  Morgan Dr Ian  Atherton Mrs Christine  Edge Dr Kathleen Cushing Dr Anthony Kauders Miss Jo-Anne  Watts Prof Malcolm  Crook Dr Rachel  Bright Dr Benjamin  Anderson  
Lecture Time: See Timetable...  
Level: 3 Credits: 30 Study Hours: 300  
School Office: Tel: 01782 733147
 
 
 
Programme/Approved Electives for
History Dual Honours (Level 3)
Available as a Free Standing Elective
No
Barred Combinations
None

Prerequisites
None

Description

A dissertation is a piece of personal research, testing students' ability to ask interesting questions, find and assess evidence in the quest to answer them, and fit questions and answers together in an extended piece of written work. The finished piece should express students' final conclusions in a convincing and coherent way.

This dissertation module allows you to produce your own piece of independent historical research, guided by a supervisor who will be a world-leading expert in the field. The dissertation, of between 8,000 and 12,000 words, will normally be linked to a semester-one History programme elective but this is a matter for negotiation with your supervisor. The dissertation will allow you to engage in personalised research, into questions or source genres of interest to you. The very best dissertations are of publishable quality and are submissible to national prize competitions. Keele students have been successful in the past in the History Today competition, and the Maritime History competition. Successful completion of the dissertation will represent a substantial piece of final-year undergraduate work that will facilitate entry to a postgraduate course and/or demonstrate writing and research skills relevant to a number of different careers. It should also give you considerable satisfaction; the dissertation is often the History module that people enjoy the most during their three year degree programme.
Aims
To demonstrate the ability to formulate, execute, and complete an independent extended piece of research with appropriate supervision, exploring some historical or historiographical problem.
Intended Learning Outcomes
identify and critically analyse a range of primary sources appropriate to the topic will be achieved by assessments: 1
place primary sources in their historiographical context will be achieved by assessments: 1
formulate a question or series of questions to answer an historical problem will be achieved by assessments: 1
relate the particular study to the wider field of scholarship will be achieved by assessments: 1
plan and manage a substantial piece of research in a recognised area of historical scholarship will be achieved by assessments: 1
produce an extended, structured piece of writing with appropriate scholarly apparatus will be achieved by assessments: 1
Study hours
Workshops 6 hours
Presentation session 2 hours
Individual supervision 2 hours
Research 180 hours
Preparation for presentation 10 hours
Writing plan 30 hours
Writing dissertation 55 hours
Polishing &proof-reading 15 hours
Description of Module Assessment
01: Dissertation weighted 100%
Dissertation
Students will produce a substantial piece of written work of 8,000-12,000 words, on a topic chosen by the student in consultation with their supervisor. The dissertation will normally be subdivided into an introduction, conclusion and an appropriate number of chapters, accompanied by appropriate scholarly notes and bibliography.
Version: (1.06B) Updated: 03/Oct/2013

This document is the definitive current source of information about this module and supersedes any other information.