INDEPENDENT RESEARCH

As part of the syllabus requirements you need to demonstrate that you can undertake and complete independent historical investigation.

Before you begin any research you must do the background and preliminary work.

You cannot just start writing. Historians rely on evidence to prove their hypothesis, or conclusions to their findings. Your sources – primary, secondary, archaeological are vital to your research. However, you need to be careful when selecting your sources and will need to consider their reliability – bias, propaganda, fake, forgeries, etc.

You need to do lots of reading to gain new and fresh insights and perspectives from leading historians. These differing interpretations will help you along with your selected sources to formulate your own independent findings. This means sifting through not only online sources, e-books but actually visiting the library and gain access to history books. Read as many secondary perspectives as possible. Make notes and keep track of your readings by writing down these sources to build up your bibliography which will help you come to footnote and complete your final work.

Who knows you might have thought of a new and different conclusion to some famous historian – a finding no one has ever thought of – this is what historical research is about.

Before you start your own research you need to complete the following preliminary work to demonstrate that you have enough background knowledge.

IMPORTANT: Your preliminary research work will need to be cited before you progress to the next level to ensure that you are meeting the required syllabus outcomes

Enjoy this area of the history course.

There is a difference between a student and a pupil. A student is one who has to learn; a pupil is one who wants to learn.

Aristotle told this to his pupil Alexander the Great 

7 Things Smart Learners Do Differently  

They always learn.

They are good observers.

They make mistakes.

They don’t give up too early.

They connect with smart people.

They try new things. 

They don't think they are smart.