- What have been the major obstacles you have faced while putting a research project together? There have been a few minor problems while putting this research project together as in the beginning I was struggling to narrow my search down. Starting with such a wide focus put me at a bit of a disadvantage when it came to looking for the right primary sources and historiography. When the project was finally narrowed down to a smaller topic, the search for primary sources was the biggest major obstacle as up until recently I was not using the right tools.
- What strategies have you used to overcome these obstacles?
- The main strategy used to overcome many of the obstacles mentioned above was to simply ask both my dissertation tutor and peers for advice. It then became very simple to find what I was looking for and begin to use the right websites and sources to begin looking for the right material.
- What has this taught you about approaching your dissertation?
- The main thing that I have learned from this is that time and dedication is very much needed. If I don’t find the right resources to begin with, that does not mean they are not out there and I should always find time to look for the right material. Also, asking for help even if the issue seems small is never a bad idea, it helps to narrow the focus down to smaller jobs so that they seem more manageable.
- What aspects of the 9X6 module have been the most useful in getting your project started?
- The most helpful aspect of the 9X6 module has been that it has broken down what seemed like a huge project into smaller parts so that it is more understandable. Learning about methodology, finding sources and meetings with supervisors have all been crucial in getting this project started which I don’t think would have been possible without this module.
Author: sah00164
Saffron Introduction Post
Hi!
My name is Saffron and I’m from a small town near Newcastle in England so yes I’m a long way from home at the moment during this lockdown! For my dissertation, I would really love to a study on Mary, Queen of Scots. Either on how Mary is perceived in popular culture so looking at 20th/21st century representations or looking at gender and reputation around the time that Mary was alive. It would be interesting to look at how gender or reputation affected Mary’s life. Distance learning has been an experience, to begin with it was a lot to take in but I’ve been getting into the swing of it and I think it will be better this semester!