9X6 – Dissertation Preparation for Honours History (2020/1)

What have been the major obstacles you have faced in putting a research project together?

One of the major obstacles that I have faced during this module is access to primary and secondary sources. My topic is based in the Late Middle Ages, so access to primary sources has been rather difficult. The university library has been helpful, however the majority of sources I required were not available online and could only be physically accessed. As someone who is not staying in Stirling due to covid, this was particularly frustrating. Apart form this set back, there have been no other major obstacles to overcome.

What strategies have you adopted to overcome these obstacles?

Limited access to online resources has forced me to become more resourceful in my research. Using JSTOR, BRILL and other online libraries, that I barely used in the past, certainly broadened my research abilities. I also discovered a number of useful websites such as the US Congress library and MEMSO, that housed some of the primary sources I was looking for.

What has this taught you about approaching your dissertation?

Overall, I would say that this module has helped my develop my researching capabilities and has taught me a number of ways to circumvent limitations regarding availability. The dissertation requires the need to have a wide range of sources to examine, so they can be narrowed down to the most appropriate. Therefore, overcoming this module has given me the means of acquiring a greater level of secondary and primary sources, so that my topic can be thoroughly researched.

Which aspects of the 9X6 module have been the most useful in helping you get your project ready to start?

I feel the 9X6 module really helped me get going in the right direction, regarding planning out my topic. I feel that the module clearly set out a careful plan that was effective in helping me decide and expand on my chosen topic. However, I feel that the module catered more to topics that where more recent. The sample essays provided where all based on topic covering the last century, where primary sources are easier to obtain. I wish that there would have been more variety in the sample essays, maybe some medieval examples.

Rachel Wilson blog post

What have been the major obstacles you have faced in putting a research project together?

I knew what important themes such as women’s rights and race equality I wanted to discuss during my research but I had to make sure I placed these within a relevant historical context in order to meet the criteria for a history dissertation.  The dissertation topic was in some ways a bit vague so I had to address this. Also I found that the Stirling University library database was somewhat limited in terms of relevant sources for my dissertation which at first posed a threat to my topic. I also struggled understanding methodology and choosing one.

What strategies have you adopted to overcome these obstacles

Through detailed research of a variety of sources  I have established the time period of 1994-2010 for my research. I also conducted research in to the America dream, economic, social and social context of America during this time period and how it contributed to events today. This therefore set my dissertation in a key historical context and make my topic more relevant to events today which helped when it came to  justifying my topic.

I also learnt through this module that JSTOR is another good database for sources, this provided a lot of sources that could not be accessed on the online university catalogue so this really helped collate evidence for my findings.

I did further readings about methodology to consider what one would be the most suitable

What has this taught you about approaching your dissertation

In order to provide key historical context I need to continue undertaking a variety of relevant literature in order to come to evidenced conclusions relevant to my dissertation. I also need to utilise JSTOR to it’s full potential as well as use some of the universities online catalogue in order to collate all the necessary information.

It has also taught me to leave extra time for tasks in case I come up with issues during carrying them out and during research.

Which aspects of the 9X6 module heave been the most useful in helping you get your project ready to start?

The supervisor meetings were helpful in letting us know what was expected of us in order to provide successful dissertation proposals it helped us ask vital questions early on which helped our development of our dissertation. Having to do method paper really helped me think about my approaches for my dissertation and read other similar work which helped me as it helped me learn what methods seemed to be successful. Presenting my methodology paper over canvas to my peers helped me learn to justify and further understand why I was using certain sources and methodologies. I also learnt from other people’s ideas by seeing why they were for example using comparative methodology and this influenced my choice to use this.

What have been the major obstacles you have faced in putting a research project together?

I have found that when researching primary sources, it is difficult to find a vast amount. My topic is focusing on Kristallnacht through the lens of the British press and when trying to get hold of different forms of mass media, newspapers tend to be the most common way to find useful sources, however aspects such as radio broadcasting are harder to locate as I would like to get hold of transcripts for my dissertation also.

What strategies have you adopted to overcome these obstacles?

I have looked through the national archives along with the British newspaper archives to in depth look at certain newspapers from the events, however over the course of the summer, I will try and hold on to different aspects of the British press at the time of Kristallnacht, as I said, that primary sources are a lot harder to come by than secondary sources.

What has this taught you about approaching your dissertation?

This module has taught me to research thoroughally when sitting down to help get a good grasp on the topic I am going to undertake. I feel like doing a lot of reading and researching over the course of the summer will help me have a good understanding of the the dissertation topic I am looking at. After writing my proposal, I feel like time management is good to focus on for me as it gives you a longer time to reading your research and fully understand, especially, when reading books, articles or journals, the author’s argument and how to interpret that in my dissertation.

Which aspects of the 9X6 module have been the most useful in helping you get your project ready to start?

I felt that during seminars, when discussing the coursework of this module, I liked the small groups to look over examples of essays/papers from other students who had taken the module, to understand the key aspects of what to include in essays and what not to, and understand what others feel are the advantages and disadvantages before starting to write up the dissertation proposal. I also find the seminars very useful when learning about what to do for the coursework as it gave me a good understanding when writing up my proposal.

 

What have been the major obstacles you have faced in putting a research project together?

I found it hard to specify my dissertation topic and analyse an original argument. Although I wanted to study representations of Otto Von Bismarck between 1870 and 1914, it would have been too difficult to gather primary sources due to many of them being in German. Thus, I managed to narrow down my topic to examine British historians biographies on the German Chancellor between 1890 and 1936. This gave me an original argument and plenty of historians I could pursue online such as Charles Grant Robertson.

What strategies have you adopted to overcome these obstacles?

My tutor gave me excellent advice in order to pursue the topic but from a different angle. Instead of focussing on German sources, I could analyse British historians in a certain period and how they could be influenced by certain dates. Furthermore, there are many books which incorporate German views within the period I am studying. Therefore, I can compare and contrast them with my own findings.

What has this taught you about approaching your dissertation?

This has taught me that it will be hard to analyse British historians biographies on Bismarck from the period. I will need to plan in proceeding with this topic in order to study the many different views of Bismarck from within the period without getting confused due to vast amounts of reading. It would be helpful to set myself deadlines in order to not fall behind and keep focused on the work at hand. Thus, organisation and planning are key to completing my dissertation.

Which aspects of the 9X6 module have been the most useful in helping you get your project ready to start?

Throughout the semester, the 9X6 module has been useful in understanding the dissertation and how to go about it. It has allowed me to understand the topic I will be undertaking for my dissertation and to analyse a wide range of books and primary sources which I will be able to develop on. The seminars have given me a good understanding of what a dissertation actually is and how to prepare for it. Ultimately, the module as a whole has been very supportive.

What have been the major obstacles you have faced in putting a research project together?

I have found the biggest issue is researching primary sources and gaining an understanding of the primary material available. This has been due to the limited timeframe allowed by a university module as well as the unfortunate issues of the ongoing lockdowns.

What strategies have you adopted to overcome these obstacles?

I found that familiarising myself with the secondary literature was certainly helpful before approaching primary sources. Alongside this, the reading available on methodologies helped me understand the theoretical principles I should apply to primary sources research.

What has this taught you about approaching your dissertation?

This module has helped in a variety of ways in preparing for the dissertation. The first way which comes to mind is that it has provided me with a solid foundation from which I can continue researching over the summer in order to have a understanding of the topic which will assist in writing the dissertation next year.

Which aspects of the 9X6 module have been the most useful in helping you get your project ready to start?

I have found the parts of this module were we worked in break-out rooms to evaluate or analyse pieces of text very useful. Especially looking at exemplars or sample texts of either our assignments or example dissertations. This has enabled me to consider the work as far more attainable than before. Seeing examples of a previous dissertation especially at this stage has helped me visualise the end goal of this research project.

What have been the major obstacles you have faced in putting a research project together?

At the beginning of this semester, I had previously made little thought about my dissertation and had difficulty trying to pick a period of history that I would have liked to cover. Once I had found a topic that interested me, I was able to choose two interwar Paramilitary organisations and investigate how and why the romanticised violence. When I began to investigate this topic, I had found it difficult to find primary source that would work for question I hope to answer.

What strategies have you adopted to overcome these obstacles?

I decided to make mind maps of the topics that I was interested in and was able to narrow it down to a couple of potential periods that I was able to take and talk to tutors about and eventually settle on an idea. With help from my Tutor, I was able to find potential primary and multiple Secondary sources that over good comparisons, allowing me to hopefully gain extensive knowledge of the topic. One problem remains as I’m still trying to find reliable translations of paramilitary songs used in interwar Romania and Germany.

What has this taught you about approaching your dissertation?

This module has taught me how much reading and preparation that I must do over the summer so that I can competently be able to discuss and have a deep understanding of the topic so I can have meaningful discussion come September. It has also taught me the importance of setting deadlines for required research so I’m able to complete what I plan to do for the coming semester.

Which aspects of the 9X6 module have been the most useful in helping you get your project ready to start?

I believe because we have been able to pick a topic early has allowed me to prepare for the summer and will hopefully make the process of the dissertation to be easier than I had previously expected. I feel the module has broken down the different aspect of the dissertation well and has showed me exactly what is expected of us. This has allowed me to feel more confident with my topic and I hope to carry my research into the summer. The module has also opened my eyes to the vast ways off being able to access resources as JSTOR, Google Scholar, university libraries and other sites that have proved to be lucrative as they offer a wide range of readings.

What have been the major obstacles you have faced in putting a research project together?

The hardest part of this module for me was firstly deciding on a specific time period as I am interested in many historical events. When I eventually chose a topic I then found it difficult to decide on a question for my dissertation as my topic is quite broad therefore I felt it was a challenge to narrow it down. I have also struggled at times to find primary sources relating to my topic.

What strategies have you adopted to overcome these obstacles? 

After the first meeting with my supervisor, I had explained that I wasn’t completely sure on a topic as I was going between a few but had picked one. I had then explained that I was struggling a bit thinking of a question, my supervisor gave me great advice and also gave me suggestions of others I could contact for support. For me, the contact between myself and my supervisor helped me overcome these obstacles as the advice given was worthwhile and sources were also recommended to me.

What has this taught you about approaching your dissertation? 

This has taught me to carefully plan out my dissertation as when I chose this topic I didn’t think of the complications I might have faced accessing sources. I underestimated what would have been available to me which has caused some difficulty. I have also learned that a wide range of help is available, not just from my supervisor but from others as well.

Which aspects of the 9X6 module have been the most useful in helping you get your project ready to start?

I found the mini lectures each week really helpful as they included lots of useful information, especially the Sources and Methods lecture in week 3 by Helen Beardsley as this helped to find sources. I also enjoyed the seminars and found it really useful to work in pairs reading over previous assignments as this gave me an idea of what was expected in my writing. 

My research project is on the depiction of the enemy in propaganda in WWII, comparing Britain and Germany.

What have been the major obstacles you have faced in putting a research project together?

The most difficult thing I found when putting my research project together was figuring out what I actually wanted to study, research and write about. I had many different ideas but I couldn’t decide what one would be best. I also found it hard to get used to finding the appropriate sources and I also found it hard initially to figure out what sources were useful and good quality. After learning what websites had reliable information and sources I found it a lot easier to see what topics had enough sources and information and therefore, it was a lot easier to decide what I wanted to research and write about. I also felt anxious about writing my dissertation at the start as I found the idea of the dissertation itself daunting but after attending the classes and speaking with my supervisor I felt a lot more comfortable and I am now enjoying organising my dissertation and doing my reading for it.

What strategies have you adopted to overcome these obstacles?

One of the strategies I found that helped me overcome these obstacles was trying to plan my time equally through the semester, for example, look at when all my due dates were and schedule specific time to sit down and read and write my assignments up whilst also taking time to go a walk and take time out. I also think speaking to my supervisor helped as it allowed me to be reassured on any questions I had and also it allowed me to ask for help when I felt stuck or overwhelmed. Speaking to other students has also helped me as I can see that they either feel the same or they sometimes have answers to some of my questions. The classes each week have also helped clarify everything for me and hear other students’ opinions and questions.

What has this taught you about approaching your dissertation?

This has taught me how to plan my time out appropriately whilst not overwhelming myself with everything at once. It has also taught me to sit back and look at what I have to do and planning it in a way that allows me to meet deadlines and also take breaks to do something else to make sure it doesn’t all get too much. This has definitely helped me find a good balance. It has also taught me the importance of reading for my dissertation as I have actually enjoyed sitting down and doing the reading as all of my assignments were submitted on time.

Which aspects of the 9X6 module have been the most useful in helping you get your project ready to start?

The class each week has been really helpful as it has clarified a lot of things for me. I also find the meetings with my supervisor has helped as it allows me to ask any questions I may have. The examples my supervisor has provided of other peoples’ work has also really helped me as it has allowed me to look at what they have done and it has helped me with any worries I may have had around structuring my assignments. The module overall has really settled my mind about the dissertation and I feel like it has gave me a clear plan of what I have to do over the summer and in my dissertation on a whole.

 

a) What have been the major obstacles you have faced in putting a research project together?

Some of the main obstacles I have faced included deciding on what dissertation research project topic to do as I was picking between doing my Dissertation on Otto Von Bismarck, the interwar period between the aftermath of the First World War and before the start of the Second World War, and the rise of Syrian nationalism in the Ottoman Empire from the nineteenth century until 1923. I chose the latter but it was a difficult decision. Another challenge will be looking and obtaining more primary sources as I have few primary sources to work with at the moment but optimistically in the summer I will have more to work with plus most of it may be in Arabic and Turkish so the translation of some of the sources will be a challenge.

b) What strategies have you adopted to overcome these obstacles?

I talked to my dissertation supervisor about what topic I wanted to my dissertation and I decided on the rise of Syrian nationalism and the conversation led to that decision. For the primary sources, I will need to expand my internet research during the summer and also do some traveling, depending on the easing of restrictions, to museums and libraries to gather and look into more primary sources.

c) What has this taught you about approaching your dissertation?

My approach to my dissertation is to start preparing, planning, and doing most of the research, including the collection of primary sources and reading into secondary sources such as the author’s main argument, in the summer as this will give me a great deal of time to get a lot of my research done and it will help me plan more.

d) Which aspects of the 9X6 module have been the most useful in helping you get your project ready to start?

Talking to my dissertation supervisor has been one of the most useful features in helping me get ready to start the dissertation as by talking to him, I had a better idea of what to do my dissertation on and he gave me good sources to look into to help me with my planning and research.

1. 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. 
2. What strategies have you used to overcome these obstacles? 
   1. 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.
3. What has this taught you about approaching your dissertation? 
   1. 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. 
4. What aspects of the 9X6 module have been the most useful in getting your project started? 
   1. 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.