History Projects 2010

MaggieMags · 06-09-2009 12:10am

lilmissprincess wrote: »

Between picking the topic and getting mine written it took me 4 months. Between actually starting the research and finishing it, it took 3 days. My essay was fully written in 4 hours.
I got 99/100 for it, lost a mark on evaluation of sources.

Did Hitler's Last Days, which I found fascinating tbh.

We were advised not to do "social" history, stick to war/Irish/statistic based stuff.

It's rewriting it after the teacher checking that takes so much time up isn't it?!

I was considering something to do with Hitler as I'm kinda intersted in it, but apparently it's advisable to stay away from WWII related stuff, so I'm doing the assassination of Robert F Kennedy and his legacy instead

theowen · 06-09-2009 12:16am

MaggieMags wrote: »

Oops sorry for getting you into trouble with your bro then lol!

Laters great, will I be able to see them tomorrow morning then?

Outline plan - you just have to justify your reason for chosing it and stuff like that, I have a sheet telling me how to do it somewhere!

Yah definitely, you just want the names?

MaggieMags wrote: »

It's rewriting it after the teacher checking that takes so much time up isn't it?!

My teacher hardly even looked at ours, said it was against the rules and stuff ha!

spurious · 06-09-2009 11:02am

From the Chief Examiner's Report, regarding the Research Study Report:

Examiners agreed that the RSRs made interesting reading and they were pleased to note that, while most topics were drawn from the historical mainstream of the syllabus, some candidates were opting for local history.

and

Some candidates, however, continued to rely on “old favourites” and too heavily and/or uncritically on internet sources.

and

A considerable number of candidates failed to include the required review of the research process with their essay. Where reviews were presented, there was often evidence of formulaic answers, based perhaps on “model answers”, rather than on the candidate’s individual response to his/her own research experience.

and

The evaluation of sources was where many students lost marks. This was because they tried to summarise the historical content of the sources rather than identify their strengths and/or weaknesses in the pursuit of the research objectives.

Unless you make a complete bags of it, local history, where it is less easy to copy junk off the Internet, is the way to go, certainly in terms of learning anything from the process, which despite what people may think, is actually the point of the Research Study Report, not to 'get marks'.

It is about the process of evaluating your sources, not what you learn about the event/topic in question.

That_Guy · 06-09-2009 4:29pm

LovexxLife wrote: »

Im just wonderin whats the best way to study history? Cos when i even start to think about studyin it, it just feels so overwhelming.

Hop in your Delorian and study history first hand.

History is very difficult to study for. Opening up a book and learning of reams and reams of information won't work.

Study your case studies in each chapter, key personalities, important dates only and then jot down a lot of buzz words and proceed to write an essay.

It takes time at the start but structure of essays will come so much easier. Ask your teacher to look at some of your essays and ask them where you can improve.

LovexxLife · 07-09-2009 7:29pm

Im just wondering do you have any tips on martin luther king project.
Like what would you suggest i focus in on like...what would you think of his time in Birmingham or why he chose non-violence as his method the way forward??

Any help or opinion welcome:)

theowen · 07-09-2009 10:02pm

LovexxLife wrote: »

Im just wondering do you have any tips on martin luther king project.
Like what would you suggest i focus in on like...what would you think of his time in Birmingham or why he chose non-violence as his method the way forward??

Any help or opinion welcome:)

Your better choosing a project based on a specific event/time. Perhaps his assassination.

RexMundi · 07-09-2009 11:22pm

Just as a matter of interest, since this thread has the rather broad title of "History Projects 2010", what are fellow posters doing for their "history projects 2010"?

I'm looking at the Panama Canal Crisis in 1977, particularly looking at the divergent opinions apparent from the Reagan vs. Buckley debate.

Jako8 · 07-09-2009 11:31pm

I'm doing the Hillsborough Disaster 1989 and it's aftermath.

ateam · 08-09-2009 2:08pm

Here's some interesting topics:

-Munich Air Disaster (Half of the Man United team killed), 1958
-Vickers Vicount Aer Lingus Air Crash (Was the plane shot down?), 1968
-Apollo 13, 1970
-Challenger Disaster (7 killed including a teacher, moment was caught live on tv), 1986
-Brighton Bombing (IRA attempt to assassinate the British PM and gov), 1984
-Munich Massacre at the Munich Olympic Games, 1972
-Princess Grace - her mysterious death, 1982
-James Dean
-Lockerbie Disaster, 1989
-Guildford 4, 1974 to 1989 (very interesting, see 'In the name of the Father')
-The Winton Trains (a British man who saved about 600 Jewish children just before WW2, bringing them from Prague to London on several trains), 1939

TheDublinMan · 08-09-2009 6:50pm

LovexxLife wrote: »

Im just wondering do you have any tips on martin luther king project.
Like what would you suggest i focus in on like...what would you think of his time in Birmingham or why he chose non-violence as his method the way forward??

Any help or opinion welcome:)

I was led to believe that you couldn't do key personalities etc. from the syllabus as your research project.

If you were to do King though I'd say something to do with his opposition to other black leaders such as MalcolmX and their differing views would be interesting.

lostinlimerick · 27-09-2009 5:29pm

hi would dr.joesph mengele be a good history research topic? advice needed as must be completed before halloween

27-09-2009 7:22pm

lostinlimerick wrote: »

hi would dr.joesph mengele be a good history research topic? advice needed as must be completed before halloween

Yeah, I'd say it would be, I was going to do it myself but changed my mind. I think there are some books bout him in the bigger libraries. Depressing topic though, mind you.

Mazda · 11-10-2009 2:54pm

Im doing the Fall of Singapore, regretting it now though, my books are huge :L

mikemac · 11-10-2009 2:59pm

I did mine on the Katyn massacare

Not a widely known incident.

norwegianwood · 12-10-2009 9:43pm

Thinking of doing mine on walt disney and how his films reflected the views of society at the time.....with racial attitudes, women's roles and that kind of thing.I might do something about the propaganda films he made in WWII as well if i can find out enough about them...

cweeva · 14-10-2009 5:16pm

I am considering changing my topic completely as I can't get anough info on my current one.

I'm thinking of maybe doing one on the Bielski partisans? The 3 Jewish brothers in Poland who saved 1200 Jews, that film Defiance is based on their story.

What does anyone think? Would it be ok??

Need help urgently... freaking out:)

Junior D · 16-10-2009 6:32pm

Doin mine on irish volunteers who helped the nazis during wwII. Any advice? already have it written but everybit helps

amxxs · 19-10-2009 10:53pm

I was doing mine on the origins of the Swastika but I'm thinking of changing it to Nazi symbolism or something what does anyone think.

Btw I really like the Walt Disney idea I'm a massive Disney fan

haha yes I admitted it

let us know how you got on with it it sounds really interesting.

My dream job would be working for Disney *sigh*

laura93 · 20-10-2009 2:08pm

I'm not completley sure what I'm doing yet, but I think I'm going to do something from American History. Atm, I'm leaning towards the Prohibition.
I'm a bit stuck on the sources, I've only been able to find one book...

Totally · 20-10-2009 6:47pm

I'm doing mine on The Battle of the Somme.
We were told to do something that was not really in the syllabus and something obscure so the examiner would be less likely to catch any historical errors.
Just a suggestion.;)

cli2931 · 20-10-2009 10:25pm

laura93 wrote: »

I'm a bit stuck on the sources, I've only been able to find one book...

Careful with that. One of the most important things in the RSR is evaluating your sources after and you need at least 3 good sources for that.

laura93 · 20-10-2009 10:40pm

cli2931 wrote: »

Careful with that. One of the most important things in the RSR is evaluatiny your sources after and you need at least 3 good sources for that.

Yeah, I know. Is the internet ok as one source (a specific site)? Or is it a bit risky to use?
I'll just have to try and find another book or something, although I can't see the information being much different from whats in the one I have :P

cli2931 · 21-10-2009 2:00pm

laura93 wrote: »

Yeah, I know. Is the internet ok as one source (a specific site)? Or is it a bit risky to use?

the internet can be ok depending on the site. some might be fine but others may be completely biased or prejudice so be careful. if you could find out who created the site it would be way better though.

laura93 wrote: »

I'll just have to try and find another book or something, although I can't see the information being much different from whats in the one I have :P

ya fair point. at least you would definately have another source though!

ateam · 23-10-2009 2:11pm

Totally wrote: »

I'm doing mine on The Battle of the Somme.
We were told to do something that was not really in the syllabus and something obscure so the examiner would be less likely to catch any historical errors.
Just a suggestion.;)

Then don't choose the Battle of the Somme - it's one of the most famous battles of all time.

ateam · 23-10-2009 2:14pm

laura93 wrote: »

Yeah, I know. Is the internet ok as one source (a specific site)? Or is it a bit risky to use?
I'll just have to try and find another book or something, although I can't see the information being much different from whats in the one I have :P

Most students only use one or two sources and then make up rubbish about the third. Go to a library and find a book on the subject you are writing about. Take down all the details - title, author, date pf publication etc and read the review at the back. Then - waffle about it's strengths and weaknesses - bias is also a handy one and for a strength you could say it was accessible and the author backs his points up with relevant statistics blah blah.

LovexxLife · 01-04-2010 4:09pm

hi, im wondering is it ok if you go over the word limit?

UnionOfV · 01-04-2010 4:15pm

Yes but don't overdo it. You'll need to stay within a few hundred words of it if you don't want to be penalized.

NufcNavan · 01-04-2010 5:36pm

LovexxLife wrote: »

hi, im wondering is it ok if you go over the word limit?

My history teacher said 1,700 is the absolute max before they start deducting marks.

Glad I've mine out of the way. Wrote it out last week.

theowen · 01-04-2010 7:38pm

NufcNavan wrote: »

My history teacher said 1,700 is the absolute max before they start deducting marks.

Glad I've mine out of the way. Wrote it out last week.

ha...? Nobody has EVER been deducted marks for going over the word limit. As long as it fits in the booklet it's all good!

NufcNavan · 02-04-2010 1:52am

theowen wrote: »

ha...? Nobody has EVER been deducted marks for going over the word limit. As long as it fits in the booklet it's all good!

And how do you know that. Marks go towards editing skills you know.

History Projects 2010

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