History Projects

DonallFitz

TeaAficionado wrote: »

Hi,
Currently heading into sixth year and have decided upon the Holodomer, the man-made famine in the Ukrainian SSR as my research project. Although I'm not so sure on what angle to take on it, any suggestions? Looking for high marks on it, so just concerned that the way the SEC have been encouraging 'local' based projects, is it to obscure?

The angle could be; how the famine was introduced or the consequences of it on Ukraine. On the plus side there wouldn't be a shortage of sources!

TeaAficionado

DonallFitz wrote: »

The angle could be; how the famine was introduced or the consequences of it on Ukraine. On the plus side there wouldn't be a shortage of sources!

Thanks, was considering something on those lines or taking a more USSR focused angle - looking at how they achieved in effectively starving a nation and how the western world overlooked it.

clairec463

Mine was on the Lebensborn Project. It was interesting but sad. Loads of information for it online but its hard enough to find a book!

Ambient Occlusion

The Republic of Connaught would be an interesting topic to take-on. I don't know how easy it would be to find sources, but I would definitely have done it had I not already finished my project on Exercise Armageddon.

a0ifee

Opinions on the last days & execution of Anne Boleyn as a topic? I've started reading a book on her, but I honestly don't really know where to begin..I was meant to do this research all summer edit: I'd like to add that I really want high marks in history so I want make sure I'm going about this in a strong way!

Jolly Red Giant

a0ifee wrote: »

Opinions on the last days & execution of Anne Boleyn as a topic? I've started reading a book on her, but I honestly don't really know where to begin..I was meant to do this research all summer edit: I'd like to add that I really want high marks in history so I want make sure I'm going about this in a strong way!

I would look at the reasons why she was executed - I think it would be better than just recounting the events leading up to her execution.

a0ifee

Jolly Red Giant wrote: »

I would look at the reasons why she was executed - I think it would be better than just recounting the events leading up to her execution.

yeah I was thinking of kinda discussing if she was or wasn't innocent? there's a lot of speculation about that so

SChique00

Doing my project on the evacuation of Pripyat and the other villages within the exclusion zone after the nuclear accident at Chernobyl - have all my sources and 2/3 I've made detailed notes on, I just haven't a clue how to go about starting the extended essay, and we've been given a six-week deadline to have it completed within class time (obviously if it's not finished by this time you still have the rest of the year, but we won't be spending any more class time on it and it's obviously much better to have it done and dusted well before the mocks).
I'm thinking of starting with a general intro to the accident itself, but there's so much to write about on that score that I don't want it to dominate the essay - I'm more concerned with the human implications of the accident than the science behind it. Is this a good place to start, given the angle that I'm taking? All advice much appreciated

Gareth Bale

Would any previous students think the Howth Gun Running would be a good topic ?

Jolly Red Giant

SChique00 wrote: »

I'm thinking of starting with a general intro to the accident itself, but there's so much to write about on that score that I don't want it to dominate the essay - I'm more concerned with the human implications of the accident than the science behind it. Is this a good place to start, given the angle that I'm taking? All advice much appreciated

If you are going to talk about the evacuation then you have to give the reason why it happened - so a couple of paragraphs on the accident are appropriate.

Be careful not to go beyond the allowed timeframe - i.e. 1989.

Gareth Bale wrote: »

Would any previous students think the Howth Gun Running would be a good topic ?

That would work - try and figure out an angle to approach it (i.e. was it successful) rather than just recounting what happened. Remember you have to have three or four aims in your outline plan that you need to address in the extended essay.

Gareth Bale

Could an aim be
To find out about this topic
Or how it helped set up the Easter rising

Avedenn001

I've been thinking about doing my project on a variety of topics, and I cant decide which to choose...
I'm interested in The Holodomer, Coco Chanel, Harvey Milk and Wallis Simpson. I am in the very early stages of deciding. Originally, I had asked if I could do something on Jack Kerouac, Al Capone or Bob Geldof but all were shot down... Any ideas or suggestions in relation to the first few topics would help so so much! Any ideas??

LostBoy101

Avedenn001 wrote: »

I've been thinking about doing my project on a variety of topics, and I cant decide which to choose...
I'm interested in The Holodomer, Coco Chanel, Harvey Milk and Wallis Simpson. I am in the very early stages of deciding. Originally, I had asked if I could do something on Jack Kerouac, Al Capone or Bob Geldof but all were shot down... Any ideas or suggestions in relation to the first few topics would help so so much! Any ideas??

Hmm I wonder why.. maybe because you didn't mention you were going to tackle a small topic area on his life. I would have a look at when he rose to power in Cicero which should be interesting.

HansHolzel

Avedenn001 wrote: »

I've been thinking about doing my project on a variety of topics, and I cant decide which to choose...
I'm interested in The Holodomer, Coco Chanel, Harvey Milk and Wallis Simpson. I am in the very early stages of deciding. Originally, I had asked if I could do something on Jack Kerouac, Al Capone or Bob Geldof but all were shot down... Any ideas or suggestions in relation to the first few topics would help so so much! Any ideas??

One of my child soldiers did Al Capone. He got a C1 as his final result. What was the problem in your case? My chap's (school) teacher only gave him some grief based on (the teacher's) mistaken idea that quotations from sources weren't allowed but otherwise got out of the way.

Jolly Red Giant

Avedenn001 wrote: »

I've been thinking about doing my project on a variety of topics, and I cant decide which to choose...
I'm interested in The Holodomer, Coco Chanel, Harvey Milk and Wallis Simpson. I am in the very early stages of deciding. Originally, I had asked if I could do something on Jack Kerouac, Al Capone or Bob Geldof but all were shot down... Any ideas or suggestions in relation to the first few topics would help so so much! Any ideas??

The problem is that all of these topics are far too broad to be suitable for a project - e.g. Coco Chanel is too broad - but a ptoject on Coco's relationship with the Nazis might work. If you want to do a biography it is much better to narrow in on some aspect of their life.

HansHolzel wrote: »

One of my child soldiers did Al Capone. He got a C1 as his final result. What was the problem in your case? My chap's (school) teacher only gave him some grief based on (the teacher's) mistaken idea that quotations from sources weren't allowed but otherwise got out of the way.

Quotations from secondary sources are not appropriate - quotations from primary sources should only be used in a very, very, limited way (i.e. a phrase) to enhance the point being made in the essay. 'Al Capone' is far too braod a topic - furthermore the title of the essay should pose some question or detail about the topic

HansHolzel

Jolly Red Giant wrote: »

Quotations from secondary sources are not appropriate - quotations from primary sources should only be used in a very, very, limited way (i.e. a phrase) to enhance the point being made in the essay. 'Al Capone' is far too braod a topic - furthermore the title of the essay should pose some question or detail about the topic

The teacher didn't want any quotation whatsoever, which is wrong.

The Al Capone project wasn't a summary of his life story, it had a clear focus on a particular aspect of the topic.

Jolly Red Giant

HansHolzel wrote: »

The teacher didn't want any quotation whatsoever, which is wrong.

This may not be the case. The teacher may have experience from viewing scripts with past pupils that demonstrated issues with students using quotations. The teacher may have adopted an approach that putting quotations into the project could potentially create more problems than it would be worth. This is a valid approach by the teacher and it would have been done in the best interests of the students.

At the end of the day the research project is the work of the student carried out independently with the guidance of the teacher. If the student wants to include quotations then the student has every right to do so - the teacher's job is to offer guidance, the student can choose to accept or reject that guidance. The student is the one sitting the exam and receiving the marks and the teacher main responsibility is to sign off that the research project is the work of the student. However, I will state that the teacher is the one experienced in this area of work and the student should seriously consider taking on board any advice from the teacher and not dismissing it out of hand as 'wrong'.

HansHolzel wrote: »

The Al Capone project wasn't a summary of his life story, it had a clear focus on a particular aspect of the topic.

Fair enough - you could have stated that it was a particular aspect of Al Capone's life rather than just 'Al Capone'

Avedenn001

Jolly Red Giant wrote: »

The problem is that all of these topics are far too broad to be suitable for a project - e.g. Coco Chanel is too broad - but a ptoject on Coco's relationship with the Nazis might work. If you want to do a biography it is much better to narrow in on some aspect of their life.


Quotations from secondary sources are not appropriate - quotations from primary sources should only be used in a very, very, limited way (i.e. a phrase) to enhance the point being made in the essay. 'Al Capone' is far too braod a topic - furthermore the title of the essay should pose some question or detail about the topic

That has helped so so much -Thank you! I've decided to do my project on Harvey Milks impact on society and the events that put him on the "map" leading up to his assasination. My teacher has said that it's an extremely doable project, and if done correctly, I could achieve the A I desperately need! Hope thats the case anyway! Thanks so much for your help!

Longgreentrain

I have decided to either do the howth gun running or the affect if kristallnact on the German Jews.

If I so howth gun running from what aspect would be good to do it on.

If anyone has any better ideas please help in in 6th year and want to get it done ASAP.

HansHolzel

Here's an opener for the latter. It may sound like a joke but it isn't.

"After Kristallnacht on the ninth of November, Hermann Goering was annoyed when he learned that the replacement glass would have to be imported and paid for in foreign currency. They should have killed more Jews and broken less glass."

mendelmania

I was thinking of exploring something to do with book burnings in Nazi Germany.

Other ideas I have include: Leni Riefenstahl, the Goebbels children, Hitler's career as an artist, the North Strand Bombing and the fall of the Romanov Dynasty.

I know I'll have to become more specific but these are my ideas so far! What do you think?

HansHolzel

Check out The Wonderful Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl on Youtube (2 parts). It's a German documentary with English subtitles, made in 1993.

mendelmania

HansHolzel wrote: »

Check out The Wonderful Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl on Youtube (2 parts). It's a German documentary with English subtitles, made in 1993.

Thank you so much! I'm gonna watch it tonight and then decide whether she's the person I'd like to do my project on

ohnooo

i was wondering if anyone has any advice on leaving cert history project ideas ? i was going to do footbinding but iv had to change it because of lack of sources nd its way too broad.. im thinking now about something to do with shoes, how they became important fashion accessories ?

IanOBo

any ideas that would link up with sport?

Jolly Red Giant

ohnooo wrote: »

i was wondering if anyone has any advice on leaving cert history project ideas ? i was going to do footbinding but iv had to change it because of lack of sources nd its way too broad.. im thinking now about something to do with shoes, how they became important fashion accessories ?

Try here -

http://leavingcerthistory.net/research-projects/

IanOBo wrote: »

any ideas that would link up with sport?

Pretty much anything you can think of - keep the focus as narrow as possible.

11cnim

Malv wrote: »

I was thinking of doing The Katyn Forest Massacre or Rudolf Hess' flight to Scotland for next year...
Yes, no, maybe?

I hope you ended up doing the Katyn forest massacre I'm stuck on a primary source any idea

Jolly Red Giant

11cnim wrote: »

I hope you ended up doing the Katyn forest massacre I'm stuck on a primary source any idea

You will find some sources for the Katyn Massacre here

http://leavingcerthistory.net/4th-year-projects/#Katyn%20Massacre

The problem you will have with a primary source is that the sources will all be in Russian or Polish.

You can find some translations of these documents on the internet but you need to make sure that they are authentic translations - e..g from an academic institution - as otherwise to cannot authenticate the accuracy of the translation.

You don't actually need a primary source for the history project.