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RSR Topic Trouble!

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  • 19-10-2017 6:35pm
    #1
    CrassCooki
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭


    Hi!
    So I'm in 6th year and despite being totally enamoured with the subject, I don't have my history research project finished... oof

    I've changed my topic 6 times since last October and I'm starting to get rather frustrated as my teacher has given no guidance in regards to the project. I'm planning on really cracking down on it and getting it completed in its entirety by November.

    I'm unsure whether to pursue:

    1) The Trial of Oscar Wilde, 1895 (Something I'm rather knowledgeable about and am interested in, but I question the historical significance outside of the quite niche realm of Irish literary figures and LGBTQ hardships.)

    2) The Beat Generation: The Rise of Poetry for a Post-WW2 World (again, pretty niche)

    3) The Partigiani's Role in the Italian Civil War (1943-1945)
    (Two whole years of fighting, might be too wide)

    4) The Influence of Voltaire's Philosophy on Revolutionary France ( fairly heavy for a secondary level history paper lol )

    I'm lowkey kinda clueless and I'm terrified of putting my heart into something that's miles off what an examiner is looking for, especially considering the points I'm aiming for are pretty wild. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!


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    #2
    randylonghorn
    Registered Users Posts: 29,509 ✭✭✭✭randylonghorn


    Any of the above could be the topic for a PhD (and probably have been!)

    In the case of No. 2, the PhD would probably have been conducted under the supervision of the Sociology or English Departments rather than History, but it wouldn't be impossible to look at it through a historical lens either. I wouldn't advise attempting to do it for an LC RSR though.

    No. 4 isn't just fairly heavy for LC level, it's horrendously heavy and, apart from anything else, you run a grave risk of giving the examiner a sore tailbone after falling off her chair in shock, an unintended outcome which may not put her in the best of moods! ;)

    No. 3 would be a very interesting topic, but yes, too wide as currently phrased. You would be better to look at a particular episode or aspect if you did decide to tackle this one. I would also wonder how readily available good sources in English would be; remember, even if they're available but you have to send away for them or order them online, this will delay you further.

    Given that you say you are both interested in and already knowledgeable about No 1 (which might also suggest that you have appropriate source material to hand or at least easily available), this would seem to be the obvious choice tbh, but it's up to you.



    You may find this helpful: RSR Student Guide


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