Assessment

Introduction

Written work is central to undergraduate assessment in history. Writing an essay means answering a specific historical question. Your dissertation, although much longer than most essays, also means tackling a specific historical issue which you have identified (along with your supervisor).

What are we looking for?

Well-written essays (and dissertations) always have a coherent argument (this is sometimes called your analysis). To do this you will need to plan your answer and carefully revise and edit your work before you submit the final version. A clear line of argument will usually consist of a series of points which connect to form a logical ‘answer’ to the question. The points your select must be relevant. You can establish relevance by answering the ‘so what?’ question. This means that you should be able to clearly and concisely explain how each point answers the question. It is important that you consider the order of each point; this is what your tutor means when they refer to the overall structure. The structure needs to be logical, so you should consider which points need to be explained first so that the others will make sense. This is called developing your argument. Your structure can be chronological, comparative or thematic. However, most undergraduate essays follow a thematic structure because this enables you to analyse the question rather than simply offering a narrative description of events. Each major point should begin with a clear topic statement which indicates the main issue under discussion. You should support this statement with evidence (usually from primary sources). You can then explain (analyse) why your evidence is relevant. Your analysis needs to be explicit at all times. To do this, you may find it helpful to refer back to the question, particularly at the end of each major point. Try not to rely on the opinions of others.

Planning a typical history essay

There is no single way to write a history essay. Most essays will expect you to analyse primary source evidence. However, some will ask you to focus mainly on historical debates (these are called historiographical essays). What follows here is a basic template which might help you to plan and structure your essay. However, you should always submit a plan to your tutor before you start to write.

Introduction (approx. 10-20% of the word count)

It is helpful to write (or revise) your introduction after you have finished the essay. This will ensure that your introduction reflects the substance of your main argument which may change as your write.

• • • Context: This may mean outlining a relevant event from the period in question? Or it could mean examining a larger historical problem which underpins the main question.

    • Historiography: This allows you to explore what historians have said about the question, the topic or the broader historical issue under examination. You can draw attention to key debates or areas of disagreement. You could consider differences in the evidence they use, the way in which they define key concepts or the range of methodological approaches.

    • Presenting your argument: You should present your central line of argument here. You should outline each point of your essay (in the same order which you have structured your work). Finally, you should sum up your main line argument in one or two sentences.

Main Body (usually three main points of analysis)

Each point should begin with a clear ‘topic sentence’ which introduces the main issue. You should list your evidence and analyse it in terms which are relevant to the question. You may find it helpful to refer to the work of other historians here, but you should not rely on their views. Ideally your main body should make use of primary evidence.

Conclusion (approx. 5-10% of the word count)

Conclusions can be tricky to get right but you should set out to summarise the central line of argument rather than simply repeating each major point. This is your chance to concentrate on the larger historical issue(s) which underpin the question and, in the case of your dissertation, indicate the ways in which this might affect other areas of research.

Writing with style (some further thoughts…)

• Always write in short, clear sentences.

• Quotations: You should try to keep direct quotations to a minimum. They should appear in ‘single inverted commas’.

• In-text references: These should usually appear at the end of a sentence before the final full stop.

• Keep your punctuation simple.

• Avoid rhetorical questions.

• Avoid using the first-person.

• Avoid overuse of capitals.

We want to encourage you to be creative with your assessments so please talk to your tutors about how to develop your digital skills.

Students have used a range of software to create their assessments and presentations. This could include

• Mini documentaries

• Podcasts

• Magazine or blog-style written pieces

• Websites

If you'd like to try something out but don't know where to start then have a chat with your personal tutor or Charlotte (who is always happy to talk through ideas).

You will get the opportunity to think a lot about your future career during your degree. We don't mandate a placement but if you'd like to gain valuable work experience please contact your personal tutor or Duncan (who loves helping with careers).

Don't forget to use the career service at Newman. You can sign in here and get tonnes of support: https://mycareer.newman.ac.uk/unauth

Your dissertation is likely to be your most important and memorable piece of assessment at Newman. You will have the opportunity to study any topic - we've done them all - so don't be afraid to try something different.

Your supervisor will help you ensure that you get the most out of this experience - and that you achieve your very best.