History is not simply retelling the past. It is about interpreting the historical record to draw conclusions about the past. As worldviews change and new evidence comes to light, historical events and topics are interpreted differently. History is dynamic.
As such, a strong question for a historical investigation requires you to draw a conclusion about your topic. It should require the examination of diverse perspectives on a topic, rather than lending itself to a narrative recounting of events.
If you answer "no" to any of the following questions, then you must choose a different question
Is your topic at least ten years old?
The IB has a strict "Ten Year Rule." Topics from the last ten years are not acceptable. It is recommended that you choose a topic that is at least TWENTY years old to allow for historical hindsight. Sources published within the last ten years are acceptable.
Could you sufficiently answer this question in 1300 words?
Keep your question specific. The suggested word count for the investigation is 1300 words. You need to be able to answer your question and evaluate diverse perspectives within that limit.
Will you have access to a variety of primary and secondary sources in a language that you can understand?
Consider the available sources.
Is the question interesting or controversial? Is there more than one way to answer the question? Is the answer obvious?
If there is only one answer to your question, then it will be difficult to address diverse perspectives. If the answer is obvious, then the question is not worth asking.
The six historical concepts can serve as a good framework around which you develop a question. If your question doesn't relate to at least one of these historical concepts, then it is likely not a historical question.
Change - Many of the most significant topics in history are noteworthy because of how they transformed the world around them.
To what extent do people and events bring change?
Did _______ actually bring about change?
What was it like both before and after the events under examination?
Continuity - Even in the midst of great change, there are many things that remain the same.
How did things remain similar to how they were before?
Causation - Most historical events occurred as a result of multiple factors; it is the role of the historian to interpret which factors played the most significant role.
Why did this happen?
What are the long-term and immediate causes?
Consequence - Forces in the past shape events and societies.
What happened as a result of...?
What were the long-term or short-term effects?
Significance - History is not a record every single event that has ever happened; historians evaluate which topics are more or less important.
How significant is this topic?
What makes this topic significant?
Perspective - People (including historians) have different interpretations of events.
What are the different perspectives on this topic?
Is one perspective more correct than another? Why?
How did people experience this topic differently? (You might consider different genders, ethnic groups, nationalities, age groups, social classes, political parties, etc.)
Historiography is the study of how history is written and how our historical understanding changes over time. Historians, like all people, are influenced by the time and place in which they live. Their experiences, social class, race or ethnicity, gender, age, education, political views, and philosophical or religious beliefs are among the countless factors that impact how a particular historian perceives the available evidence. This means that two historians who look at the same evidence will often reach different conclusions.
A historical research question that takes on a historiographical approach might examine how historical interpretations of an event have changed over time. It might consider the views from different schools of history. While there is usually an orthodox (generally accepted) view of historical events, there are many revisionist historians who challenge the orthodox view.
In your investigation, you will be doing historiography as you analyze and evaluate diverse perspectives on your topic.
Here are some example questions. Do you notice how the questions have a narrow focus and could have more than one answer?
To what extent was the Missouri Compromise a success?
How effective was the Underground Railroad in freeing slaves?
To what extent was the Hundred Flowers Campaign intended to root out opposition within the Chinese Communist Party?
How did the Chicano movement change education for Mexican American students in Los Angeles?
How similar were conditions that led to the abolition of slavery in the American South and Brazil in the 1800s?
How significant was the Battle of Stalingrad in the defeat of the Nazis in World War II?
How significant was John Lewis in the American Civil Rights movement?
To what extent did conditions for Black South Africans remain the same after the election of 1948?
In what ways was Porfirio Diaz an effective leader during the Mexican Revolution?
In what ways was George Washington an effective military leader during the American Revolution?
To what extent did the Partido Comunista de Cuba's policies change the lives of Cuban women?
Not phrasing your question as a question. It must end with a question mark!
Selecting a questions that:
Is too broad to answer in 1300 words
Lends itself to a narrative essay
Has limited accessible sources
Isn't really history - Keep the historical concepts in mind - It's easy to get off track when choosing a topic related to arts or literature
Violates the ten year rule