A historical investigation consisting of a written account of between 1,500 and 2,000 words, divided...

A historical investigation consisting of a written account of between 1,500 and 2,000 words, divided into six sections. The investigation must be a written piece and should be the work of the individual student. Group work is not permitted.

Time allocation- 20 hours of work of the student

The historical investigation is a problem-solving activity that enables students to demonstrate the application of their skills and knowledge to a historical topic that interests them and that need not be related to the syllabus. The internal assessment allows for flexibility and should encourage students to use their own initiative. The emphasis must be on a specific historical inquiry that enables the student to develop and apply the skills of a historian by selecting and analysing a good range of source material and managing diverse interpretations. The activity demands that students search for, select, evaluate and use evidence to reach a relevant conclusion. The investigation should be written in the specific format outlined later in this section.

a historical topic or theme using written sources or a variety of sources

a historical topic based on fieldwork, for example, a museum, archeological site, battlefields, places of worship such as mosques or churches, historic buildings

a historical problem using documents (this could include newspapers)

a local history study a historical study based on oral interviews a historical investigation based on

interpreting a novel, film or work of art a historical investigation of cultural issues.

In what ways did the New Deal’s Farm Security Administration use photography as propaganda to support its programmes?

How did the experiences of British Second World War veterans serving in Europe compare with those in the Pacific?

Why, and with what consequences for its citizens, was Dresden (any affected town could be substituted) bombed in 1945?

In what ways did the Chinese communists use the traditional art form of opera to promote their ideology during the Cultural Revolution?

To what extent did the experiences of Vietnam veterans in Tulsa, Oklahoma mirror the USpublic’s overall perception of the war?

How did the coverage of the Falklands/Malvinas War differ in the British and Argentine press?

To what extent were the Moscow Olympic Games of 1980 affected by Cold War tensions?

Students will be required to: undertake a historical investigation using a

good range of historical sources focus on a topic or event with a cut-off date

that is at least 10years before the submission date for the investigation (therefore, an investigation submitted in2010 would have a cut-off date of2000; an investigation submitted in2016 would have a cut-off date of2006)

provide a title for the historical investigation that should be framed as a question

produce a written account of between 1,500‑2,000words for SL and HL

Students should choose their own topic, with the teacher’s guidance and approval. The topic should be worthwhile and of interest to the student.

Teachers must approve the topic for investigation and the research question before work is started. They must ensure that there are sufficient sources to support the investigation, and that it can be assessed by the criteria for internal assessment.

Students must be aware of ethical considerations when undertaking any investigation. They must show sensitivity and respect confidentiality.

Students are required to provide references or acknowledgments for all sources use

A - a plan of the investigation B - a summary of evidence C - an evaluation of sources D - an analysis E - a conclusion F - a list of sources (works cited).

Recommended word count: 100-150

Point value: 3/25 marks Introduces the subject

of the investigation, which should be sharply focused; may be stated as a question

Includes the methods to be used in the investigation – a clearly structured plan

Identifies the aims of your research (why you are investigating this subject)

When stating your research question, be sure to address why your topic is interesting, or how you came to choose your topic.

As for the scope of your investigation, include the sources you plan to use and the issues you will examine in order to address your research question.

Make sure that your subject can be treated in the WORD LIMIT!

GUIDELINES AND REQUIREMENTS

ADVICE AND CONSIDERATIONS


Point value: 6/25 marks Provides a description of events

that are relevant to your research and that will help you address your research question

Indicates what you have learned from the sources used

Is organized, referenced, and provides evidence of thorough research

Any illustrations, documents, or other relevant evidence should be included in an appendix and will not be included in the word count

You must link your overview of evidence to your research question.

The goal is NOT to include every piece of information, but only salient pieces of information. Present ONLY information that will help you answer your research question; do not waste words providing lengthy background information.

Your summary must be brief, concise, and written with clarity; do not address the section to a teacher as the reader.

Use plenty of footnotes in this section using background sources, not just the two books you are analyzing for Section C




Point value: 5/25 marks

Provides a critical evaluation of two important sources appropriate to the investigation; assesses the usefulness of the sources

ORIGINS AND PURPOSES: These sections need not be lengthy, simply explain what was produced and why.



Refers to the origin, purpose, values, and limitation of each source: ORIGIN: Who (or what)

produced this document? PURPOSE: Why was this

document produced? What is the author trying to accomplish? What is the author’s bias/perspective?

VALUE: What makes this document useful to you, or to anyone interested in the topic?

LIMITATIONS: What about this document needs to be questioned? Why would someone use caution when looking at this document for evidence and analysis?

ORIGINS: You must provide the academic credentials of the author; if you cannot find anything on the author in the book, search the Net. If you still cannot find information on your author, SAY SO. It is not necessary to put in every academic post or professorship the authors have held.

PURPOSES: The best authors will typically express purpose in the preface/introduction/first chapter. You may have to search for the purpose. NOTE: even narratives have a purpose. If you cannot locate a clearly articulated purpose, you may use language such as: “It appears that the author’s purpose is…”



VALUE AND LIMITATIONS: These sections may not be balanced. One side of the argument may be more substantive than the other. VALUE: Explain why this source is valuable in general, and

address why it is particularly important to your research. Make specific references to the text and its sources; use quotes. You may comment on footnotes of the book, what kinds of sources the author used, etc.

LIMITATIONS: Again, you must be specific, providing examples from the text, quotes, etc. Limitations could include a critique of sources; a critique of whether or not the coverage is too broad to meet the author’s objectives; if the author is using out of date scholarship, relying on only newspaper articles, etc. Why might a historian need to show some degree of caution using this source?

A few words on using BIAS to assess VALUES AND LIMITATIONS: Remember that all sources are biased, none are completely objective. You need to provide a nuanced interpretation of “bias”. Explain WHY the source is biased, and how this bias affects your research. If you assert a degree of objectivity, be specific: Does the author present a balanced perspective by providing multiple points of view? Does the author present statistical data that is difficult to manipulate? Keep in mind that NO SOURCES ARE COMPLETELY OBJECTIVE, even statistical data can be “massaged” to make a point.



Point value: 6/25 marks Addresses the importance of

the investigation in its historical context, this adds weight and perspective to the study

Analyzes the evidence presented in Section B

Includes analysis of different interpretations

This is where you examine different historical interpretations of your research topic in analyzing the historical event itself.

YOU MUST CONNECT THE ANAYLYSIS SECTION WITH THE ORIGINAL RESEARCH QUESTION OR TOPIC. This is true for the entire paper. There should be a thread running through the entire paper connecting all sections back to the research question.

That said, you must integrate an analysis of the author’s arguments into this section. Analyze the authors’ conclusions in reference to your research question.




Point value: 2/25 marks Must be clearly stated and

consistent with the evidence presented

As a follow-up to section D, requires an answer or conclusion to the original research question

Provides conclusions in a narrow and focused manner

Your conclusion should answer your research question in a clear and focused manner. This may be fairly brief – one paragraph will suffice if you addressed conclusions in the analysis section– or, as is often the case when examining historical interpretations, it may be a bit longer.

Include your final judgment on the two books. Are the sources equally valuable for further research? Articulate the reasons for your final evaluation of the books.



Not counted in word count Point value: 3/25 marks Includes a bibliography or

list of sources Must use a recognized

citation system consistently

Written sources should be listed separately from non-written sources

If your historical investigation is not between 1500 and 2000 words, you will receive no credit in this section.

You must list all sources consulted. You must separate primary from secondary sources if appropriate, as well as electronic vs. print sources.

Your bibliography must follow a standard citation format, as should all footnotes in the body of the paper. NO PARANTHTICALS. We hate them. Footnotes are easiest to use throughout, and are easy to reference by the reader. Endnotes are acceptable. Don’t forget that explanatory footnotes are an excellent way for you to express ideas without being penalized in the word count.

Please, no references to Wikipedia, Encarta, WorldBook, Groliers, Facts on File, or other non-scholarly encyclopedias.

Please include the word count at the bottom of the last section.

No cover page or table of contents is needed, but in five lines at the top right-hand corner of the first page, please put your name, History HL: Europe, the date, your teacher’s name, and the words “Internal Assessment.”



Your Historical Investigation is expected to be submitted with professional flair and in a timely manner

You are required to have a Title Page which includes:The title and/or question of your Historical

InvestigationYour nameYour school's nameYour candidate number (available at school)Submission Date: Month and Year (ex. December

2010) Total Word Count

You are required to have a Table of Contents (detailing the section headings)

Use the headings on each section (A-F) exactly as they are described by the IB

Use footnotes – especially in sections B and D

Number your pages – except the Title Page

A historical investigation consisting of a written account of between 1,500 and 2,000 words, divided...

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