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The English and History Dissertation is an exercise in extended independent research. Students are required to identify their own topic, informed by their engagement with the disciplines of English and History. It is expected that they will deploy literary criticism and source analysis in their dissertations. Students will formulate questions to be asked, identify main primary sources, set the research questions in context of issues arising from the secondary literature, and carry through an analytical study to the highest standards. Guidance will be provided in the form of lectures on devising a research topic and using primary sources. Students will also be assigned a supervisor (from either the English Department or the History Department, depending on the disciplinary orientation of the project) who will discuss with them a draft dissertation proposal and an introductory chapter, as well as the particular challenges of the chosen topic. Students will receive guidance from their supervisors in meetings, which should not normally exceed three hours in each teaching block. Students are also free to consult other lecturers with relevant expertise.
By the end of the unit successful students will be able to demonstrate:
• A series of lectures (c.8-10 hours) • regular small and medium-sized group meetings (c.6-10 hours) • one-to-one tuition with the designated dissertation supervisor (up to 3 hours) • access to tutorial consultation with academic staff in consultation hours
10,000 word dissertation (100%). All intended learning outcomes identified above are assessed in this exercise.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. HUMS30003).
How much time the unit requires Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period). The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes .
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The Library holds UWE Bristol PhD theses in print formats. In addition, you can search for PhD theses awarded by other universities.
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History: writing a history dissertation.
Conducting a literature search is a great way to find a viable topic and plan your research. It will also give you the opportunity to look for primary and secondary resources that can support the arguments you make in your dissertation.
Starting your literature search early will help you plan your dissertation and give you an overview of all the resources you might want to consult. Below are examples of how you can start this process and how they can help.
Start your search by identifying a broad subject area, such as a country, period, theme or person. You might do this by looking at reference works, such as a Very Short Introduction , Cambridge Histories , or Oxford Handbooks . These books will give you an insight into the many areas you can investigate in greater depth and they will also provide references to peer-reviewed material on more defined topics.
Next , look at material which focuses more on the area you have identified from reference works. These might be books, chapters or articles which focus on a more defined area of the subject you have identified. Use these to formulate questions that you can answer in your research.
Then , read resources that will help you form your argument and answer the questions you have set. This material should focus on the topic you have chosen and help you explain what has been written on this area before.
In order to successfully search for resources relevant to your study, you will need to use search-terms which will retrieve the best results. The tips below will help you do this:
Terms you have found in your reading
Keep a note of terms you have seen when you have been identifying your topic. This could be anything relevant your topic, including: places, people, jobs, religions, institutions, objects, periods, or events. Also, take note of terms that are related to your topic and had an impact on the area you are studying. Write down all the terms which relate to your topic and note which ones provide the most relevant results.
It can also be useful to keep a note of what you are not looking at so that you stay focused on your topic and do not retrieve too many results.
Authors who are written about the topic
You will start to notice that some authors are mentioned as specialists on the topic you are researching. Search a variety of catalogues to find what they have written on the subject in different formats. They might have contributed to edited works, written articles, given presentations to conferences or annotated works. They also might lead you to others who have written about your topic or research groups which are relevant to your studies.
Use subject searches
Most secondary resources have been indexed according to their subject. Through using these subject terms you can search catalogues more efficiently and find relevant resources without just searching the title or author.
If you find a useful resources, try looking at its catalogue record. See if any of the subject headings look useful and note what terminology they use as this will be consistent across most databases. When you have found a useful term, copy and paste it into a subject search (or select the link) and see what other resources are available.
You can also use an online thesaurus to find search terms. The most commonly used terms are the Library of Congress Subject Headings which provide uniform terms across international databases.
Use databases
The University subscribes to many databases that focus on different countries and topics. These will provide a comprehensive guide to what has been written in your area and may use different subject headings. Reference databases and bibliographies can be especially useful for finding citations of everything that has been written on a certain area of history. Biographical databases can also help find information about individuals and institutions. For a complete list of all the databases the University subscribes to, look at the A-Z of databases .
There are plenty of primary resources that can be used in your dissertation. The University subscribes to many databases that provide access to primary resources and some of our libraries hold special collections which can be used in your research. Below are some examples:
The University subscribes to many newspapers from the past and present. They can be a really useful tool for finding contemporary accounts of events and provide more than just articles (including: advertisements, illustrations, family notices, sports, arts, court cases). Many newspaper databases will also include related content, such as pamphlets and newsbooks.
The University Library has a collection of print newspapers which can be consulted on site. The University also subscribes to electronic databases of national and local newspapers across the world. More information about the newspaper databases we subscribe to is available on our dedicated website .
Special Collection Material
Many libraries and archives provide access to rare, unique and specialised collections of books and manuscripts. The University Library, for example, provides access to Manuscripts and Rare Books Departments , as do some of the colleges. Some of the more frequently used and important material is also available as part of an online library, such as Cambridge's CUDL .
Official Publications (Government Documents)
Documents produced by governmental and intergovernmental bodies can provide an insight into their decision making and governance. Several libraries in Cambridge have received official publications material and a lot of material is now available online. More information about the official material in Cambridge libraries is available on our Official Publications LibGuide .
Data and Statistics
Figures can be used to help illustrate a point and provide evidence as you answer the central question in your dissertation. You might chose to refer to census data, crime statistics, trade figures, or any other data set that relates to your area of history. This sort of information can be found in databases and replicated in secondary resources.
Private Papers
If you are researching an individual (or someone who played a prominent role in the area you are focusing on) it is a good idea to see if they have deposited private papers in an archive. These might includes diaries, letters, draft works, or anything else that was kept and not published. These works are normally kept in an archive, so a good starting point is to look at a catalogue that might show where relevant papers are held (such as Archives Hub )
These can include maps, cartoons, paintings and photographs. Images are available both in print and online, but you need to be cautious of the copyright restrictions of images before you use them (check the information given by the source). Some databases will allow you to search images, like ARTstor , so use them as a good starting point for your search.
Audio-Visual
Similarly to images, the University provides access to a variety of audio-visual resources, including interviews, recordings, radio and films. If there is a particular DVD you would like to use, try searching the title in iDiscover. For example, " Interviews with Historians " will take you to a comprehensive collection of DVDs available at the Seeley. Many films are also available online, such as British Pathe .
You will be able to do a comprehensive and efficient literature search if you keep a record of what you have read, where you read it and what each item means to your research. The best way to achieve this is to:
1. Record the key ideas, themes and quotes from what you have read. Try to find a uniform way to do this as it will make it easier to find information when you come to write your dissertation. Some formats are freely available on the internet, such as the Cornell Note Taking System .
2. Save citations you have looked at so you do not struggle to find them again. Also, this will help you when you come to do your references. There are many reference managers available to help you store this information and create a fully formatted bibliography.
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(re)shaping genre: the commercial and social presentation of speculative fiction in the 21st century.
Supervisor: Krishnan, M. (Supervisor) & Tether, L. (Supervisor)
Student thesis : Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Supervisor: Willis, C. (Supervisor) & Booker-Milburn, K. I. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Ladyman, J. A. C. (Supervisor) & Thebault, K. P. Y. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Perriman, A. W. (Supervisor) & Ting, V. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Ibraim, E. (Supervisor) & Diambra, A. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Patil, A. (Supervisor) & Faul, C. F. (Supervisor)
Student thesis : Master's Thesis › Master of Science by Research (MScR)
Supervisor: Faul, C. F. J. (Supervisor) & Lennox, A. J. J. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Perriman, A. W. (Supervisor) & Anderson, J. L. R. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Seddon, A. M. (Supervisor) & Eichhorn, S. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Piechocki, R. (Supervisor) & Nix, A. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Gradhand, M. (Supervisor) & Dugdale, S. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Gradhand, M. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Hauert, S. (Supervisor), Ioannou, C. (Supervisor) & Genner, M. J. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Race, P. R. (Supervisor) & Woolfson, D. N. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: McIntosh-Smith, S. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Watson, D. L. (Supervisor) & Harris, P. R. (External person) (Supervisor)
Student thesis : Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Social Science (DSocSci)
Supervisor: Huxtable, R. (Supervisor), O'Connor, D. (Supervisor), O'Connor, D. (Supervisor) & Huxtable, R. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Apps, R. (Supervisor), Bashir, Z. (Supervisor) & Pickford, J. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Radford, A. (Supervisor) & Cuthill, I. C. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Richardson, B. (Supervisor) & Martin, P. B. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Galan, C. (Supervisor), Briscoe, W. (Supervisor) & Cosgrove, T. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Saunders, N. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Massey, R. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Hauert, S. (Supervisor), Blee, J. A. (Supervisor) & Collinson, I. R. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Holderied, M. W. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Windsor, S. P. (Supervisor) & Holderied, M. W. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: King, W. (Supervisor) & Hewitt, V. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Sharples, R. (Supervisor) & Giampapa, F. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Leckie, G. (Supervisor) & Watermeyer, R. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Macfarlane, B. J. (Supervisor)
Student thesis : Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Education (EdD)
Supervisor: Aitchison, L. (Supervisor), Ludwig, C. (Supervisor) & Lepora, N. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Gambaruto, A. (Supervisor) & Azarpeyvand, M. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Bond, I. P. (Supervisor) & Lawrie, A. G. W. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Burgess, S. C. (Supervisor), Herrmann, G. (Supervisor) & Brace, C. (External person) (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Poole, D. (Supervisor) & Allen, C. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Rudnev, M. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Berger, I. (Supervisor), Mulholland, A. (Supervisor) & Berger-Schaffitzel, C. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Rahman, S. (Supervisor) & Coxon, G. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: White, J. (Supervisor) & Kipping, R. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Woods, B. K. S. (Supervisor), Macquart, T. (Supervisor), Schenk, M. (Supervisor) & Pirrera, A. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Slaney, C. (Supervisor) & Attwood, A. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Scott , T. B. (Supervisor) & Fox, N. A. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Babaee, F. (Supervisor) & Rubin-Delanchy, P. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Kim, B. C. (Supervisor) & Ivanov, D. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Han, D. (Supervisor) & Rico-Ramirez, M. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Karamitros, D. K. (Supervisor) & Diambra, A. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Kanellos, G. (Supervisor) & Nejabati, R. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Wilcox, P. D. (Supervisor) & Velichko, A. (Supervisor)
Student thesis : Doctoral Thesis › Engineering Doctorate (EngD)
Supervisor: Han, D. (Supervisor)
Supervisor: Barreto, J. (Supervisor) & Erven, C. (Supervisor)
Undergraduate dissertations, best undergraduate dissertations:.
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Since 2009, we have published the best of the annual dissertations produced by our final year undergraduates and award a 'best dissertation of the year' prize to the best of the best. Best Dissertations of 2022. Best Dissertations of 2021. Best Dissertations of 2020. Best Dissertations of 2019.
Best Undergraduate Dissertations 2022. Since 2009 the Department of History at the University of Bristol has published the best of the annual dissertations produced by our final-year undergraduates. We do so in recognition of the excellent research undertaken by our students, which is a cornerstone of our degree programme. As a department, we ...
Since 2009 the Department of History at the University of Bristol has published the best of the annual dissertations produced by our final-year undergraduates. ... Winner of the 'Best History dissertation of 2013' prize: Katie Abbott: From Failure to Success: A Re-Evaluation of the Special Operations Executive's Achievements in France, 1940 ...
Student thesis: Master's Thesis › Master of Philosophy (MPhil) File. Fields into factories: the contested growth of military-industrial capacity and its impact on Britain's rural and peri-urban landscapes across the long Second World War, 1936 to 1946. Author: Willis, G., 3 Oct 2023.
The Practice-Based Dissertation was first introduced at Bristol in 2020-21 and enables students to produce a practical, public-facing 'public history' output as well as a 5000 word Critical Reflective Report. In this interview, Jessica talks to Kim Singh-Sall about her project. Continue reading →.
The struggle of the soul and the return to goodness: a new proposal for Freudian psychoanalysis based on Kantian theory. Author: Lopez Rios, M. B., 21 Jun 2022. Supervisor: Lampe, K. (Supervisor) & Morgan, S. (Supervisor) Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) File.
A changing world: how anthropogenic noise and climate impact dwarf mongoose (Helogale parvula) behaviour. Author: Westover, L., 3 Oct 2023. Supervisor: Radford, A. (Supervisor) & Cuthill, I. C. (Supervisor) Student thesis: Master's Thesis › Master of Science by Research (MScR) File.
In this series, Dr Jessica Moody, unit co-ordinator of the third year Practice-Based Dissertation option, interviews students about their projects and experiences of this unit. The Practice-Based Dissertation was first introduced at Bristol in 2020-21 and enables students to produce a practical, public-facing 'public history' output as well ...
Best undergraduate dissertations of 2020. Iris Best ... impact on attitudes and behaviours in motherhood after the war. The Department of Historical Studies at the University of Bristol is com-mitted to the advancement of historical knowledge and understanding, and ... Z. Waxman, Women in the Holocaust: A Feminist History (Oxford: Oxford ...
Unit Information. Description. The Practice-Based dissertation in History offers students the opportunity to communicate historical ideas and research through the design of a practical output intended for a non-academic audience (i.e. a public history project). Students will write a supporting reflective report (5000 words) setting out the ...
Dissertations and theses . To find a University of Bristol thesis: Use Library Search as if you were trying to find a book, using either the author's name, the title or a combination of the two. When your search results display, you can refine your search by using the 'Resource type - Thesis' option.
Dissertations and projects. Student dissertations and projects that have been provided by the colleges as examples of good practice. The Library holds selected student dissertations and projects from the past five years that have been provided by the colleges as examples of good practice (the actual grades awarded are confidential).
Unit Information. The English and History Dissertation is an exercise in extended independent research. Students are required to identify their own topic, informed by their engagement with the disciplines of English and History. It is expected that they will deploy literary criticism and source analysis in their dissertations.
An iconographic study of the Virgin as intercessor, mediator and purveyor of mercy in western understanding from the twelfth to the fifteenth century. Author: Oakes, C. M., 1998. Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) File.
Best undergraduate dissertations of 2022. Annabel Ditchfield Threads of Rebellion: An Exploration Into ... 1830-1865. The Department of Historical Studies at the University of Bristol is com-mitted to the advancement of historical knowledge and understanding, and to research of the highest order. Our undergraduates are part of that en ...
The Library holds UWE Bristol PhD theses in print formats. In addition, you can search for PhD theses awarded by other universities.
History Dissertation Bristol - Free download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. This document discusses some of the challenges of writing a history dissertation for students in Bristol, including extensive research, analysis, and argumentation required. It notes that selecting a topic, conducting thorough research, organizing data, and presenting cogent arguments ...
Historical Studies at Bristol consist of two subject areas, History and History of Art, which each have their own degree programme, though students are encouraged to treat staff from the whole department as a collective resource. ... Student thesis: Master's Thesis › Master of Philosophy (MPhil) File. A new way of life: the emergence of ...
The best way to achieve this is to: 1. Record the key ideas, themes and quotes from what you have read. Try to find a uniform way to do this as it will make it easier to find information when you come to write your dissertation. Some formats are freely available on the internet, such as the Cornell Note Taking System.
The thesis collection from the Medical Library has been relocated to the library's Research Reserve. The collection includes: PhD, MD, MSc, ChM and DSc theses of staff and postgraduate students of the Health Sciences Faculty, from 1910 to date. A card catalogue in the Medical Library contains details of the earlier theses, or you may check the ...
The document discusses the challenges of writing a dissertation for a Bristol University history program. It notes that writing a dissertation requires extensive research, analysis, and strong writing skills over many months of dedicated work. It can be an overwhelming process that causes writer's block and stress for many students. The document promotes a dissertation writing service that can ...
A changing world: how anthropogenic noise and climate impact dwarf mongoose (Helogale parvula) behaviour. Author: Westover, L., 3 Oct 2023. Supervisor: Radford, A. (Supervisor) & Cuthill, I. C. (Supervisor) Student thesisMaster's Thesis › Master of Science by Research (MScR) File.
Undergraduate dissertations. Since 2011 the Department of History of Art at the University of Bristol has periodically published the best of the annual dissertations produced by our final-year undergraduates. We do so in recognition of the excellent research undertaken by our students, which is a cornerstone of our degree programme.