History for Historians

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

170 hours

Admission to fourth-year honours in history or the Graduate Diploma in Arts (Advanced).

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

History for Historians is designed to enable History students to reflect critically upon their discipline: its history, its theory, its methods, and its practice. Such reflection will enhance students' research for, and writing of, their theses, and the assessment tasks directly incorporate students' thesis research. For these reasons, this seminar is compulsory for all students enrolled in pure History Honours. Students will be introduced to key developments in historiography from early modernity to post modernity. They will examine the application of a range of social theories and methodologies to the practice of History. They will also approach the task of their own research and writing of history through sessions on archival and bibliographical searches, on developing skills of historiographical analysis, on the use of written, oral, and visual sources, and on the creative act of transforming these historical sources into interpretative narratives to communicate to others.

Students who complete this subject should be able to:

• understand key developments in the history of History;
• understand significant issues in the theory and practice of history;
• develop skills in research and writing directly relevant to their honours theses;
• have an understanding of the theoretical and methodological issues involved in historical analysis; and
• engage in independent critical inquiry and research-based writing.

• A 1000 word short paper due Week 4 of semester (20%)
• A 1500 word archives project due mid semester (30%)
• A 2500 word historiographical essay due in the examination period (40%)
• Tutorial participation (10%)

Hurdle requirement:

• Students must attend a minimum of 75% of tutorials in order to pass this subject.
• All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.

Note: Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at 2% per day. After five days late assessment will not be marked. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked.

Subject readings will be available on line.

Georg Iggers, Historiography in the 20th century: from Scientific Objectivity to the Postmodern Challenge. Middletown: Wesleyan University Press, 2005

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

This is a compulsory subject for students doing pure honours in History and students doing the Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (History). It is optional for students doing combined honours.