The research essay is intended to help you develop skills in gathering and analysing information for the purpose of answering a particular question on the themes we have studied. The questions assigned tend to inquire either about the legacy of the past in the present or about the global nature of the history we have studied. Much more than in the previous assignment, the emphasis is on showing that you have gone beyond the required reading and conducted independent scholarly research. Most of these sources should be scholarly sources and you will be marked down if you are over-reliant on poor quality internet sources.
Demonstrate that you have consulted a wide range of mostly scholarly materials as recommended by the reading list and/or seminar tutor Present a clear and sophisticated argument which relates closely to the terms of the question Back up each claim with detailed and relevant evidence taken from reputable sources Interrogate the key terms in the question in order to develop a clearer argument e.g. Exploring different possible meanings of the term “Third World”.
