RESEARCH METHODS FOR HISTORY - WORKSHOP

The present workshop has an eminently empirical character. It does not aim to introduce students to the theoretical debates that scholars have carried out about the historical method but to offer them concrete solutions for undertaking a historical research on their own. The workshop is addressed to Master students in history and intends to give indications on the method they should use to write a successful Master thesis on the basis of first-hand research.

An active participation to proposed activities is required. In particular, students are requested to read the texts uploaded on Moodle and to take part in the class discussion.

More in particular, students are expected:
a) to hold an oral presentation of a source;
b) to write a short written text, in which s/he will describe the main features and potentialities of the selected source.

The workshop is addressed to Master students in history. No further prerequisite required.

The workshop will take place during the second term. The third period will deal with the organization of historical research and with the presentation of the sources to which a history student of the University of Venice has access. In the forth period, the workshop will focus on the ways in which a scholar works with historical sources. During the forth period students will have the chance to hold their own presentations. The calendar of the classes (with topics and sources used) will be made available on Moodle. To the extent possible, meetings in libraries and archives of Venice will be organized.

A list with selected literature will be available on Moodle.

As for every other workshop, no final exam will take place.

Assessment consists of a qualification (idoneità) and will be based on the following components:
1) oral presentation;
2) writing of a source description;
3) participation to class discussions.

Classes with both lectures and seminar activity.
Given the nature of the workshop, both attendance and active participation to class discussions are essential.
Didactic materials are available on Moodle e-learning platform.

Italian

written and oral