Aims, Objectives, and Assessment

Module Aims and Outcomes

The aim of this module is to develop critical understanding of the meanings and significance of 'truth' in early modern Britain through a variety of topics. You will be introduced to a variety of perspectives and approaches and will develop a conceptual and practical understanding of the skills required by historians and scholars from different disciplines.

This module sets out:

To explore the complex concept of truth in contemporary discourse and early modern debates from a variety of different perspectives and approaches that have seldom been brought together.
To develop a conceptual and practical understanding of a variety of different aspects of early modern history.
To examine how ideas of truth and notions of truth telling have shaped the historical discipline.
To support students in developing skills in critical analysis and to make connections between the different weeks of the module.
Foster students’ ability to engage with a variety of primary sources and methodological approaches.

Module Assessment

30 CATS version

1500 word primary source analysis (25%)
4000 word essay (65%)
Seminar contribution (10%)

20 CATS version

3500 word essay (90%)
Seminar contribution (10%)

Submission deadlines: week 4 of term 1 and week 1 of term 2.

1500-Word Primary Source Analysis Instructions (for 30 CATs)

This assignment requires you to write a commentary on a primary source, or two linked sources. You can take any of the documents set out for the classes on the weekly reading lists or choose another document from the primary source databases and collections listed on the module's research resources page.

Why a primary source analysis

Each week we discuss primary texts, so this assignment builds on the skills and the type of analysis you routinely conduct in class. This assignment is intended as an opportunity for you to engage deeply with a source or group of sources and to get feedback and advice on approaches to incorporate primary material into your analysis. It will also help you prepare for both your longer essays for this module and your final year dissertation, where close engagement with primary material is a requirement.

What question shall I use?

You do not need a question, but you should still produce an analysis with a clear point. It may be helpful to think of this as an argument for how and why this source could be (or has been) useful to historians, or for how it helps us to understand a particular theme related to this module. Your title should be a full reference to the primary source(s) being discussed e.g. Nicholas Sander, 'Rise and Growth of the Anglican Schism, 1585', in Early Modern Catholicism: an anthology of primary sources, ed. by Robert S. Miola (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007), pp. 405-408. If you are unsure about how to reference a primary source, please contact the module convenor/s.

What makes a good commentary?

You should aim to provide a critical appraisal of the text, informed by your knowledge of the subject and wider reading. Focus on text, context and significance. This means that you may need to do some research around the author and source itself rather than just taking its contents at face value. This will help you to understand its broader significance and intended purpose.

You should use secondary literature to help back up the claims you are making about the source, for example: the creator’s motivation, how popular it was, why it was written, or the historical event it is referring to. You may also want to use secondary literature to discuss broader methodological issues with using this type of source. EG: if we are using a portrait, art historians point out that these are not necessarily realistic depictions, and discuss various conventions or tropes popular at the time.

Some questions you might want to consider when approaching your sources (not all will be applicable to all sources, but many will be):

Text. What are the essential or notable features of what is being said [this might have to do with the language/wording used as much as the content]? What keywords, phrases or concepts are involved? Why are they important?
Context. Who wrote this and what do we know about them – is it important? What do we know about the aims of the author(s)? When was it written and is this significant? In what ways is it significant to know the historical context in which it was written?
Significance. What is the significance of what is being said? Is this text part of a larger series of texts and if so, does this larger corpus have significance? How does the piece relate to other texts and to the period as a whole? Was it representative? innovative? unusual? Influential? What is its broader historical significance? How might readers react?
Historiography. In assessing the significance of the source, it is worth considering this in relation to the wider historiography. Does the piece raise historiographical questions or relate to a historiographical debate? What are the key debates to which this relates? How have historians interpreted it or documents like it?

How should I present it?

This assignment should be presented in the same way as any other written essay - written in continuous prose and divided into paragraphs. You might want to begin with an overview of the source and its main ideas/arguments before proceeding to discuss particular aspects of the source in more depth.

Please ensure that you include full details of the source/s you are analysing at the top of the essay (which should be your essay title). If you have chosen to focus on a visual image, please also include a copy of the image either in the main body of the essay or as an Appendix.

All primary and secondary works cited, should be listed alphabetically by author in a bibliography at the end of your review.

How do I reference my primary source?

Most referencing handbooks, such as MHRA or Chicago, have sections for referencing different types of sources. If in doubt, do feel free to email the module convenors, as primary material can be difficulty to cite correctly. In most cases, it will require you to provide a link to direct the reader to where you originally accessed the source.

What marking criteria will be used?

The marking criteria are the same as for any other written piece of work, which will be connected to the specific departmental marking descriptors. Please refer to the PGT Marking Criteria available through the 'Student Hub'.

Guidance and support.

Every seminar will have an element of primary source analysis built into the curriculum, so you will become familiar with the types of questions and ideas you can use when approaching your sources. You are encouraged to meet with me by appointment or in office hours to discuss your ideas, and/or to email with queries.

There is an excellent collection on essays by Laura Sangha and Jonathan Willis (eds), Understanding Early Modern Primary SourcesLink opens in a new window (2016). This is aimed at students and goes through seven categories of primary material, e.g. legal records, diaries, literary works, visual sources etc. Also addresses the types of sources to explore major themes.

3500/4000-Word Essay Instructions

How do I identify my topic and question?

The essay for this module should align with a topic that has interested you from the nine thematic weeks covered by the module. In the opening seminar, you will be encouraged to identify particular topics and themes of interest to you, which may help you to focus your interests and reading over the remaining weeks of the module.

You will be encouraged to formulate your own question under the guidance of one of the tutors. This essay is normally based on one of the module's weekly themes. If you are interested in writing on a different topic, you should consult with the module convenor/s in advance of the deadline, so that they can ensure you are meeting the learning objectives of the module.

What support is available to me?

There will be many opportunities for you to discuss your ideas for this assignment. Time will be devoted in the seminar in Week 10 to discussing and presenting your ideas to your peers.

You are encouraged to meet with the module convenors by appointment or in office hours to discuss your ideas, and/or to email with queries.

Individual module tutors will also be able to provide you with support on reading and suggested sources for any topics on which you are interested in writing your essay.

What is being assessed?

Knowledge and Understanding: is the work based on a thorough factual knowledge of relevant historical events? Does it demonstrate understanding of relevant secondary literature, theories, methods and/or debates that are relevant to the topic at hand? Does the work reflect on and engage with the sources, theories, methods, and/or debates that it is discussing?
Argument: does the work give a persuasive and analytical answer to the question, with good use of evidence?
Presentation: is the work clearly written and logically organised? Is it written in a clear individual style? Does the work correctly acknowledge its sources through its use of quotations, referencing, and bibliography?

Participation and learning throughout the module will enhance the quality of the final assignment. Your essay will benefit from coming prepared to seminars, and showing good engagement through involvement in whole group and small group discussion, as this may take your analysis in directions you hadn't previously anticipated.

How will feedback be provided?

Feedback will be provided via Tabula 20 working days after submission. You will have the opportunity in Term 2 to meet individually with the markers to discuss the feedback you have received.

How will the essay be marked?

The essay will be marked according to the departmental marking scale. Further information about what is expected at each level of the scale is available in the Postgraduate sections of the 'Student Hub'.

Seminar Contribution Instructions

This aspect of the module's assessment will be based on your contributions to seminars over the whole module. You will be required to submit a structured reflective statement encouraging you to reflect on your learning throughout the module. You will not be expected to complete additional research in order to succeed in this assignment. The final mark will be decided through your reflective statement and by your tutors, who will assess your contributions in weekly seminars throughout the module.

The best preparation you can do for this part of the module assessment is do the seminar reading, turn up to seminars, and contribute to the discussion in class (this can be small group as well as whole-class discussion). Participation might also include following any instructions you are provided by your seminar tutors.

What is being assessed?

Participation: Does the student attend regularly? Is there evidence that the student has prepared for the seminar? Does the student participate in small and/or large group discussions or other seminar activities? Does the student participate in any online forums or other required activities before or after the seminar?
Engagement: Does the student demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the set readings? Does the student reflect on, engage with, and critically analyse, the sources, theories, methods and/or debates in the readings or under discussion? Does the student give evidence- and argument-driven responses to seminar questions?
Contribution: Do the student's ideas extend the discussion? Do they ask useful or probing questions of the readings and of other students? Do they approach the conversation in an inclusive way?
Oral Communication: Does the student express their ideas clearly and persuasively? Does the student treat others in the room with respect? Does the student have a clear individual voice?
Reflection [for assessments with a reflective submission only]: Can the student accurately evaluate, and critically reflect upon, their contribution to seminars?

What marking criteria will be used? The departmental 'seminar contribution' marking criteria will be applied to this assignment. It follows the University 20 point scale and is available here: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/history/studenthub/assessment/ugmarkingcriteria/