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Centre for the Study of the Renaissance

Methodology / Skills Sessions 2023-24

Timetable for Skills Sessions

Running alongside the seminars on Renaissance Culture and Society are classes which emphasise the development of research, bibliographical, and palaeographical skills, with the option of specialising in English or Italian Palaeography. These sessions, mandatory for Centre students, are also open to interested students from departments such as English, History, Classics, Modern Languages and Art History. Although they are not assessed, informal tests and assignments are part of the skills training. A Certificate of Attendance will be awarded to students who attend 80%+ of the palaeography class, and who pass the short test set at the end of the spring term. References pertaining to your MA degree work may refer to your performance on any of these assignments as shown by your file.

As well as Palaeography, a selection of other skills sessions will be timetabled for all students, during term 2 at Warwick. Do check this website and tabula for further details. The programme is below, with classes taking place (mostly) in person, Wednesdays, 1-2pm, in room FAB1.09. There are some exceptions to this, please see detail below and check tabula

Week 1: (10 Jan 2024) Library session with Rhiannon Taylor, 'Visualising your Research Journey'.

Week 3: (24 Jan) Academic Writing: from finding gaps in the scholarship to identifying an original, significant, and viable topic. From research questions to sources - or vice versa. Identifying your sources; and whether or to what extent to use manuscripts and early printed editions; What is good academic writing? What is good referencing? And why pay attention to MHRA style? Developing the dissertation proposal: from outline to abstract and back again; identifying and conveying your argument. [Tess Grant]. PLEASE NOTE: This class will take place at 1.15-2.15pm on Wednesday 24th, in FAB5.25

Week 5: (7 Feb) Effective Reading - Intensive and Extensive: Reading critically and analytically; taking/organizing one's notes and data; common pitfalls; time-management [Xiaona Wang]

Week 7: (21 Feb) The Critical Review: what and how? [Aysu Dincer]

Week 1, T3: (24 April), 3-4pm in Room FAB5.07. The Dissertation Proposal. Student presentations on the dissertation proposal (5 mins each with 10 mins feedback) [Tess Grant]