And this from the History Extension Support Document:
Documenting the Project
The Proposal
As students conduct their research and develop the appropriate methodologies they should be entering the appropriate details in the proposal.
Some of the key aspects which could be included in the proposal are:
• the initial research conducted: aims, success, gaps in the research, etc
• changes that might have occurred in the research methodologies
• questions formulated and initial results obtained.
From these beginnings, and working in close consultation with the supervising teacher, a general area of investigation should emerge.
The Presentation
Synopsis
From the general topic area suggested in the proposal students will now refine a specific area of research which will be outlined in the synopsis.
This is an important step in the project as the specific area of research is something which should interest the student and be related to their own historical experiences. It is important that the topic is clearly focused, has a limited area of investigation and is manageable in terms of resources and information.
The following activities might help students decide on their topic:
• select an area of interest and narrow this to a specific focus
• engage in a brainstorming session with peers and the teacher(s) with the aim of narrowing a general topic area to a focus point
• construct focus questions or an hypothesis around areas of interest which have to be answered through research and investigation
• select an area from one of the case studies (or perhaps the one being investigated in class) and develop a focus from this with the proviso that it covers ‘substantially different ground’.
It may emerge during the course of the research that the focus question changes. This could be due to a number of factors including:
• the methodology or investigation leads students into other defined areas
• their initial topic may have been too broad or generally unsatisfactory
• ethical or other concerns may be raised as a result of investigating the initial topic.
If this occurs, students should remember to document these changes, especially in the proposal and the process log. It is important that students, in consultation with their supervising teacher, deal with this problem because failure to do so could result in failure to meet the requirements of the course.
Essay
The essay is a piece of written communication that draws together the central findings from the research and the historical understanding from the readings to synthesise a coherent and logical argument. It is important that ideas and arguments are developed from the judicious use of meaningful words, and each paragraph should that deal with one central idea. Students will need to submit work drafts to their supervising teacher and readily obtain feedback from these drafts. It is the responsibility of the student to act on this guidance. An effective essay would, on average, have three drafts or part drafts prior to the final product.
A good sustained piece of writing with a developmental sequence may include one of the following processes:
• following a logical and sequential pattern of ideas
• moving from broad ideas to specific aspects
• moving from a general or simple idea to more complex ones
• stating/reviewing/discussing what other researchers or historians have said and allowing this to form the basis for the development of the student’s own ideas or conclusions
• substantiating the student’s own research or investigation with interpretations or judgements advanced by historians/researchers.
The information in the essay must clearly be related to the research and methodology conducted. Material alluded to in the essay, such as statistics, tables, photographs and pictures (which would be included in an appendix) must be commented upon in the essay. The appendix should only contain material that is considered essential to justify statements made in the written work. An appendix should not:
• be used as a means to present material which could have been used in the 2,500 word essay
• be used as a means to extend the word length.
During and after the draft process, it is essential that the writer engages in the editing process. This should be an ongoing process in conjunction with rewriting the draft copies.
In summary, a good essay will show:
• the subject matter, including the use of primary and secondary sources, has been selected in a discerning way
• the research/investigation has been integrated and displays careful historical analysis
• logical conclusions have been drawn from the investigation
• historians have been used and acknowledged and form a basis for developing historical argument
• the historical research material used in the essay has been carefully selected for its appropriateness
• the appendix will not be bulky and will include only those items appropriate to the arguments in the essay.
The Bibliography
The two key functions of the bibliography are:
• the inclusion of a formatted alphabetical list of all sources used in the project
• a 600-word evaluation of three sources used in the project.
All sources used in the project should be included, as well as those not used but considered to be important for the overall project. This allows for the borrowed work of the author to be acknowledged as well as providing other readers with access and information regarding these resources.
Support Document & Syllabus here:
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/syllabus2000_listh.html#hindic
