A Practical Guide to Studying History

Tracey Loughran is Professor of History at the University of Essex, UK. She is the author of Shell-Shock and Medical Culture in First World War Britain (2017).

*** PROSE Award Winner (2018) in the Textbook/Humanities Category ***A Practical Guide to Studying History is the perfect guide for students embarking on degree-level study. The book: introduces students to the concepts of historical objectivity, frameworks and debate explains the differences in aims, methods and audiences for different types of history explores the relationship between the skills developed during a history undergraduate degree and the practice of professional history helps students develop the practical skills required to read historical writing critically, write good essays, and participate in historical debates includes study questions, further reading lists, text boxes, maps and illustrationsThe book incorporates case studies taken from a range of regions and periods, reflecting the varied nature of historical study at university, and helps students to understand history, and to practice it successfully: it is an indispensable guide to studying history.

Uniquely integrates skills and case studies with philosophy of history and aspects of good practice

List of IllustrationsIntroduction - Tracey Loughran (Cardiff University, UK)Part I: Framing HistoriesIntroduction: Frameworks and Perspectives - Tracey Loughran (Cardiff University, UK)1. Nations - Mark Williams (Cardiff University, UK)2. Periodization - Shaun Tougher (Cardiff University, UK)3. Comparative Histories - Chiara Beccalossi (University of Lincoln, UK)4. Biography - Toby Thacker (Cardiff University, UK)5. People's History - Martin Wright (Cardiff University, UK)6. Identities - Siobhan McGurk (University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA)Part II: The Historian's CraftIntroduction - Tracey Loughran (Cardiff University, UK)7. Historical Research - Garthine Walker (Cardiff University, UK)8. Evidence and Interpretation - Kevin Passmore (Cardiff University, UK)9. Archives - Federica Ferlanti (Cardiff University, UK)10. Documents, Editions and Translations - Helen J. Nicholson (Cardiff University, UK)11. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Sources for Essays - Keir Waddington (Cardiff University, UK)12. Reading and Writing History - Tracey Loughran (Cardiff University, UK)Part III: History in PublicIntroduction - Tracey Loughran (Cardiff University, UK)13. History in Schools - Lloyd Bowen (Cardiff University, UK)14. History and Policy - Matthew Grant (University of Essex, UK)15. Historical Novels - Tracey Loughran (Cardiff University, UK)16. History and Heritage - Stephanie Ward (Cardiff University, UK)17. Exhibiting History - Jane Hamlett (Royal Holloway, University of London, UK)18. Taking History into the World - Dave Wyatt (Cardiff University, UK)Index