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Choosing A Dissatation

I am still doing my A Levels and hope to go to university to study History this autumn.

Now I know you do your dissertation in your 3rd year but I am insanely interested in the lives of the prominent Nazis, and in particular Eva Braun. I would love to do my dissertation on her and whilst I appreciate by the time my 3rd year comes along I may have developed a completely new fascination do you think it is too early to have some idea of the topic?

Obviously it would be best to wait and talk with my tutor/ lecturer etc but when did you decide on what you may like to do your dissertation on? Also there is not a mass of range of sources, books etc on Eva Braun although I do have a fair few books on her. I know that the word length is around 10,000 words (I think although I may be wrong) so is it essential to have a mass of resources about the topic in which you are doing?

Thanks

Reply 1

brightxburns

14

I suggest that, before you begin your dissertation, you improve your spelling.

Reply 2

apotoftea

19

QI Elf

I am still doing my A Levels and hope to go to university to study History this autumn.

Now I know you do your dissertation in your 3rd year but I am insanely interested in the lives of the prominent Nazis, and in particular Eva Braun. I would love to do my dissertation on her and whilst I appreciate by the time my 3rd year comes along I may have developed a completely new fascination do you think it is too early to have some idea of the topic?

Obviously it would be best to wait and talk with my tutor/ lecturer etc but when did you decide on what you may like to do your dissertation on? Also there is not a mass of range of sources, books etc on Eva Braun although I do have a fair few books on her. I know that the word length is around 10,000 words (I think although I may be wrong) so is it essential to have a mass of resources about the topic in which you are doing?

Thanks

I first had ideas during the middle of my second year, fuelled by having to write a research proposal. I didn't however settle on the subject or question until the October of my third year! I've actually just finished it so it's weird talking about it now.

You'll only be able to do that topic if there's a person in the department with a research area relating to it. There most probably will be but it is something worth thinking about as it's pointless doing a topic that no-one can supervise you on and give you pointers etc.

You've also got to consider how much has been written on the subject already. It's pointless writing 10 000 on a subject that's been done to death. This will include past students as well. I know from my own experiences that no-one in my year was allowed to do the Contagious Diseases Acts & the work of Josephine Butler in relation to prostitutes as it has been studied year on year on year.

Sources are an issue as you've got to have something to back your arguement up with. Saying that, the subject that I've just written about - I only had 3 key texts for 10 000 words and none of them have argued what I have (going for original thought here). I did have access to the related primary sources though which does help.

I personally wouldn't set your heart on a subject just yet. Dissertations are not as easy as they seem

Reply 3

Minerva

17

QI Elf

I am still doing my A Levels and hope to go to university to study History this autumn.

Now I know you do your dissertation in your 3rd year but I am insanely interested in the lives of the prominent Nazis, and in particular Eva Braun. I would love to do my dissertation on her and whilst I appreciate by the time my 3rd year comes along I may have developed a completely new fascination do you think it is too early to have some idea of the topic?

Obviously it would be best to wait and talk with my tutor/ lecturer etc but when did you decide on what you may like to do your dissertation on? Also there is not a mass of range of sources, books etc on Eva Braun although I do have a fair few books on her. I know that the word length is around 10,000 words (I think although I may be wrong) so is it essential to have a mass of resources about the topic in which you are doing?

Thanks

Have a look at the Southampton course - I believe they cover a great deal of Nazi history there and have access to some important archives of the time, though I couldn't say if any of it would be relevant to Eva Braun particularly. That said, interests can and do change dramatically during your 1st/2nd year so don't tie yourself down too much.

Reply 4

Profesh

20

Presumably a 'dissatation' on Hitler would be where you end every other sentence with the words 'y'all', 'dawg' or 'fo' sheezy', ridicule his 'designer' facial-hair, and draw unfavourable comparisons between his mother and a Volkswagen Beetle?

Reply 5

rkd

12

Profesh

and draw unfavourable comparisons between his mother and a Volkswagen Beetle?

How strangely appropriate.

Reply 6

QI Elf

OP

17

I'm sorry I didn't spell every word correctly. But please do not mock me about it. I'm sure everyone here has made the odd typo at some stage in their lives.

Thanks you to the helpful contributions such as Stickyvix and Minerva.

Reply 7

Poica

14

To be honest, I always thought I was really into modern history, but when I got to University I became a medievalist. So it's really too soon to tell what you'll be interested in.

There's nothing to stop you doing some research if you enjoy it though.

Reply 8

ancientone

8

Though not a historian, I found that the dissertation I finally did for my bachelors degree was significantly removed from that I'd planned to do, even in my second year. As you discover more and new interesting things about your subject then your focus changes. I'm now doing work on something vastly different to that I'd originally planned.

Choosing A Dissatation

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