Facts about the best ways to plan and carry out historical research

1. History research
Dissertations and assignments
Research and
note taking
@mrmarrhistory

2. Research and note taking
Use this guide to help you carry out research and take notes on
your assignment’s topic
• Planning your research
• Types of sources
• Recording your sources
• How to find your information
• How to take notes
• Organising your notes

3. History research
Dissertations and assignments
Planning your
research
@mrmarrhistory

4. Research and note taking
Imagine going a journey without
knowing a route or a destination.
That’s what researching without
having a plan is doing.
You’ll have most success if you
actually know where you are going
before you start.

5. Research and note taking
Before you start your research, you should identify the key topics
that you want to investigate.
• This will make it easier for you to take relevant notes.
• It will also make it easier for you to find the information in
the first place.

6. Research and note taking
How can I find out which topics to research?
• Background reading (generic books, articles, films)
• Discuss ideas with classmates
• Review the issue with your teacher
** You should consider factors and sub-factors to be researched

7. Research and note taking
For example…..
If you are researching the policies which helped the Nazis keep
power in Germany between 1933-1939, you might examine:
Factors
• Economic policies
• Foreign policies
• Social policies
• Military policies
Sub-factors
Employment, work conditions, business

8. Research and note taking
You may even find it helpful to create a spider diagram of your
research plan
Nazis in power,
1933-1939
Economic
policies
Social
policies
Military
policies
Foreign
policiesEmployment
Work
conditions
Business
support

9. History research
Dissertations and assignments
Types of
sources
@mrmarrhistory

10. Research and note taking
You should try to use a range of different secondary sources as
part of your research:
• Books
• Magazine articles
• Academic journals
• Film clips/documentaries
Remember, primary sources (compulsory for Advanced Higher):
• Newspapers, speeches, diaries, government documents, etc

11. History research
Dissertations and assignments
Recording your
sources
@mrmarrhistory

12. Research and note taking
Whenever you are taking notes, you must record where you find
this information (to stop plagiarism)
Books Author, title, publication date, publisher
Articles Author, article title, magazine title,
publication date
Websites Author, article title, website title, web
address, date accessed
Documentaries Title, name of programme, date/channel
shown

13. Research and note taking
And for written sources (books, articles, journals):

14. History research
Dissertations and assignments
How to find
your information
@mrmarrhistory

15. Research and note taking
One reason you need a plan is because it will make it easier to find
specific facts.
REMEMBER: identify your factors and sub-factors
Instead of reading general sections to hopefully find facts, a plan
allows you to search for detailed and specific information.
The following tips will help you achieve this.

16. Research and note taking
Books
• Read the chapter list to see if
chapters might suit your general
topic or specific search needs
• Use the index at the back of the
book to find specific pieces of
information

17. Research and note taking
Internet
• Use only reliable and recognisable
websites
• When conducting a search, use
“quote marks” if you are searching
for an exact phrase
• Google Scholar is an excellent
resource to find a range of academic
level sources

18. Research and note taking
Film/documentary
• Plan beforehand – identify the
topics you want to research
• Don’t try to write out entire quotes
– instead focus on key words or
phrases
• Pause the film to take notes, rather
than missing useful facts

19. History research
Dissertations and assignments
How to
take notes
@mrmarrhistory

20. Research and note taking
There are different ways to write your researched facts
“Direct quotes”
“The military muscle for the conspiracy was to be provided by the
returning Baltic Freikorps veterans”
Paraphrasing
Freikorps (from the Baltic) used to support Kapp Putsch
Your interpretation/opinion
Add your own thoughts alongside researched facts

21. Research and note taking
How to present your notes…
• Bullet points
The Birth of the Nazis, Nigel
Jones, 2004, Robinson
p67 Freikorps (from the Baltic)
used to support Kapp
Putsch
p69 German elite gave some
backing to Kapp Putsch –
including Ludendorff
p90 Workers’ councils put
embargo on coal from the
Ruhr to show opposition

22. Research and note taking
How to present your notes…
• Mind maps
TOPIC /
QUESTION
Anti right-
wing groups
Key groups
Key individuals
p69, German elite gave some backing to
Kapp Putsch - including Ludendorff
p67, Freikorps (from the
Baltic) used to support
Kapp Putsch
p90, Workers’
councils put
embargo on coal
from the Ruhr to
show opposition

23. Research and note taking
How to present your notes…
• Tables
(with key topic titles)
The Birth of the Nazis, Nigel
Jones, 2004, Robinson
Key
individuals
Key groups Anti right-
wing groups
p69, German
elite gave
some
backing to
Kapp Putsch
- including
Ludendorff
p67,
Freikorps
(from the
Baltic) used
to support
Kapp Putsch
p90,
Workers’
councils put
embargo on
coal from
the Ruhr to
show
opposition

24. Research and note taking
You could include space to write researched facts, and also to
include your own opinions:
Notes Personal thoughts
Freikorps (from the Baltic) used to
support Kapp Putsch
German elite gave some backing to
Kapp Putsch – including Ludendorff
Freikorps used by various
right-wing groups – key
factor
Clear links between elite
and right-wing German
groups

25. Research and note taking
Some hints and tips…
• Only focus on what you will actually need – don’t just write
lots of notes to make yourself feel good
• Don’t leave your research too late
• Use a range of different sources
• And remember: have a research plan

26. History research
Dissertations and assignments
Organising your
notes
@mrmarrhistory

27. Research and note taking
You are going to use lots of sources to research lots of different
topics – watch that you don’t lose facts and waste your research
You need a system to organise all of your related notes.
• Use a ring binder with section dividers
• Have a set book/jotter you use for each individual topic
• Have electronic files/folders of your notes
• Use different paper colours for each individual topic
** This might mean you need multiple notes for the same source

28. Anti right-wing groupsKey groupsKey individuals
Research and note taking
The Birth of the Nazis, Nigel
Jones, 2004, Robinson
Freikorps (from the Baltic) used
to support Kapp Putsch
The Birth of the Nazis, Nigel
Jones, 2004, Robinson
German elite gave some backing
to Kapp Putsch – including
Ludendorff
The Birth of the Nazis, Nigel
Jones, 2004, Robinson
Workers’ councils put embargo
on coal from the Ruhr to show
opposition

29. Research and note taking
The Birth of the Nazis, Nigel
Jones, 2004, Robinson
Freikorps (from the Baltic)
used to support Kapp Putsch
German elite gave some
backing to Kapp Putsch –
including Ludendorff
Workers’ councils put
embargo on coal from the
Ruhr to show opposition
Key figures
Key groups
Anti right-
wing groups

30. Research and note taking
You may also want to create a spider diagram to organise the main
points that you have identified through your research
TOPIC /
QUESTION
AAAA CCCC
DDDD
BBBB
xxxx
yyyyyy
zzzzzz