The document provides guidance for students completing a project as part of their S4 History course. It outlines that students must research and produce a project on a topic of their choosing. For those doing a National 4 course, their entire grade will be based on this one project, while for National 5 students the project will be completed under exam conditions along with a final exam. The document provides suggestions for choosing a topic and questions formats, conducting research, planning the project, and the required sections and content. It also includes example topics, factors to consider, and grading instructions for assessing the project.

3. • As part of S4 History you have to research and produce
a project
• If you are doing National 4 then you will produce a
final project. Your entire grade (Pass/Fail) will be based
on this project.
• If you are doing National 5 then you will write up your
project under exam conditions. Along with a final exam
this will determine your overall grade.
• Everyone will produce a National 4 project

5. • You have to choose a topic to investigate
• The choice for this is yours. However you should
check any ideas with your teacher.
• When picking your topic, think about the following:
• Is it something you are interested in?
• Is the topic complex enough to produce an entire
project?
• Do you think there will be a lot of sources you can use
for research?

6. •
•
•
•
To what extent did …
How important was …
How significant was …
How far can it be argued that …
For example…
•To what extent were ideological differences the main
reason that the Cold War started?
•How important was the influence of religion in Britain
ending the slave trade?
•To what extent were the US justified in using nuclear
weapons on Japan?

7. • Here are some suggestions for topics:
Theme: Cold War, 1945-1990
• To what extent did ideological differences cause the Cold War?
• How significant were anti-war protests to the USA’s Vietnam defeat?
Theme: Empire and migration, 1830-1939
• How significant was the potato famine in leading to Irish emigration?
• To what extent was poverty the main reason that Scots emigrated?
Theme: Atlantic Slave Trade, 1770-1807
• How important was religion to Britain abolishing the slave trade?
• To what extent did Africans benefit from the slave trade?

9. • Don’t just start reading random sources – this will
make it harder for you to find what you need.
• Start off by reading some summary sources about your
overall topic. Write down the main issues involved.
• Choose at least three of these to be your main aims
when researching your topic. Write them down on your
Summary Sheet.

10. For example
if you were researching the main causes of détente
between the USA and USSR during the Cold War,
you may want to find out more about:
•Money problems both sides faced
•The influence of China
•The fear of war that both sides had
REMEMBER: You also need general facts about
your overall theme.

12. • Use Research Sheets to keep a record of any useful
facts you find during your research
• Start a new page for each different source you use
• On each page, take a note of what the source is
• Take written notes of any facts you find. You can keep
an electronic copy of any useful pictures too.

13. • You can research any way you want, but here are
some suggested sources:
* Internet websites
* Magazines
* Visits/field trips
* Newspapers
* Letters
* Interviews
* Books
* Diaries
* TV/film
• Your final report must refer to at least two different
sources

14. • When taking a note of the source, use details such as:
BOOKS: write the author, title, year published
[J. Bloggs, ‘A History of the Cold War’, 1997]
INTERNET SITE: write the title and address
[National Archives, www.nationalarchives.co.uk]

16. • If you are sitting National 5, your final project will be a
report written under exam conditions
• However everyone will produce a National 4 style
project. Choose from one of the following formats:
• A written report
• A PowerPoint presentation
• A talk to your class
• Produce a film or podcast
• Make up a large, detailed poster
• Make your own website

18. • Don’t just start writing your project; plan out what are
you going to write first
• National 4 and 5 must cover the following issues:
• Introduction
What you are writing about
• Context/background
Key facts about the topic you are writing about
• Causes and impacts
Explain the causes or impacts of the topic you are studying
• A conclusion where you answer your question
Answer the question, with reasons/evidence for this

20. • Get a Layout/Plan sheet from your teacher
• You can also get templates to help you
write your project. Your teacher has
example projects too.
• REMEMBER: It must also include
information from at least two sources and
your own knowledge

22. • Your introduction needs three sections:
1a) Background
Facts describing the topic or
event you are researching
1b) Question
Explain what question you are
discussing for your project
1c) Factors
Outline the factors you are going
to discuss

23. 1a) The Cold War was one of the most dangerous periods in world
history. For fifty years the two most powerful countries in the world
– the USA and USSR – fought to see either capitalism or communism
dominant across the globe. Most dangerously, at different times
they came close to a nuclear war.
1b) However in the 1960s and 1970s they went through a process
known as détente when both sides tried to find ways to work
together rather than fight. What was the reason that this happened?
1c) In order to answer this question, we will consider three issues.
Firstly we will look at the financial problems that both countries
faced, before looking at the role of China too. Finally we will
consider the fear both sides had about nuclear war.

25. • Your main section should cover three
relevant issues. For each, discuss:
2a) Facts
Explain facts about the factor or
issue you are discussing
2b) For
Give evidence to prove this is an
important factor.
2c) Against
Give evidence to prove this is
not an important factor.

26. 2a) Many people argue that money was the main reason for détente. In
the late-1960s and 1970s in the USA, Presidents Johnson and Nixon had
difficulty funding domestic policies such as education and training. In his
book ‘The Cold War’, historian Martin Walker argues that in 1968
financial problems were causing as much problems for Johnson as the
Vietnam War. The Soviet Union also had big financial problems, made
worse by the 1972 Oil Price Crisis which greatly increased oil prices.
2b) Both the USA and Soviet Union needed to find domestic policies and
did not have enough money to do so. The huge costs of military
spending (including nuclear weapons and the Vietnam War for the USA)
may have led each side to cut their military costs, meaning détente.
2c) However it can also be argued that both sides had huge military
spending commitments for at least two decades before détente, so this
cannot be the only issue.

28. • Your conclusion needs
three sections:
3a) Summary
Summarise the main findings
from each section
3b) Answer
Answer the question; what is the
main reason/issue?
3c) Reasons
Use two pieces of evidence to
support your view
CHECK: Have you included two sources?

29. 3a) There are many reasons that détente may have taken place.
Financial problems did force both sides to look at how they were
spending their money. Equally US problems in Vietnam and Soviet
worries about China may have had an influence too. Finally the Cuban
Missile Crisis showed how easily nuclear war could start.
3b) Overall however it is hard to argue against the view that financial
problems were the main reason for détente.
3c) This is because each side was happy to continue developing more
and bigger weapons for decades. It was only when they could not afford
to do so (and worried the other side might continue) that they sought
détente. Also the fact that the US commitment to détente ended as
soon as their economy improved shows they only believed in détente
due to money problems.

31. You are allowed to take an A4 resource sheet into your
final write-up.
This can be one side of A4 paper only.
The resource sheet can be typed or handwritten.
The resource sheet is not marked. However you must
submit this resource sheet with your final assignment.
CHECK: Have you included two sources?

32. It’s up to you what to include in your Resource Sheet,
however…
What you can include
• Key facts e.g. statistics, dates
• Quotes from historians or historical figures
• Details of sources e.g. facts, name of book, author, etc
• Headings to link evidence to sections of your report
What you cannot include
• A detailed plan of what you will write
• Large sections of text which you simply copy straight into
your final assignment

34. MARKING INSTRUCTIONS
A)
Explain different factors contributing to the impact or
causes of an event/development (2 marks)
B)
Use information from at least two sources (2 marks)
C)
Use own knowledge to support a factor (4 marks)
D)
Evaluate each different factor (3 marks)
E)
Organise the information to answer the question (3
marks)
F)
Come to a conclusion (3 marks)
G)
Support conclusion with reasons/evidence (3 marks)

35. A) Explain different factors
2 marks
The pupil has identified at least two
different factors and explained why each is
important.
1 mark
The pupil has identified at least two
different factors but not explained why
each is important.
0 marks
The pupil has not identified any different
factors.

36. B) Use information from two sources
2 marks
The pupil has identified and used
information from at least two named
sources.
1 mark
The pupil has identified and used
information from one named source.
0 marks
The pupil has not identified or used
information from any named sources.

37. C) Using own knowledge
4 marks
Four points of own knowledge used.
3 marks
Three points of own knowledge used.
2 marks
Two points of own knowledge used.
1 mark
One point of own knowledge used.
0 marks
No points from own knowledge used.

38. D) Evaluate different factors
3 marks
Each factor includes a description and
comments on the strengths or weaknesses of all
arguments
2 marks
Each factor includes a description and
comments on the strengths or weaknesses of
one argument
1 mark
Factors do not have a description but do includes
a comment on strengths or weaknesses
0 marks
No comment is made

39. E) Organise the information
3 marks
Essay discusses at least two different
factors, and recognises at least one
weakness or limitation of an argument.
2 marks
factors
Essay discusses at least two different
1 mark
Essay only describes the topic, does not
discuss the impact/causes
0 marks
Answer is poorly organised

40. F) Come to a conclusion
3 marks
Conclusion relates to question, discusses
and makes a judgement about all factors
2 marks
Conclusion relates to the question; makes
an overall judgement but does not discuss
all factors
1 mark
Conclusion summarises issues but does not
give an overall answer
0 marks
No conclusion

41. G) Justify conclusion with evidence
3 marks
Overall judgement includes more than one
piece of evidence to support it
2 marks
Overall judgement includes one piece of
evidence to support it
1 mark
Supporting reason is given but without
evidence
0 marks
No supporting reasons or evidence given