Studying online (if an online offering is shown below)
There are now 2 possible online modes for units:
Units with modes Online timetabled and Online flexible are available for any student to self-enrol and study online.
Click on an offering mode for more details.
Unit Overview
- Description
Historiography is the study of how history is written. How can we 'know' the past? What assumptions underpin our historical methods? What truth claims can historians validly make? Part 1 analyses three major schools of history writing from the nineteenth century to the present: positivist (or empiricist) history; social and cultural history; and the challenges posed to history by postmodernism. Part 2 consists of three modules, each of which addresses the theoretical underpinnings, strengths and weaknesses of one particular form of recent historiography, concentrating on the works of major writers in the field. Each of the historiographical approaches have their own claims to validity, and have mounted strong critiques of the others.
The academic objectives of this unit are (1) to familiarise students with, and develop a critical understanding of, the literature on historiography; (2) to develop an understanding of the relationship between different concepts of and approaches to history; and (3) to evaluate both the claims and the criticisms of these concepts and approaches.
- Credit
- 6 points
- Offering
(see Timetable) Availability Location Mode Semester 1 UWA (Perth) Face to face Semester 1 Online Online timetabled - Details for undergraduate courses
- Honours core unit in History [Bachelor of Arts (Honours)]
- Honours option in Gender Studies [Bachelor of Arts (Honours)]
- Outcomes
Students are able to (1) develop a critical understanding of the historiographical issues in the questions provided; (2) develop concrete essay writing skills, including the ability to research and write an effective essay, the ability to communicate ideas persuasively, the ability to develop and sustain an original argument, and the ability to critically understand historiographical issues and, hence, the discipline of History; (3) communicate verbally the arguments about the nature of historiography and the issues and arguments involved; (4) read widely and understand the material presented; and (5) express independent and critical positions on the literature and the issues presented in the unit.
- Assessment
Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) seminar participation; (2) two seminar papers; and (3) major essay. Further information is available in the unit outline.
Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.
- Unit Coordinator(s)
- Associate Professor Jacqueline Van Gent
- Unit rules
- Prerequisites
- Enrolment in
- Contact hours
- Seminar - 2 hrs per week
- The availability of units in Semester 1, 2, etc. was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change.
- All students are responsible for identifying when they need assistance to improve their academic learning, research, English language and numeracy skills; seeking out the services and resources available to help them; and applying what they learn. Students are encouraged to register for free online support through GETSmart; to help themselves to the extensive range of resources on UWA's STUDYSmarter website; and to participate in WRITESmart and (ma+hs)Smart drop-ins and workshops.
- Visit the Essential Textbooks website to see if any textbooks are required for this Unit. The website is updated regularly so content may change. Students are recommended to purchase Essential Textbooks, but a limited number of copies of all Essential Textbooks are held in the Library in print, and as an ebook where possible. Recommended readings for the unit can be accessed in Unit Readings directly through the Learning Management System (LMS).
- Contact hours provide an indication of the type and extent of in-class activities this unit may contain. The total amount of student work (including contact hours, assessment time, and self-study) will approximate 150 hours per 6 credit points.
Face to face
Predominantly face-to-face. On campus attendance required to complete this unit. May have accompanying resources online.
Online flexible
100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit is asynchronous delivery, with NO requirement for students to participate online at specific times.
Online timetabled
100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit includes some synchronous components, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times.
Online Restricted
Not available for self-enrolment. Students access this mode by contacting their student office through AskUWA. 100% Online Unit.
NO campus face-to-face attendance. All study and assessment requirements are online only. Unit includes some timetabled activities, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times. In exceptional cases (noted in the Handbook) students may be required to participate in face-to-face laboratory classes when a return to UWA’s Crawley campus becomes possible in order to be awarded a final grade.
External
No attendance or regular contact is required, and all study requirements are completed either via correspondence and/or online submission.
Off-campus
Regular attendance is not required, but student attends the institution face to face on an agreed schedule for purposes of supervision and/or instruction.
Multi-mode
Multiple modes of delivery. Unit includes a mix of online and on-campus study requirements. On campus attendance for some activities is required to complete this unit.