Section 3: ReflectionThis History IA requires you to think and work like a historian. In this section, you reflect on the methods used by, and the challenges faced by, you as the historian. Relate this reflection specifically to your particular investigation and your experiences as a historian.
Suggested word count: 400.
The following are questions from the IB Guide and are examples of discussion questions that may help your reflection:
1–2
Useful links and resources:
Suggested word count: 400.
The following are questions from the IB Guide and are examples of discussion questions that may help your reflection:
- What methods used by historians did you use in your investigation?
- What did your investigation highlight to you about the limitations of those methods?
- What are the challenges facing the historian? How do they differ from the challenges facing a scientist or a mathematician?
- What challenges in particular does archive-based history present?
- How can the reliability of sources be evaluated?
- What is the difference between bias and selection?
- What constitutes a historical event?
- Who decides which events are historically significant?
- Is it possible to describe historical events in an unbiased way?
- What is the role of the historian?
- Should terms such as “atrocity” be used when writing about history, or should value judgments be avoided?
- If it is difficult to establish proof in history, does that mean that all versions are equally acceptable?
1–2
- The reflection contains some discussion of what the investigation highlighted to the student about the methods used by the historian.
- The reflection demonstrates little awareness of the challenges facing the historian and/or the limitations of the methods used by the historian.
- The connection between the reflection and the rest of the investigation is implied, but is not explicit.
- The reflection is clearly focused on what the investigation highlighted to the student about the methods used by the historian
- The reflection demonstrates clear awareness of challenges facing the historian and/or limitations of the methods used by the historian.
- There is a clear and explicit connection between the reflection and the rest of the investigation.
Useful links and resources:
- A presentation: https://www.slideshare.net/plangdale/history-for-theory-of-knowledge
- Share: History, the Historian and His Work: Issues, Challenges and Prospects http://www.soeagra.com/ijert/ijertdec2012/6.pdf
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dboXRNXOTyM Mike Licona talks about the problems historians face
- http://bigthink.com/videos/re-what-is-the-biggest-problem-historians-face Re: What is the biggest problem historians face?
- "Idealism Vs Positivism". Raffles History Notes. Accessed February 25, 2017. http://raffleshistorynotes.weebly.com/idealism-vs-positivism.html
- Excellent overview: "Problems Of History". Alpha History. Last modified 2017. Accessed February 25, 2017. http://alphahistory.com/problems-of-history/
- Histories and Fallacies: Problems Faced in the Writing of History. http://www.westminster.coresense.com/common/pdf_links/9781581349238.pdf
- "Difficulties | The Discipline Of History". Umass.Edu. Last modified 2017. Accessed February 25, 2017. https://www.umass.edu/wsp/history/difficulties/discipline.html.
- "The Problems Of Writing Academic History", Thoughts On Military History, last modified 2017, accessed February 25, 2017, https://thoughtsonmilitaryhistory.wordpress.com/2012/03/05/the-problems-of-writing-
- engelbrecht, christo. "Limitations In History. Part 1. Problems With Historical Facts.". Academia.Edu. Last modified 2017. Accessed February 25, 2017. https://www.academia.edu/3664770/Limitations_in_History._Part_1._Problems_With_Historical_Facts.