Rhiannon Hazell
I chose this essay for submission because it was the first coursework that focused
more on primary sources. As the Practice of History module aims to prepare you for
your dissertation the focus on primary sources was essential and making them the
focus of my research was not something that I had truly done before. Although other
types of coursework, such as primary source analysis, give you experience in how to
approach primary sources this essay was the first time that they had guided my
research rather than secondary literature. I particularly enjoyed using types of
primary sources that I had not before, principally oral interviews. Hearing directly
from people who had experienced what you were writing about was a brilliant
resource and made clear how this research is significant. Overall, the module
seminars were excellent in developing our use of primary sources and introducing us
to different types. The trip to the West Glamorgan Archives was also a great
experience as it demonstrated the abundant resources archives possess and how
accessible they were. Being able to choose my own question and direct my research
into an area that I find really interesting and important, and the greater independence
it afforded meant that I was able to better engage with my research.
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