How to be a North Star History Detective.
Well done. Being here is a great start!
Follow the steps below to become a better historian.
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Click on the links below to Know More
Step 1: Form Your Enquiry
So you have chosen a topic that you are interested in, what next?
You need to establish what you already know about this topic to form your enquiry.
History is not simply a serious of facts. However, starting with the fact that you know can help you decide what you want to know more about. So, to form your enquiry, list everything you know about the topic you want to delve deeper into. This should help you to see where you lack in knowledge or are sparked by a need to find out more.
Use your knowledge to form an enquiry question. Questions such as:
Why did Samuel Coleridge Taylor love Sunderland so much?
Who else visited Sunderland that was of historical importance?
What did William Craft achieve in Newcastle?
What did the Pan African Movement achieve?
Are just the start of your historical exploration and you never know where they are going to lead you!
Step 2: Seek out evidence.
During step one, you established what it is you want to know more about. Now, you need to go on a treasure hunt! With your enquiry question in mind, you are on the search for answers based in evidence. Evidence can come in many forms. The Internet is always a great place to start but be wary of your sources. Primary evidence, evidence from the time of your history is always a fantastic source of information. Diaries, images, paintings, drawings, memoirs from people who were living at that time can tell us so much! Your local library is a brilliant place to hunt. It is free to join and the librarians will be more than happy to assist you in your search for answers. Museums are keen to welcome historians and help with there enquires. Keep a record of everything you find to explore in detail later.
Step 3: Seek out more evidence
You now have a bank of evidence. The more you find the more questions will start to form in your mind. Don't stop looking for the answers. Does the new evidence back up or contradict your thoughts? It's ok to change your mind based on new information. For each new source that you find, there may be more treasures out there for you to form an even clearer picture of the world of our past. What can other historians add to your knowledge. Ask your history teacher, read relevant books, articles, good websites.
Step 4: Answer your enquiry and share!
You started your journey with a question. You have gathered lots of evidence and explored until you are exhausted with knowledge. Now it is time to bring that all together. It is time to answer your question! Use the evidence that you have gathered and write up your findings. Keep your enquiry question in mind as the thesis that holds your writing together. Write it up as a report that brings together everything that you have found. There are lessons to be learned in history but not if those lessons are kept to ourselves and never shared. Could you share your work as a blog, a vlog, a podcast or an article in a local publication? It is ok for other historians to disagree with you? It is what we do. We question and we debate. Do not be afraid to share. Do not be afraid to argue your point. Your new knowledge is valuable!
Step 5: Ask another question
We can never know everything. The search for new knowledge about the past is never ending! That is exciting! As a history detective, you are up for the challenge. What will you uncover next? Never stop asking new questions.