Advanced Higher History dissertation - Writing the dissertation

2. Basic structure
Abstract/Introduction
• Outline context, factors, historian views, conclusion
Main sections
• Aim to discuss at least three issues (in chapters)
• Include facts, analysis, historiography and evaluation
** Analyse at least one primary source
Conclusion
• Summarise main points and clearly answer the exact
question; give evidence to support conclusion

3. Writing the Abstract/Introduction
• Introduce your question as well as defining any key terms,
including identifying historical context
• Describe the main factors you will discuss, including identifying
any sub-issues. Also, explain why you did/did not choose factors.
• Summarise and prioritise the main interpretations (historian
views) on your chosen issues
• Clearly state the overall line of argument (conclusion) that you
will argue throughout your essay
• Describe your research method(s). This includes research types,
how/why you selected data. Also, state referencing technique.

4. Writing the Main sections
Aim to discuss at least three factors. In each you should:
• Introduce the factor with a topic sentence that links to question
• Include evidence which describes the factor under discussion
• Analyse the evidence throughout – explain the relevance of
your facts to the overall question you are answering
• Analysis includes: arguments for and against the importance
of each factor, links between different factors, etc.
• Show awareness of historical debate (try to compare; and don’t
just give “quotes”, explain why the historian thinks this)
• Include an overall evaluation of the factor, linking back to the
question (mini-conclusion)

5. Writing a Conclusion
Writing a good conclusion is essential. Your conclusion should:
• Re-state your question
• Give an definitive answer about the exact question you were
originally set
• Give evidence to support your overall judgement
• It is absolutely vital that your conclusion makes very specific reference
to the question
• Summarise and compare the main points of your discussion, in
relation to the question and your line of argument
• If you have written mini-conclusions at the end of each section of your
essay, then the first requirement is fairly straightforward

6. Helpful tips
• Use sophisticated language
e.g. Although; Arguably; Additionally; Essentially; Moreover;
Therefore; Furthermore; However; Significantly; Despite;
Clearly; It might be argued…; It has been suggested…; It is
debatable whether…; This view has been challenged by…;
Many historians believe
• Try to avoid using first person phrases
e.g. ‘I think that…’; ‘In my opinion…’
• Never use abbreviations
unless it is appropriate to do so e.g. SS, NSDAP

7. What do you think?
• The most important thing is to
ensure that this is your
dissertation
• Markers want to know what you
think (and why) – that’s why
Analysis and Evaluation are so
important
• Don’t overload your essay with
historians’ views or detail without
an explanation of its relevance