What is an historical What is an historical enquiry?enquiry?

An introduction to carrying out an An introduction to carrying out an historical enquiry.historical enquiry.

Hello. My name is Mister Hello. My name is Mister N. Quiry. I am going to help N. Quiry. I am going to help you carry out an historical you carry out an historical

enquiry.enquiry.

What is an historical enquiry? I hear What is an historical enquiry? I hear you askyou ask

To put it simply an historical To put it simply an historical enquiry is an investigation carried enquiry is an investigation carried out by an historian who acts like a out by an historian who acts like a police detective sifting through the police detective sifting through the

evidence. evidence.

This is what you are going to have to This is what you are going to have to do.do.

In carrying out an enquiry you might In carrying out an enquiry you might investigate an important historical investigate an important historical

figure such as ... figure such as ... Or even ... Or even ...

It might also be an enquiry into an It might also be an enquiry into an important historical event such as ...important historical event such as ...

or it could be an historical change or it could be an historical change such as ...such as ...

So what will you have to do? To put So what will you have to do? To put it simply you will have to carry out it simply you will have to carry out

your own research and use historical your own research and use historical sourcessources

What’s What’s inside this inside this

book?book?

What do I What do I learn from learn from

the portrait?the portrait?

and find answers to a series of and find answers to a series of questions. In doing this you will act questions. In doing this you will act

like a detective solving a mystery and like a detective solving a mystery and like a detective you will need to ask like a detective you will need to ask

and answer questions. and answer questions.

WHO?WHO?

WHAT?WHAT?WHERE?WHERE?

WHEN?WHEN?

WHY?WHY?

To carry out an enquiry you or your To carry out an enquiry you or your teacher will need to decide on an teacher will need to decide on an

historical individual, event or historical individual, event or change to study. Then you will need change to study. Then you will need

to consider what questions you to consider what questions you want answered.want answered.

For example you might carry out an For example you might carry out an historical enquiry on Joseph Stalin. historical enquiry on Joseph Stalin. But what would you want to know? But what would you want to know?

That’s what you need to decide! That’s what you need to decide! Don’t forget about the five Ws?Don’t forget about the five Ws?

WHO?WHO?

WHAT?WHAT?WHERE?WHERE?

WHEN?WHEN?

WHY?WHY?

and of course ...and of course ...

HOW?HOW?

This will mean you will be more This will mean you will be more focused and will avoid just writing focused and will avoid just writing

all you find out about Joseph Stalin. all you find out about Joseph Stalin. For example you might want to find For example you might want to find

an answer to the question ‘Why an answer to the question ‘Why was Stalin described as the Man of was Stalin described as the Man of

Steel?’Steel?’

To find the answer you will have to To find the answer you will have to research the topic and use relevant research the topic and use relevant

historical facts to produce an historical facts to produce an answer.answer.

You will also need to use historical You will also need to use historical sources and consider their sources and consider their

usefulness.usefulness.

This source is useful as it tells me This source is useful as it tells me Stalin wanted to be seen as a strong Stalin wanted to be seen as a strong leader when giving speeches as ...leader when giving speeches as ...

I hope this has been of use to you. I hope this has been of use to you. Access the next instructional video Access the next instructional video

on how to question historical on how to question historical sources.sources.

Good luck with your enquiry!Good luck with your enquiry!