What is an historical enquiry? An introduction to carrying out an historical enquiry.

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

What is an historical enquiry? I hear you ask To put it simply an historical enquiry is an investigation carried out by an historian who acts like a police detective sifting through the evidence. What is an historical enquiry? I hear you ask To put it simply an historical enquiry is an investigation carried out by an historian who acts like a police detective sifting through the evidence. This is what you are going to have to do. This is what you are going to have to do.

In carrying out an enquiry you might investigate an important historical figure such as... In carrying out an enquiry you might investigate an important historical figure such as... Or even... Or even...

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

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

So what will you have to do? To put it simply you will have to carry out your own research and use historical sources So what will you have to do? To put it simply you will have to carry out your own research and use historical sources What’s inside this book? What do I learn from the portrait?

and find answers to a series of questions. In doing this you will act like a detective solving a mystery and like a detective you will need to ask and answer questions. and find answers to a series of questions. In doing this you will act like a detective solving a mystery and like a detective you will need to ask and answer questions. WHO?WHO? WHAT?WHAT? WHERE?WHERE? WHEN?WHEN? WHY?WHY?

To carry out an enquiry you or your teacher will need to decide on an historical individual, event or change to study. Then you will need to consider what questions you want answered. To carry out an enquiry you or your teacher will need to decide on an historical individual, event or change to study. Then you will need to consider what questions you want answered.

For example you might carry out an historical enquiry on Joseph Stalin. But what would you want to know? That’s what you need to decide! Don’t forget about the five Ws? For example you might carry out an historical enquiry on Joseph Stalin. But what would you want to know? That’s what you need to decide! 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 focused and will avoid just writing all you find out about Joseph Stalin. For example you might want to find an answer to the question ‘Why was Stalin described as the Man of Steel?’ This will mean you will be more focused and will avoid just writing all you find out about Joseph Stalin. For example you might want to find an answer to the question ‘Why was Stalin described as the Man of Steel?’

To find the answer you will have to research the topic and use relevant historical facts to produce an answer. To find the answer you will have to research the topic and use relevant historical facts to produce an answer.

You will also need to use historical sources and consider their usefulness. You will also need to use historical sources and consider their usefulness. This source is useful as it tells me Stalin wanted to be seen as a strong leader when giving speeches as...

I hope this has been of use to you. Access the next instructional video on how to question historical sources. I hope this has been of use to you. Access the next instructional video on how to question historical sources. Good luck with your enquiry! Good luck with your enquiry!