Help with choosing a focus question? (1 Viewer)

[tamarazhere]

Okay, so i need some seirous help in choosing a focus question for my major. I have decided to do Queen Elizabeth I. I have thought of four questions, but i have no idea which one to do. Help me choose? The questions are:

1. How have changing interpretations of evidence affected the presentation of Queen Elizabeth’s achievements over time?
2. How has the construction of Elizabeth’s identity been altered over time?
3. Did the image of her as “Gloriana”, the virgin queen allow Queen Elizabeth to become one of England’s most influential and successful monarchs?
4. How have changing perspectives over time altered perceptions about Queen Elizabeth’s “greatness”?

If these questions suck, someone tell me!
Any suggestions would be great!

Much thanks, Tamara.

 

[S4Saustralia]

I cant help you with choosing a question (I suck at that, myself)

However, are you allowed to do Elizabeth? Isn't that a possible Ex module?

 

[tamarazhere]

I am allowed to do it. One of my teachers actually suggested it to me.

 

[ArtemisOrthia]

Nice to see I'm not the only one struggling with the focus question.

I was too concerned with your topic choice, but if your teacher said it's fine and even recommended it to you, than that's great! Just bear in mind, that it is a Board of Studies regulation that the Major Work not 'significantly overlap' with examinable content from the School Certificate or the Ancient / Modern / History Extension Higher School Certificate content.

In regards to your question Tamara on the focus question, I personally wouldn't choose number 3. Due to the fact it seems like a very narrow question, a simple yes / no with evidence to back up argument. Whereas the others allow for more Historiography based on the verb "how", so more analysis and synthesis can be instilled into your Major Work. The other three however, are very good questions. It is hard to recommend just one! I like how they are all analysing history 'over-time' it will allow you to utilise a variety of historians from a range of periods. Number one would involve you to have access to evidence regarding Elizabeth, so if you do have the access to the plethora of sources required then I certainly recommend it. However I do remember that my Extension teacher didn't want to teach the Elizabeth Case Study purely because quite much of the sources remain in England and Europe, so I'm not too sure how restricting this may be to you.

I really like 2 and 4, and it's difficult for me to choose between the two. But I'd definitely recommend them. As both allow for the analysis of both the history, the sources and most importantly the historiography which revolves around the two.

Good luck with your endeavour and your decision for the focus question of the Major Work!

 

[tamarazhere]

Thank you so much ArtemisOrthia! I see what you mean about question three requiring only a basic answer, i do not want my essay to be basic... With your advice I am leaning more to question four.

 

[ArtemisOrthia]

No worries. Happy to help when I can. If there's anything else you ever need, don't be hesitant to ask.
Good luck with the progression of your Major Work.

 

[cem]

# 2 is out as it is a direct overlap with the syllabus (identity and gender is one of the debates on the syllabus) and #1 and 4 also overlap the syllabus - changing interpretations are exactly what the syllabus is about.

I would advise that you go to the syllabus and check the debates there and then consider other issues.

These are the debates:

- constructions of Elizabeth’s identities and gender
– political and administrative leadership
– influences on, and changes to, English culture
– religious beliefs and policies
– influence on changes to English systems of government.

So you can't do anything on those and changing interpretations of those debates is what the course is about.

Foreign policy, succession, (hers or James's), relationships with prominent members of society at the time or something like that but your suggestions are very much what the syllabus is on.

As a teacher I wouldn't allow you to do any of your ideas but would direct you to the ideas like the ones I have suggested. Even a comparison to why she is seen as successful and her sister isn't would be interesting (going beyond the simple religious debate but why even today we see one as good and the other as bad - and yet Mary and her mother were loved by the people, while certainly Elizabeth's mother was never universally loved but the people came to love and respect her.

 

[tamarazhere]

But we are not doing Elizabeth for our case study, we are doing JFK. So does it really matter if it overlaps? Besides, the questions were checked by two teachers and they both gave the go ahead. The teachers even told me to go check the syllabus for ideas.

 

[Hello2U2]

I like 2 and 4.

 

[benji10448]

I like 2.
It doesn't matter whether the topic overlaps the syllabus as long as your teacher has OK'd it (with consent from the rest of his/ her department). Ultimately they will be the only people who mark it.

 

[tamarazhere]

Thanks for the replies! I am leaning to Q2. 4 seems a bit too hard and wide? I am still not 100% sure... Damn question choosing, how can it be so hard!

 

[ArtemisOrthia]

n_n 2 looks like a good choice. And I don't think you'll have much trouble finding tonnes of resources of Elizabeth, so as long as you're keen you should be absolutely fine.

And I can totally relate to the difficulty of choosing a question. Only the other week did I narrow down my topic area! But alas I believe I have come to a conclusion to my History Extension Major Work question. [but give it a week, it will be debated more and then probably changed again u_u].

And I totally agree with Benji, if your teacher [the one who is marking it] has approved of the topic, then no need to worry!

Good luck with your Major, and do keep us updated! n_n I'd like to hear how it's going every now and then.

 

[tamarazhere]

There are plenty of resources for Elizabeth, I went to the state library and had so many options, it is such a great place for resources!
There are so many wonderful topics that narrowing it down even a little bit is impossibly hard...
Artemis what topic area have you chosen?

I shall keep everyone updated on my progress, but right now it is going extremely slowly.

 

[ArtemisOrthia]

State library and most of the university libraries would have a tonne of information on Elizabeth! I'm not sure if your History Extension teacher has told you, but History Extension students also have access to Macquarie University's Library [there is a $25 fee, though]; here's a link for some more information if you're interested: http://www.lib.mq.edu.au/borrowing/hsc-extension.html

Yeah it took me ages to decide on a topic area; but alas I think I have finally finished my internal debating with myself. I'll be looking at the Historiographical Issues of Women in Classical Greece; so looking in depth at the facts that there were no women historians, and that the portrayal of women is sourced from Mythology and poetry in the classical era [which are composed by men]. I'm happy with my decision, and am actually very excited to stop arguing with myself about the topic and get into some more research and finally start writing this essay!

n_n Good luck with your major work. Remember, we're always here to help out whenever we can! : )

 

[tamarazhere]

OO that is a very good topic area, especially if you are passionate about it! You could go on about that forever! Good choice History is completely written from the elite male point of view, your topic area would pose a great assessment on why that is. Good luck with it, show me when you are done, i would love to read more about it?
I did not know about the Macquarie University Library, thanks I will check that out soon hopefully.

 

[cem]

But we are not doing Elizabeth for our case study, we are doing JFK. So does it really matter if it overlaps? Besides, the questions were checked by two teachers and they both gave the go ahead. The teachers even told me to go check the syllabus for ideas.

Doesn't matter - the syllabus clearly says you can't do any topic that substantially overlaps with any examinable topic in either a SC or HSC syllabus.

So long as you aren't overlapping the debates as specified in the syllabus fine but your teachers are wrong if they approve a topic that is on the syllabus.

 

[tamarazhere]

Are you blind? I said BOTH my teachers approved it like three times on this thread! Geez man i get it you say i can't do it, my teachers say I can, who am i going to listen to?