Historical Investigation

[PinstripeQ]

I am currently lost on finding a topic for my Historical Investigation and I need help on finding a topic. I have a few interests that I could possibly use, but I am confused on what the topic/research question will be.  

Some interests I'd be willing to use would be:

-Battle of Thermopylae (Very few primary sources) 

-Baseball

-Cello

-Lewis Carroll

-Roald Dahl

-Some sort of presidential history thing

Thanks!

[DT7]

You can talk whether the Lincoln Memorial was built solely to commemorate Lincoln or was the halt a political conspiracy

 

[Gary Garrett]

Go with a topic that really interests you. I made the mistake of just choosing a topic because it sounded good, but my lack of passion for the topic really showed in my first draft. Luckily, I've now become really passionate about it and am able to write a lot and enjoy it, but on the downside, my teacher cannot review it again. Don't pay too much attention to the amount of research that has been done on a topic, as it should not be easy to research your topic. The whole point of the HI is for you to find out something new that many people have not. Right now, I'm looking into the reparations given to the Japanese after the American internment camps after WWII, and there are not a crazy amount of sources on it, but that gives you the opportunity to really immerse yourself in your research. Hope everything goes well! PM me if you have any questions.

[runningaway1416]

Often times, people go about researching history and finding an investigation properly. They try to ask a question and then find the answer to that question. Like Gary said, find something that interests you! But the most vital key is really to simply read. Crack open a book and actually read the content and find something curious there. It's when you read the history that a question will come to you. Granted, I completely understand that being an IB student leaves little time for 'leisure' reading of a history book, but its the best way to get top marks.

Additionally, IB loves to see local history for a few reasons. Primarily because if you're someone in Podunk, KY talking about the effect that some mayor of Podunk had on the Union soldiers during the civil war, chances are they won't have ever heard of that before. Find something uncommon. Local history also allows you the opportunity to have access to a wider variety of resources, especially primary ones.

If you have no idea where to go, start broad and quickly pair your way down. For example, U.S. history//20th Century U.S.//Cold War//Cold War Espionage//Specific spy or similar. Once you have a significantly paired down, you just have to read. If you reach crunch time, obviously this won't work. Hopefully this helps, feel free to message me with anything!