Subject Code & Title : HIST283 History And Film Reflective
Weighting : 45%
Length : 2,000 words (including footnotes & bibliography)
Assignment Type : Essay
Description : How does film help us understand the past? Based on the material studied in HIST283, revisit your first exercise and discuss how your views about the use of film as a tool for historical
analysis have changed. You need to refer to at least one of the films studied in HIST283. I would recommend using at least three films to demonstrate depth of knowledge of the subject content.
HIST283 History And Film Reflective Essay – Australia.

The word length is no more than 2,000 words (inclusive of footnotes and bibliography). The essay should review what you have discovered in the subject and use a minimum of six secondary sources. It will include footnotes and a bibliography and will follow the conventions set out in the History Style Guide. In a reflective essay it is acceptable to use the first person pronoun ‘I’.

The remaining sources can be taken from the readings set for tutorials but you are expected to find at least one additional secondary scholarly source through independent research using the library catalogue. Lecture materials are not considered a scholarly source. Look for books or academic journal articles instead.

Really excellent essays will incorporate one or two primary sources in addition to the secondary sources.

Preparing for the Assessment Task :
Step 1: Reflect on the subject content
• Read over your introductory exercise.
• Read over the feedback.
• Reflect on the films that we have studied in this subject.

HIST283 History And Film Reflective Essay – Australia.

Step 2: Brainstorm
• What have you learnt about historical films? How have your initial ideas changed or developed?
• Make a list of these responses & the particular films they were associated with.
• Choose three to five key points & organize your ideas into a logical structure.

Step 3: Do some reading
• Read the Rosenstone set reading (History on Film) and/or the Hughes-Warrington set reading (History Goes to the Movies). Think about how those readings contribute to your argument / where you are use them in the essay.
• Re-read the tutorial readings related to your chosen films.

Step 4: Do some research
• You need 6 secondary sources. The set readings and tutorial readings count towards the 6 secondary sources. Excellent researchers will also find 1 to 2 of their own scholarly sources. Start with the library catalogue. Use books and journal articles (rather than websites or blogs).
• Really excellent researchers will also find and use 1 or 2 primary sources (for example: newspaper articles, unpublished manuscripts (eg letters, diaries),photographs, or posters from the time). Each week in lectures and/or tutorials,Jeannine introduced one primary source related to the movie (for example, the
Suffragette posters for Suffragette, or Alice Ross King’s diary for Anzac Girls). Use those or find your own by using Trove or Google searches.

Step 5: Start writing

Structure of the Essay

Introduction:

o Explain what you argued in your Introductory Exercise (Assessment 1).
o Describe how your ideas have changed, developed, or been challenged.
o Outline the key points that you will explore in the essay.

Body:
o Organise the paragraphs around the three to five key points, selecting films that show case those points.
o It would be a good idea to select a few films from different weeks. You are trying to show that you engaged with the subject content deeply. I’d would aim to discuss at least 3 films.
o Support your assertions with reference to specific evidence, and cite your sources using footnotes.

Conclusion:

o Wrap up your key points.
o No new information in that section.

HIST283 History And Film Reflective Essay – Australia.

A) Analysis: Did the student explain how their views on the use of film as a tool for historical analysis have
changed. Is the essay analytical rather than narrative & descriptive?

B) Research: Was the reflective response supported with reference to key literature from the field, including 6 secondary sources? How effectively did the student demonstrate skills of independent research? Did the student find and use 1 to 2 primary sources?

C) Writing: Was the essay well written? Did it include an introduction that answered the question, concise
body paragraphs & a conclusion that summed up the argument? Were sources paraphrased or well incorporated?

D) Referencing: Did the essay contain footnotes? Was a bibliography included? Did the referencing follow
the History Style Guide?