Academic Skills Project - History

• Workshop 1: How to read an article

  Date: 16/09/2025, Audience: Sub-honours students

  Intended Learning Outcomes:

  By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to read academic history articles efficiently, identify key arguments within them, and understand historiographical debates.

  This equips sub-honours students, many of whom are encountering such articles for the first time, to attend their initial tutorials with confidence and thorough preparation, thereby enhancing their overall academic performance in history modules.

• Workshop 2: Primary Sources - understanding and analysing them

  Date: 23/09/2025, Audience: Sub-honours students

  Intended Learning Outcomes:

  By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to identify different types of primary sources, analyse them effectively, and locate relevant primary sources for essay research.

  This vital skill development supports historians at any period by preparing sub-honours students for tutorial discussions and essay writing at St Andrews, ensuring they build a strong foundation in source-based historical inquiry.

• Workshop 3: Essay I - Choosing a question and starting your research

  Date: 30/09/2025, Audience: Sub-honours students

  Intended Learning Outcomes:

  By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to select an appropriate essay question, form a clear and cogent argument, structure their response effectively, and identify useful resources for primary and secondary research.

  This addresses a key form of assessment in history modules at St Andrews, enabling sub-honours students to plan and initiate high-quality essays that demonstrate critical thinking and research skills.

• Workshop 4: Essay II - Writing, editing and proofreading

  Date: 07/10/2025, Audience: Sub-honours students

  Intended Learning Outcomes:

  By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to write clear and concise essays, structure arguments logically, and apply effective editing and proofreading techniques.

  This builds on prior research to produce strong, polished work, helping sub-honours students avoid common pitfalls and achieve higher marks in essay-based assessments.

• Workshop 5: References

  Date: 14/10/2025, Audience: Sub-honours students

  Intended Learning Outcomes:

  By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to apply the School of History Style Guide for referencing books, articles, primary materials, and other sources accurately.

  This interactive session prevents mark deductions due to incorrect citations and fosters success in historical studies by providing practical advice on tricky footnotes through group workshopping.

• Workshop 6: Presentations

  Date: 28/10/2025, Audience: Sub-honours students

  Intended Learning Outcomes:

  By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to create effective presentations, speak confidently, and manage public speaking nerves.

  This develops a key career skill for historians, from sub-honours in-class presentations to future conferences, ensuring students are well-prepared for professional and academic communication.

• Workshop 7: Finding sources (Online and in the Stacks)

  Date: 04/11/2025, Audience: Sub-honours students

  Intended Learning Outcomes:

  By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to navigate library catalogues and research databases, locate academic sources digitally and in physical collections, and distinguish between primary and secondary sources.

  This practical training builds a strong foundation for independent research, enabling sub-honours students to conduct thorough and efficient historical investigations.

• Workshop 8: A beginner's guide to acceptable AI use

  Date: 11/11/2025, Audience: Sub-honours students

  Intended Learning Outcomes:

  By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to understand acceptable AI tool usage within the School of History's expectations, identify what to avoid, and apply AI responsibly to support their work without compromising academic integrity.

  This promotes ethical practices and enhances productivity in historical studies.

• Workshop 9: Exam Preparation

  Date: 25/11/2025, Audience: Sub-honours students

  Intended Learning Outcomes:

  By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to approach exam questions effectively, revise successfully, and implement wellbeing strategies during exam periods.

  This alleviates concerns about exams in sub-honours history modules at St Andrews, equipping students with the tools to perform well and maintain balance under pressure.