Advice for a newbie: How do you find the unanswered questions?

[boomah]

Hi,

 

I hope everyone's application season is winding down well!

 

I'm very new to the academic study of history, so I'm asking what I'm guessing is a very basic question: how do you find unanswered questions? Suppose there is a geographic area/time period/theme in history you're interested in... how do you find that unexplored aspect that you can address in a thesis or writing sample or grad school application proposal?

 

 

[Cpt Jo]

Hi,

 

I hope everyone's application season is winding down well!

 

I'm very new to the academic study of history, so I'm asking what I'm guessing is a very basic question: how do you find unanswered questions? Suppose there is a geographic area/time period/theme in history you're interested in... how do you find that unexplored aspect that you can address in a thesis or writing sample or grad school application proposal?

Read a lot of books and you will find out, but honestly, academics should give you good advices. Sometimes they say in their introduction/conclusion/notes that "this person/period/event/etc. still needs its historian".

 

(Killer combo: contact this historian to work on the gap he mentioned.)

[Chiqui74]

The only way to know what the unanswered questions are is to know your subfield, and more importantly, your thematic concentration very well. This is easier in some areas than others, especially the ones that are still new or not as widely studied (the case with my, for example). So, read, read, read!  You need to read the established seminal works in the field, which tend to be a bit older for reference in so far as the big picture is concerned, but also read new literature as it can better tell what you what is still unanswered.  But also, most people will not end up writing their dissertation on what they thought they would while applying to grad school, or at least not exactly.  So while you do need to have a clear idea of what you want to study going in, know that it will most likely change to a lesser or greater extent before you put pen to paper on that dissertation.

[remenis]

If you want to find a question no one has answered about some particular theme/location/time period you need to read as much of what has been written about that subject as you can. Then you'll know all (or many) of the questions people have already asked about it and what hasn't been asked, or hasn't been answered.

 

Also keep in mind that you don't necessarily need to ask a new question if you think that it hasn't been "answered." In my field, people still write books about "Why did Rome fall?" even though this question has been posed many times. If you have a new interpretation, or you use different source material to answer an old question your project can still be very worthwhile even if your question has been "answered" before.

[Chiqui74]

Hi,

 

I hope everyone's application season is winding down well!

 

I'm very new to the academic study of history, so I'm asking what I'm guessing is a very basic question: how do you find unanswered questions? Suppose there is a geographic area/time period/theme in history you're interested in... how do you find that unexplored aspect that you can address in a thesis or writing sample or grad school application proposal?

Also, as an undergrad, no one expects you to find unanswered questions so I wouldn't necessarily worry about that for a writing sample (which are typically, I think, papers written for undergraduate classes).  You need a strong sample, but it doesn't have to groundbreaking.

[HistoryMystery]

Also, as an undergrad, no one expects you to find unanswered questions so I wouldn't necessarily worry about that for a writing sample (which are typically, I think, papers written for undergraduate classes).  You need a strong sample, but it doesn't have to groundbreaking.

 

This. But to answer your original question, all professors know where the gaps in their concentrations are in terms of historical research. Sometimes you just have to ask, other times they'll bring it up in class with a statement like "and so and so person/subject has still yet to be fully investigated in a dissertation or book." Most subjects are still unexplored; that's the cool thing about history .

[ForlornHope]

While it can sometimes be a cumbersome tool to use for historians, Google Scholar can help you see if certain topics or keywords already have extant research. This is particularly helpful for checking out articles and papers just in case you don't have access to the proper publications.

Edited March 6, 2015 by ForlornHope

[Riotbeard]

There is no real answer other than read and go to the archive (as early as possible in your career, get to know your sources).  Like others have said, originality does not matter for your writing sample.  Just demonstrate that you can write and analyze sources.

 

Also what you will find is the gap or question you are trying to fill will change over time as you do your research.  Historiography represents a starting point and context for your research, but primary sources should change your questions.  This whole process takes years (it's what grad school is all about), so relax, have fun, and it will happen organically.

[dr. t]

You look for the answer of something you want to know and are unable to find it.

[kotov]

You look for the answer of something you want to know and are unable to find it.

 

Basically this. Just think about things that you would like to know about within your broad area of interest; when you come to something that you can't find any information on, well, there you go.