Research pre-seminar: Middle Ages [LHISB213]

Learning outcomes

• To develop critical thinking and scientific reasoning skills; • To acquire the techniques of analysis and interpretation of historical sources, as well as a reflective and critical awareness in the practice of the historical approach; • To learn how to carry out a research question in history and to master the tools and working methods specific to the discipline; • Mastering scientific communication by respecting the rules of reference and publication; • Acquire a strong capacity to analyse information, to synthesise and to write.

Objectives

At the end of the course, the student should be able to : • establish a working problem ; • conduct bibliographic and heuristic research ; • Critique and exploit sources and works, including making assumptions supported interpretations ; • write a substantial piece of work according to the requirements and standards of the discipline; • Present their working methods and results orally.

Content

The teaching unit consists of a research seminar during which the students are led either to analyse a specific corpus of documents (e.g. acts of councils from the early Middle Ages, the Marculf formulary, charters of franchises from the 13th14th centuries, Carolingian capitularies, etc.) based on individual problems defined by each student in consultation with the teacher, or to tackle a common global question (e.g. life in the rural world, food, etc.) based on various sources. As far as possible, Latin sources for which a French translation exists are chosen. The questions and individual contributions of both the students and the teacher contribute to reactivating the methodological learning acquired at the end of Block 1 (bibliographical research, writing a scientific paper, criticism of documents), gradually initiate the critical analysis of sources, nourish the collective reflection and prepare the writing of the individual final paper.