A Practical Guide to Studying History
Skills and Approaches
2nd Edition
Will be published approx. on 29. October 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
408 pages
978-1-350-42936-9 (ISBN)
Description
** 1st Edition - PROSE Award Winner (2018) in the Textbook/Humanities Category ***
This accessible and award-winning introduction to the history discipline explains the latest methodological approaches and debates and serves as a practical handbook to guide students through their studies. The book examines the differences in aims, methods and audiences for different types of history and reflects on the relationship between the skills developed during a history undergraduate degree and the practice of professional history.
A Practical Guide to Studying History encourages students to hone the skills needed to read historical writing critically, write good essays, and participate in historical debates. Incorporating case studies taken from a range of periods and regions around the world, reflecting the varied nature of historical study, the book helps students to understand the subject, and to practice it successfully: it is an indispensable guide to studying history.
For the first time, this edition includes:
* An improved structure with an added 'From School to University' section
* 9 new chapters on 'Making the Transition to University', 'Choosing Modules: Risks and Rewards', 'Decolonising History', 'Sexualities', 'What is Historiography?', 'Using Primary Sources', 'Doing History in a Digital World', 'Beyond Text: Objects as Historical Sources', and 'History and Activism'
* Updated case studies throughout
* 20 images, maps, study questions, further reading lists, and text boxes
* A companion website which includes five additional chapters, author profiles and interviews, primary source analysis guides, and chapter-related seminar activity suggestions
This accessible and award-winning introduction to the history discipline explains the latest methodological approaches and debates and serves as a practical handbook to guide students through their studies. The book examines the differences in aims, methods and audiences for different types of history and reflects on the relationship between the skills developed during a history undergraduate degree and the practice of professional history.
A Practical Guide to Studying History encourages students to hone the skills needed to read historical writing critically, write good essays, and participate in historical debates. Incorporating case studies taken from a range of periods and regions around the world, reflecting the varied nature of historical study, the book helps students to understand the subject, and to practice it successfully: it is an indispensable guide to studying history.
For the first time, this edition includes:
* An improved structure with an added 'From School to University' section
* 9 new chapters on 'Making the Transition to University', 'Choosing Modules: Risks and Rewards', 'Decolonising History', 'Sexualities', 'What is Historiography?', 'Using Primary Sources', 'Doing History in a Digital World', 'Beyond Text: Objects as Historical Sources', and 'History and Activism'
* Updated case studies throughout
* 20 images, maps, study questions, further reading lists, and text boxes
* A companion website which includes five additional chapters, author profiles and interviews, primary source analysis guides, and chapter-related seminar activity suggestions
Reviews / Votes
There are a good range of books introducing students to what is involved in the study of history. This volume belongs to the top drawer of what is on offer. Tracey Loughran, herself one of the leading cultural historians of her generation, has assembled a wonderful panoply of articles and authors who are all very much on top of their game. * Stefan Berger, Professor of History, Director of the Institute for Social Movements, Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum * A Practical Guide to Studying History is an essential toolkit for History students stepping into higher education for the first time and should remain a comforting companion throughout their university careers. It will help students understand what they are doing and why they are doing it. The book's diverse chapters make challenging concepts accessible and outline valuable real-world examples of what a History degree can give to its graduates, their fellow citizens, and the common weal. More than that, it is a resounding call to arms in defence of the historical profession, delivering a rigorous, reasoned, and confident manifesto for the future of History in universities. * Stephen Bowman, Lecturer in British History, University of Stirling * A Practical Guide to Studying History (2e) is a superb book that should be read by every history student. The depth of material covered is extremely impressive, offering expert insight and guidance to every step in a history student's progress. It ranges from how to deal with the transition to university to how to pick your modules to how historians approach their craft and deal with sources in a digital age to the place of history in the wider world. It also helps parents, as well as students, understand the extraordinary value of a history degree. Tracey Loughran has put together an impressive team, linked together by her own reflections on the historical profession and her experiences of being a history student and an eminent practitioner of the discipline. I cannot recommend it highly enough. * Ultan Gillen, Teesside University, UK *More details
Edition
2nd edition
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
College/higher education
Illustrations
20 bw illus
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-350-42936-9 (9781350429369)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Tracey Loughran is Professor of History at the University of Essex, UK. She is the author of Shell-Shock and Medical Culture in First World War Britain (2017).
Content
List of Illustrations
Introduction Tracey Loughran (University of Essex, UK)
Part 1: From School to University
Introduction Tracey Loughran (University of Essex, UK)
1. Making the Transition to University Matthew Grant (University of Essex, UK)
2. Choosing Modules: Risks and Rewards Nicki Kindersley (Cardiff University, UK)
3. Reading and Writing History Tracey Loughran (University of Essex, UK)
4. Sources for Essays Keir Waddington (Cardiff University, UK)
5. Historical Research for Undergraduates Garthine Walker (Cardiff University)
Part 2: Framing Histories
Introduction Tracey Loughran (University of Essex, UK)
6. Decolonising History Lydia Plath (University of Warwick, UK)
7. Nations Mark Williams (Cardiff University, UK)
8. Periodization Shaun Tougher (Cardiff University, UK)
9. Sexualities Amy Tooth Murphy (Royal Holloway, University of London, UK)
10. Identities Siobhan McGurk (Independent Scholar, USA)
11. What is Historiography? Tracey Loughran (University of Essex, UK)
Part 3: The Historian's Craft
Introduction Tracey Loughran (University of Essex, UK)
12. Using Primary Sources Tracey Loughran (University of Essex, UK)
13. Archives Federica Ferlanti (Cardiff University, UK)
14. Doing History in a Digital World Chris Sparks and Daniel Todman (both Queen Mary, University of London, UK)
15. Beyond Text: Objects as Historical Sources Leonie Hannan (Queen's University Belfast, UK) and Sarah Longair (University of Lincoln, UK)
16. Evidence & Interpretation Kevin Passmore (Cardiff University, UK)
Part 4: History in Public
Introduction Tracey Loughran (University of Essex, UK)
17. History in Schools Lloyd Bowen (Cardiff University, UK)
18. History and Policy Alix R. Green and Matthew Grant (both University of Essex, UK)
19. Exhibiting History Jane Hamlett (Royal Holloway, University of London, UK)
20. History and Heritage Stephanie Ward (Cardiff University, UK)
21. History and Activism Aleema Gray (University of Warwick)
22. Taking History into the World David Wyatt (Cardiff University, UK)
Index
Introduction Tracey Loughran (University of Essex, UK)
Part 1: From School to University
Introduction Tracey Loughran (University of Essex, UK)
1. Making the Transition to University Matthew Grant (University of Essex, UK)
2. Choosing Modules: Risks and Rewards Nicki Kindersley (Cardiff University, UK)
3. Reading and Writing History Tracey Loughran (University of Essex, UK)
4. Sources for Essays Keir Waddington (Cardiff University, UK)
5. Historical Research for Undergraduates Garthine Walker (Cardiff University)
Part 2: Framing Histories
Introduction Tracey Loughran (University of Essex, UK)
6. Decolonising History Lydia Plath (University of Warwick, UK)
7. Nations Mark Williams (Cardiff University, UK)
8. Periodization Shaun Tougher (Cardiff University, UK)
9. Sexualities Amy Tooth Murphy (Royal Holloway, University of London, UK)
10. Identities Siobhan McGurk (Independent Scholar, USA)
11. What is Historiography? Tracey Loughran (University of Essex, UK)
Part 3: The Historian's Craft
Introduction Tracey Loughran (University of Essex, UK)
12. Using Primary Sources Tracey Loughran (University of Essex, UK)
13. Archives Federica Ferlanti (Cardiff University, UK)
14. Doing History in a Digital World Chris Sparks and Daniel Todman (both Queen Mary, University of London, UK)
15. Beyond Text: Objects as Historical Sources Leonie Hannan (Queen's University Belfast, UK) and Sarah Longair (University of Lincoln, UK)
16. Evidence & Interpretation Kevin Passmore (Cardiff University, UK)
Part 4: History in Public
Introduction Tracey Loughran (University of Essex, UK)
17. History in Schools Lloyd Bowen (Cardiff University, UK)
18. History and Policy Alix R. Green and Matthew Grant (both University of Essex, UK)
19. Exhibiting History Jane Hamlett (Royal Holloway, University of London, UK)
20. History and Heritage Stephanie Ward (Cardiff University, UK)
21. History and Activism Aleema Gray (University of Warwick)
22. Taking History into the World David Wyatt (Cardiff University, UK)
Index