“Examine how significant Gorbachev’s Perestroika and Glasnost policies were in the dissolution of the Soviet Union?”

 Introduction The task requires you to choose your own question. Your teacher must approve the question before you start work. It is crucial that there are sufficient sources to support the investigation. The historical investigation is made up of three sections: 1. Identification and evaluation of sources. 2. Investigation 3. Reflection The investigation is an opportunity to demonstrate your historical skills and knowledge. The emphasis must be on a specific historical inquiry that enables you to apply the skills of a historian by selecting and analysing a range of source material and considering different perspectives. The activity requires you to: • search • select • evaluate • and use evidence to reach a relevant conclusion • which is consistent with the evidence and arguments that have been put forward. Section 1: Identification and evaluation of sources (300 words approx.) You are required to analyse in detail one of the sources that you will use in your investigation. The source can be either a primary or secondary source. In this section you must: • clearly state the question you have chosen to investigate (this must be stated as a question with a question mark) • include a brief explanation of the nature of the source you have selected for detailed analysis, including an explanation of its relevance to the investigation • analyse one source in detail. With reference to the origins, purpose and content, you should analyse the value and limitations of the source in relation to the investigation. A crucial element of this section is formulating an suitable question to investigate. The six key concepts for the history course (causation, consequence, continuity, change, significance and perspectives) can be a useful starting point in helping you to form a question. Section 2: Investigation (1000 words approx) This section of the IA task consists of the actual investigation. The IA task provides scope for a wide variety of different types of historical investigation, but you will select a theme from the Cold War period using written sources or a variety of written and non-written sources. The investigation must be clearly and effectively organized. It must contain critical analysis that is focused clearly on the question being investigated, and must also include the conclusion that you draw from your analysis. In this section, you must use a range of evidence to support your argument. Please note that you can use primary sources, secondary sources, or a mixture of the two. Section 3: Reflection (200 words approx.) This section requires you to reflect on what undertaking your investigation highlighted to you about the methods used by, and the challenges facing, the historian. Examples of discussion questions that may help you to reflect are: • What methods used by historians did you use in your investigation? • What did your investigation highlight to you about the limitations of those methods? • What are the challenges facing the historian? • How can the reliability of sources be evaluated? • What is the difference between bias and selection? • Who decides which events are historically significant? • Is it possible to describe historical events in an unbiased way? • If it is difficult to establish proof in history, does that mean that all versions are equally acceptable? Bibliography A bibliography and clear referencing of all sources must be included but these are not included in the overall word count. Word limit The word limit for the historical investigation is strictly 1500 words. Referencing: All the sources, such as quotes and opinions will have to be referenced using footnotes on the bottom of the page. Sources: 4 sources have to be well know books, the other 8 sources can be anything from books to websites to videos, along as they come from reputable websites and documentaries. For this topic I suggest that one of the books used is Gorbachevs own book on perestroika as it gives a Soviet point of view, but I will leave it up you, the expert. Word limit is 1500 words.