Internal Assessment: Topic Selection

Selecting a good topic is ESSENTIAL to the success of your IA. You will pose a research question (RQ) based off your
topic. This RQ will be the basis of your historical investigation; and ultimately, your research and analysis will answer the
posed question. Therefore, your question should be detailed, narrowly focused, and debatable. In order to help guide your
selection, consider the following points/questions. Topic selections and this worksheet are due Monday January 6th.

Requirements for topic selection:

 Topic can NOT be within the past ten years. (i.e. NO topics post-2010)
 Topic must be debatable and show PERSPECTIVE
o Should have multiple view-points; all IA’s will need a counter-argument
 Topic should be of personal interest
 Topic needs to be WORTHY OF INVESTIGATION (i.e. topics that are over-researched, have a clear answer, are
hypothetical or opinion-based are NOT worthy of investigation)
o WWII & Hitler topics are over-researched – consider something different
o BAD ex: To what extent did the Treaty of Versailles contribute to Hitler’s rise?
o BAD ex: Would the outcome of WWI been different if Russia did not withdrawal?
o BAD ex: Was it a good decision for President Wilson to be neutral in the early stages of WWI?
 Topic needs to promote good ANALYSIS…..should NOT be descriptive in nature!
o BAD ex: Why did Germany lose WWI?
o GOOD ex: How did Italy’s decision to join the Allied powers contribute to Germany’s loss in WWI?
o Therefore, any topics regarding genocide or natural disasters are discouraged.
 Topic needs to be NARROW and SPECIFIC – no broad topics! (see above examples)
 Topic needs to relate to one of the six key concepts of DP history
o causation, consequence, continuity, change, significance, and perspective
 Are there enough sources available specific to your topic? Keep in mind, you will need to use a minimum of ten
sources which includes:
o At least two PRIMARY sources
o At least FIVE print sources (books or academic journals)
o At least one historian who specializes in this topic
o Sources that show perspective – need multiple viewpoints.
o Secondary sources have to be published post-1975.

FINAL TOPIC CHOICES

 Choice #1 (Preferred choice) 

 Choice #2 (Back-up topic) 

After you have narrowed it down to your #1 choice, respond to the following:
 Which one of the six key concepts of history will be the focus of your research?

 What will be the scope of your research? (time period & areas of focus; be as specific as possible)

 List one (or multiple) historians who specialize in your topic. Do they have books pertaining to your topic?

 What possible perspectives or counter-arguments will be addressed in your topic?

Possible IA Topics:

(*NOTES: These are just general topics; to find more detailed information, reference pages 65, 105-106, 142-
146 in your History Assessment Guide. There can NOT be more than one student completing an IA on the same
topic. Your history IA needs to be completely different than your EE. Selecting topics within syllabus
components is highly suggested. If you have a different idea, please discuss it with Ms. Bruggeman prior to
January 6th)

 Japanese Expansion in East Asia (1931-1941)

o Impact of Japanese Nationalism/Militarism, Invasion of Manchuria, Three Power/Tripartite Pact,
United Front, U.S.-Japanese Relations
 League of Nations (creation, principles, failures, examples of its usage)
 Causes and Effects of 20th Century Wars
o Africa and Middle East: Algerian War, Nigerian Civil War, Iran-Iraq War, North Yemen Civil
War, First Gulf War
o The Americas: Chaco War, Falklands War, Mexican Revolution, Contra War
o Asia and Oceania: Chinese Civil War, Vietnam, Indo-Pakistan Wars
o Europe: Spanish Civil War, Balkan Conflict, Russian Civil War, Irish War of Independence
 Cold War
o Possible leaders and their impact on the Cold War: Truman, Stalin, Khrushchev, Nixon, Mao,
Castro, Brezhnev, Reagan, Nasser, Brandt
o Cold War Crises:
 Africa and Middle East: Suez Crisis, Congo, Angolan Civil War
 Americas: Cuban Missile Crisis, Intervention in Chile, Contra War
 Asia and Oceania: Chinese Offshore Island Crises, North Korean Invasion of South
Korea, Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
 Europe: Berlin Blockade, Berlin Wall, Hungary, Prague Spring, Eastern Europe
 History of the Americas Topics
o Successes/Failures of an important leader
o Emergence in global affairs
o Mexican Revolution
o Canadian or Latin American topics (pg. 145)
o Cold War (Policies, leaders, intervention)
 Social Topics
o Feminism
o Role of art
o Government treatment of Native Americans
o Status of commonwealth countries
o Civil Rights
 Leaders, tactics, Supreme Court decisions
o Hispanic American movement (Cesar Chavez, Immigration Reform)
o Youth Culture and counter-Culture
o Protests
o Gay Rights Movement