History 1120 Canadian Pre-Confederation; with Dr. Tracy Penny Light, was my first real introduction to a history course. It opened my eyes to the study of history in University, and how it is studied in much finer detail once out of high school. Throughout this course I gained many techniques that helped me understand and study history. Through class and group discussions we learned techniques that included proper researching techniques, and how to analyse this research. Throughout the class we focused on the content as well as what it means to study history. By making a connection between these two topics we were able to have many class discussions that furthered my personal understanding of history.
Techniques we used to help us study history included how to read through documents, interpret evidence, and how to create a good road map when creating an argument. An interesting part of this class was how all the content that was discussed in class led to us talking beyond the surface of the topic. Tracy constantly tried to get us to dig deeper. Whether we did so as a class or in smaller groups he discussions always furthered my understanding of the content. Listening to others perspectives gave me more insight on the topic, I was able to compare and contrast our ideas, to see if I could create a better understanding.
This course made me realize that some of my research in the past not have been proper. It helped me see new ways to look at information and conduct research. These new techniques and procedures not only helped me study history but also made a difference in my other classes. By the end of History 1120 my ability to study history was much stronger, and I have greater understanding of what history is and how you study it.