History SPOT

History SPOT presents podcasts from the internationally renowned research seminar programmes hosted by the Institute of Historical Research (IHR) in an interactive and collaborative space.  The 'Seminars' section of the site holds our searchable archive of these podcasts from 2009 to the present, alongside discussion forums and other additional content.  This section of the site is designed not simply to provide access to this archive but to allow you to comment on and interact with it.  If you have a question or would like to start up or enter a debate or discussion about the topic you can do so here with other historians. 

• Archived podcasts from 2009 to the present selected from over 50 history research seminar programmes held at the IHR on a diverse range of topics
•  Live events with interaction in post-paper discussions
•  Discussion forums
•  Search functions
• Make links between podcasts and gather them together on your profile pages.

It is our hope that you will find this site an enjoyable and inspirational place in which to extend your research knowledge and interests and engage with history in its many diverse forms.  We also hope that you will enjoy making contact with other historians on this platform just as you would in person, and that it will be a worthwhile place to visit regularly.

As a taster for what is contained within this site please feel free to visit our latest podcasts pages

The IHR already offers a comprehensive programme of short training courses in research skills for historians.  Now, at History SPOT, we are also making available some of our course materials as History Research Handbooks (or HRH for short) online and for free.  So if you wish to brush up on your database skills or learn more about podcasting these guides will be your first port of call.

Handbooks are designed for any historian wishing to improve their knowledge or gain new skills.  You may draw content from the HRH to your profile pages and remix them for your own needs and interests. 

The IHR already offers a comprehensive programme of short training courses in research skills for historians and postgraduate students. History SPOT provides added online content to support and enhance the fee-paying learner’s experience. Not only can learners draw from the SPOT’s combined research seminars and research handbooks online but they can also access material only available to registered students. It should be noted that this section of History SPOT is still in development. Before long we will also be able to offer fully online and tutor-led research training courses for postgraduates, scholars and other interested parties.

Future features

• Access to the entire content of History SPOT including materials unavailable to non-fee paying registered users
• A collaborative and interactive environment to share experiences and expertise with other students and researchers
• Use of message boards, blogs and editable content
• Tutor-led online research training courses
• Virtual classroom

History SPOT is not just a place to find and digest content; it is also a collaborative and interactive space (or spot) where you will be able to discuss, transform and enhance content on your own pages and to share it with others.  History SPOT provides a profile section where you can share information about yourself and gather resources from across the site to one place.  You can create your own blog, add files and keep in touch with other users who share similar interests.  Furthermore, if you wish to remix the material available on History SPOT and add your own resources, you may do this in your profile area and share it with your colleagues.  You can link together pages from any (or any part) of the History Research Handbooks and combine them with relevant podcasts from the seminars section.  You may add your own research or teaching materials, add links, and discuss or explain your approaches all in one place.  You may collaborate with other users of History SPOT to improve the resources available and create new materials as you see fit.  History SPOT offers much more than content alone, but provides a space for networking, interacting, and collaborating. 

• Profile pages
• Blogs
• Discussion forums
• Create your own resources from materials available on History SPOT or elsewhere
• Create your own web pages and display them to other users
• Make contact with other users and follow their interests (social networking)
• Collaborate with others by establishing groups