In the classroom, students training in medieval studies require fundamental soft skills to make sense of and use information confidently. However, no other learning resources to date addresses students just starting out in medieval studies. While textbooks introduce students to key historical events, figures, and trends, their purpose is not to provide instructions on how to use this information strategically for research, exams, or assignments. Primary source readers introduce students to historical sources and, though they may contain reading comprehension questions to facilitate critical thinking and reading, they do not explain the processes and strategies involved in responding to the questions. This is the first guide book written specifically for beginners, instructing them not just about what they need to learn to thrive in medieval studies, but about how to learn more effectively, and why certain practices are better than others. The aim is to equip budding medievalists with the skills they need to become independent learners and researchers.
