HIST 2004: Historical Methods

CRN #13410, T, Th, 2:00-3:15, Randolph 320

Spring 2009

 

Instructor: Dr. Mark V. Barrow, Jr.

Office: 432 Major Williams; E-mail: barrow@vt.edu

Phone: 231-4099 (o); 552-5876 (h, please call before 9:30 p.m.)

Office Hours: T, Th 11:00-12:00 noon, and by appointment

AIM Screen Name: vthistprof (available during office hours)

URL: Blackboard and http://www.history.vt.edu/Barrow/Hist2004/

 

Course Objective:

HIST 2004 is designed to introduce history majors to the basic methods, sources, and skills involved in creating history.  More a laboratory-type "how to" course than a "what happened" course, it guides students through the process of conducting historical research, from finding and analyzing sources to presenting conclusions effectively.  The course thus provides a solid foundation not only for upper-level history classes, but also for graduate and professional school as well as almost any career.

 

To master these critical skills, you will need to practice them, and that will involve hours in the library stacks, in front of a microfilm reader, at your desk, or in front of a computer.  Some of this hands-on experience will take place during the regular class meeting time, but most of it will take place outside class.  I expect students to spend an average of about six hours per week (in addition to class time) working for this course.  Some weeks may not require that much time, but others will require more.  Students who are unable or unwilling to make this commitment should find some other course or other section to take.  A reminder that history majors must earn a "C" or better in Historical Methods to graduate with a degree in history.

 

Required Reading:

 

A concise guide to researching and writing in history that should not only prove useful for this course but also any future history courses you take. 

 

We'll be going through sections of this and completing some related exercises, but mostly it will be used for reference.

 

Books are available at the University Bookstore, Volume Two Bookstore, and the Tech Bookstore.  You may also purchase them at one of the online booksellers, like amazon.com.  Additional readings will be posted on Blackboard.

 

Evaluation:

The final grade for this course will be based on the following:

 

Professionalism:

This part of the grade reflects your basic approach to the course: your attendance, your preparedness, your comportment in class, your participation in discussions, and your enthusiasm.  Since this course is largely discussion-based, it will behoove you to attend every class, and repeated absences will seriously diminish your final grade.  But I want to see much more than mere attendance.  I want to see evidence that you have not only completed but also given serious thought to the readings and other assignments; I want to see you grapple with the issues the course raises; and I want you to form your own opinions and articulate them during our discussions.  I encourage questions, welcome alternative viewpoints, and expect everyone to demonstrate respect for their fellow students and me.  In short, I want you to treat this course as a professional-in-training, which you are.

 

Homework:

I assign numerous homework exercises throughout the semester.  I may also occasionally give unscheduled quizzes.  Homework assignments will be announced at least one class period before they are due and graded using a 1 to 5 scale, depending on the quality of the work.  A failure to turn in a homework assignment will result in a grade of zero for that assignment.  Homework assignments must be turned in during the class they are due to receive credit.  If you should be forced to miss a class, be sure to check the class homepage to find out if any new homework or reading has been assigned.

 

Short Paper:

During the first half of the semester, students will complete a short paper analyzing a specific primary source.  Essentially this is a short "practice" paper for the longer research paper due later in the semester, and it will be due in class according to the schedule outlined below.  Late papers will receive a ten-point reduction for each day they are tardy.

 

Research Project:

The most demanding component of this course involves researching, writing up, and presenting a major historical research project.  The research paper should be a narrative of approximately 12-15 pp. in length (ca. 3500 words, not including notes and bibliography), complete with a title page, a clear thesis, properly formatted endnotes and bibliography (using the latest Chicago Manual of Style guidelines, which are summarized in Hacker and Rampolla), and at least one illustration.  Students can work on almost any historical topic they wish, but they must consult with me about their choice.  Since our library's holdings consist primarily of American sources from the second half of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and my own area of expertise overlaps with this same geographic area and time period, students are strongly encouraged to work on a topic in this general area.  We'll talk more in class about how to identify fruitful research topics.

 

The research paper must critically engage with a broad range of appropriate sources and be based on original research.  It is critical that you locate and properly utilize not only secondary sources but also a significant body of primary sources, which should be central to your paper.  The research paper should also be clearly presented, engagingly written, well organized, and carefully proofread.  Direct quotes should be kept to a minimum, confined to pithy statements from relevant primary and secondary sources, and be properly introduced.  In short, your research paper should not only be as error free as possible but also represent a genuine contribution to history, the kind of paper historians regularly deliver at professional meetings or submit for publication in historical journals.  To achieve this level of competency is a challenge, but with hard work and dedication, you can do it.

 

Early initiation and consistent effort throughout the term are crucial to the production of a successful paper.  To encourage students to begin working early and to provide opportunities for feedback from others in the course, participants will occasionally be asked to report to the class on how their work is progressing.  In addition, a preliminary topic choice homework, a preliminary annotated bibliography, a research proposal, and an initial version are of the paper are due according to the schedule below.  The initial version of the paper should not be a preliminary draft, but as thoroughly research and well presented as you can possibly make it.  At one of the sessions near the end of the semester, each student will formally present his or her research to the rest of the class.  Prior to this more formal presentation, I will ask students to organize into small groups to practice their presentations.  The final paper is due on the last day of class (see schedule, below).  You should turn in your initial version (including my comments) with the final paper.

 

Honor Code:

Students are expected to follow the Virginia Tech Honor Code for all assignments in this course.  I don't mind if you consult with your classmates, but any work you turn in should ultimately represent your own thoughts and words.  Suspected Honor Code violations will be reported to the Honor System.

 

A Personal Note:

I am excited about teaching this course, delighted to share my extensive experience researching and writing history, and looking forward to help you learn.  Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, concerns, special needs, or difficulties related to this course (of even if you want to just talk about the issues it raises).  I realize that approaching a professor can be intimidating, but I want to assure you that I enjoy meeting students, and I do everything possible to make myself accessible throughout the term.

 

Schedule:

Subject to change as necessary.  Reading assignments are to be completed by the time of class on the date listed.  Unless otherwise noted, the numbers in the reading assignment column refer to chapters.  "R" refers to Rampolla, while "H" refers to Hacker.  "OLR" refers to on-line readings, which are available on Blackboard.

 

Date

Day

Topic

Reading

Assignment

1/20

T

Introduction

 

 

1/22

TH

Working with Sources

R 1, 2; OLR

homework

1/27

T

Using Special Collections

OLR

homework

1/29

TH

Navigating the Library

R 3 (skim)

homework

2/3

T

 

Locating Online Sources

R 4, 5

homework

2/5

TH

Locating Online Sources

OLR

homework

2/10

T

Citing Sources, Avoiding Plagiarism

OLR; R 6, 7; H pp.185-93

homework

2/12

TH

Citing Sources, Avoiding Plagiarism

 

homework

2/17

T

Doing Oral History

OLR

homework

2/19

TH

Analyzing Editorial Cartoons

OLR

working bibliography

2/24

T

Using Newspapers and Periodicals

 

homework

2/26

TH

Avoiding Common Writing Errors

H pp. 1-22

short paper

3/3

T

TBA

OLR

homework

3/5

TH

Crafting a Thesis

OLR

research proposal

3/10

T

Spring Break!

 

 

3/12

TH

Spring Break!

 

 

3/17

T

Understanding Film

OLR

 

3/19

TH

TBA

 

 

3/24

T

Creating and Analyzing Graphs

OLR

 

3/26

TH

Studying History

OLR

homework

3/31

T

Professional Development

OLR

 

4/2

TH

Professional Development

OLR

 

4/7

T

Individual Consultations

 

 

4/9

TH

Individual Consultations

 

paper draft due

4/14

T

Effective Presentations

 

 

4/16

TH

Effective Presentations

 

practice presentation

4/21

T

Student Presentations

 

 

4/23

TH

Student Presentations

 

 

4/28

T

Student Presentations

 

 

4/30

TH

Student Presentations

 

 

5/5

T

Recap and Celebration

 

final paper due