History 209: Research and Writing in History

Spring 2012
Marilyn Julius , Instructor
website: http://www.historymj.com

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a research project related to some aspect of your family history within a social history context. 

Course Syllabus (Word)

Course Objectives
Here's what you will do in this course:

• Practice the critical reading and thinking skills used by professional historians, including
• Recognizing conflicting evidence
• Developing tests of reliability
• Constructing truthful narratives - ones that do justice to actual events (acknowledging, of course, that all historical accounts are biased
   
• Follow an organized research writing process , including
• Finding, reading, interpreting, and evaluating primary and secondary sources.
• Creating a worthy argument or thesis.
• Choosing effective ways to organize and develop material
• Incorporating and documenting sources
  
  
• Develop writing skills for addressing a variety of audiences, including
• Matching writing style and tone to audience and purpose. 
• Writing objectively, clearly, and correctly.
  
  
• Learn technological skills necessary for online presentation of history
• Using digital software:  WordPress for blogging,  Wikispaces for collaborative writing and editing, Dreamweaver for website development, and Fireworks for image editing.
• Applying the basics of web layout and design

Reading

• Steven Mintz and Susan Kellogg, Domestic Revolutions: A Social History Of American Family Life,   ISBN: 002921291X (in bookstore or order used)
• Patrick Reel, Reading, Writing, and Researching for History:
  A Guide for College Students (online)
• Daniel J. Cohen & Roy Rosenzweig, Digital History: A Guide to Gathering, Preserving, and Presenting the Past on the Web (online)

Please . . .

Be prepared.
About reading: Some days we will discuss the reading and go over your reading notes. Or, you might have a brief quiz.”or write your “perfect paragraph. CHECK THE WEBSITE NEWS FREQUENTLY.

About writing: Since much class time will be used for discussion, peer editing, evaluating sources, editing exercises, and peer editing, your attendance is essential! Because drafting is essential to good writing, missing a draft date (that is, not having the draft ready on time) will lower your grade for that assignment by one-half letter.

About snow: If school is open, I will be in class. Use your own judgment about driving to campus. If the college is closed, please check the News page for updates .

Be prompt. Turn in all work on time. Grades on late assignments will disappoint you (papers are devalued one letter grade per class period except in the case of documented absences for illness requiring a doctor's visit, a court appearance, a death in the family).

But wait! You do have one safety valve. One assignment may be turned in one week late. Inclass work may be made up only with a documented excuse: from a physician, hospital, court, or other verifiable documentation.

Be honest with yourself and with me about your attendance, class preparation, and assignments.

Plagiarism is academic dishonesty. Failure to cite sources for paraphrased or quoted material, submitting someone else's work or misrepresentation of your work will earn a 0 and will result in failure of the course . Minor misuse of sources or incorrect documentation will result in lowered grade for the assignment.

Be open-minded. Expect a lot. Get involved. Be curious. Have fun, too!