F2017 Syllabus – Texas Wesleyan University |
Instructor: Chris Ohan |
HIS 3380-01 Introduction to Historical Methods |
Office: PMC 244 Phone: 817-531-4913 |
Meeting: Monday/Wednesday 12-1:15 |
Office Hours: Mon/Wed 11-12; 1:30-3:30; Tues 2:30-5; Thurs 9:30-1:00, or by appt. |
Location: EJW B26 |
|
E-mail: cohan@txwes.edu |
History
is a shifting, problematic discourse, ostensibly about an aspect of the world,
the past, that is produced by a group of present-minded workers (overwhelmingly
in our culture salaried historians) who go about their work in mutually
recognizable ways that are epistemologically, methodologically, ideologically
and practically positioned and whose products, once in circulation, are subject
to a series of uses and abuses that are logically infinite but which in
actuality generally correspond to a range of power bases that exist at any
given moment and which structure and distribute the meanings of histories along
a dominant marginal spectrum. –Keith Jenkins, Rethinking History (Routledge, 1991)
Course description and
objectives: Designed as a workshop in
historical methods for history majors, this course will guide students through
the different type of critical analyses used in the discipline of history. Students will learn how to critically examine
and write about an historical film as well as read and write a critical book
review. They will also work through the research
process by completing a formal research paper using primary and secondary
sources. Students will gain knowledge in
and apply the Turabian documentation style (Chicago
Manual Style) and learn the uses of informational technology in history.
Learning Objectives Program Goals
Objective 1: Students will
demonstrate their understanding and ability to express the following reading
comprehension and cognitive skills: evaluate, contextualize, closely read,
corroborate and cite sources. They will be able to identify the thesis of an
argument and the evidence an author uses to support that thesis. |
1. Develop a general knowledge
of human history, including a basic chronology of both western and
non-western societies covering time periods from the ancient to the modern. |
Objective 2: Students will
demonstrate written communication skills by synthesizing multiple historical
accounts and creating their own historical narratives using evidence-based
argumentation. |
2. Understand
Historical Interpretation and Historiography. |
Objective 3: a. Students
will demonstrate oral communication skills by presenting and defending their
analyses of historical documents orally in class. b. Students will demonstrate
their understanding and ability to express the following historical thinking
skills: multiple causation, historical contingence, and change over time. c. Students will demonstrate
both their research and computer literacy skills by finding, evaluating, and
properly documenting sources using print and web-based platforms as well as
appropriate software such as MS Word. |
3. Learn the various skills
associated with the craft of history. These skills include: a. Reading Comprehension and
Cognitive Skills b. Historical Thinking
Skills c. Research Skills d. Written Communication
Skills e. Oral Communication Skills f. Computer Literacy |
Objective 4: As a
required course for all history majors, successful students will acquire
techniques that will prepare them to instruct students in secondary and
middle school history classes. They
will also have the fundamental research and writing skills in the discipline
to successfully function in graduate-level history programs. |
4. Students completing a
major in the Department of History will be prepared to enter graduate
programs in History, teach History in secondary or middle schools, or enter
other careers open to graduates with degrees in the Liberal Arts. |
Required Materials: |
Greenblatt, The Swerve (Norton) |
|
Jules Benjamin, A Student’s Guide to History (13th ed., Bedford, 2015) |
Supplemental (Optional)
Resources:
Kate L. Turabian, Manual
for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations
(8th ed., Chicago,
2013)
Class
Format. As this is a small class, we will utilize
inquiry-based methods in either a class or smaller group format where
historical problems will be presented.
Students will be expected to evaluate source material (and complete
readings) to practice their historical thinking skills. Occasional short lectures will be presented
based on the learning needs of the class.
History is essentially a conversation about the past, so do not
hesitate to bring up relevant questions and comments. It is assumed that you will complete the
assigned reading for each week. It is
also assumed that you will attend all classes.
Class
schedule: See page 8 below.
Evaluation and Grading:
Participation |
10% |
Source
Analyses |
15% |
Film
Analysis Book Review |
20% 25% |
Research
Paper |
30% |
|
100% |
Grades will be assigned
according to the following percentages: 90-100=A; 80-89=B; 70-79=C; 60-69=D;
0-59=F
Writing Assignments
Short source analysis papers. As we move thought
the term, you will be responsible for completing short, one-page critical analyses of source material using
the iRead Worksheet. These short analyses will be submitted to Turnitin via
Blackboard by the posted due dates.
Film
Analysis. Students will watch,
discuss and write a critical review of the film Allende (2014). The Analysis is due on Sept 25 at noon.
Book Review.
Students will read and the class will discuss Greenblatt’s The Swerve so that they can produce a
critical book review (see guidelines below). The review is due on Oct 16 at noon.
Research Paper.
The largest chunk of your grade is the research paper. You should have an idea of what you’d like to
research by Oct 2 and the beginnings
of a thesis by Oct 4.
You may choose almost any topic but you must first clear the topic
with me. Stop by my office during
regular office hours, or make an appointment to talk about your topic. Before coming, explore your possible topic a
bit. Think of some historical period or
event that interests you and do a bit of investigation. Do not come by and say, “I don’t know what to
do for my research.” Take the
initiative.
You
must meet with me before Oct 2 to
discuss a topic. The class will be
divided into 2 person reading groups.
These groups will read each other’s paper proposals and final drafts,
providing critique and constructive feedback for each. (This aspect of collaboration at the
beginning of a research project and then at the end is common among
academics.) Students will submit their
proposals as a shared document with their partner and me on One Drive by 12 pm
(noon) on Oct 6. Group members will read each other’s
proposals and provide substantive feedback on the document by Oct 9.
With this feedback, you will submit a final proposal in Blackboard by
noon on Oct 11.
A
draft of your final paper will be shared with group members and me on OneDrive by
noon on Nov 16. Group members will submit constructive
feedback on the papers by noon on Nov 27. The final paper is due Dec 4, to be submitted in Blackboard by noon. See more formal guidelines below. (Keep in
mind that this paper is the focus of the course and will demonstrate your
mastery of the learning objectives above.)
**Please
note that your critique and feedback on your partner’s work will determine half
of your participation grade in this course. (See Benjamin, “Guidelines for Peer
Reviewing,” page 37.)
Attendance is m
You
are responsible for all class assignments regardless of attendance. Quizzes covering assigned readings may be
given at any time
Class
Participation. The majority of class time will be devoted to
discussion. Discussions will draw primarily
on the readings. Your class
participation grade will consist of my evaluation of your preparedness and the
level of your participation in these discussions. Obviously, if you are consistently absent or
don’t speak, your participation will not be very effective.
Internet/Blackboard: Feel free to
send email to the address above. Please
assume I have no idea who you are so include your name and course number in the
message. Keep in mind that I will not
entertain discussion about grades, missed classes &etc over email—that’s
why faculty have office hours. In addition,
this syllabus, the lecture/reading schedule, some of the course readings and any
other class handouts will be posted on the above web address. Announced changes to the lecture/reading
schedule will be reflected in the schedule’s online version. All student work will be turned in through
Blackboard.
Academic Integrity:
Familiarize yourself with Wesleyan’s Student Code of
Conduct. Academics are not only devoted
to learning, research,
Academic Dishonesty is a breach of the Student Code of
Conduct. Dishonesty includes:
Academic Dishonesty will not
be tolerated in this course. Any offense will result in an F in the class (not
simply on the assignment)
Writing for this course will employ standard academic
formatting—double spaced, typed—with citations following Turabian (Chicago)
style. The Benjamin text is your guide
in this regard. Correct use of source
information and citations is assumed. Grammatical
proficiency is fundamental in history as ours is largely a writing
discipline. No one are taken seriously if they do not employ good grammar. See Grading Guidelines on the class webpage
for specific grading criteria regarding written work and the grading rubrics (Book,
Research Paper) on the Wesleyan History Program page.
Please note
that any late work will be penalized at the rate of one letter grade per day. If an assignment is due at 12 and it is
submitted at 12:15, it is a day late. No
assignments will be accepted more than 4 days late.
Statement
of Understanding:
As a professional, I follow
the American or western model of higher education. According to this model the instructor
encourages the students to think critically.
This is not merely the expression of an opinion, but well-thought,
structured and supported arguments. Do
not be surprised if I voice an unconventional argument—particularly as we relate
much of the course content to current events.
My purpose is not to express my own opinion but to challenge you to
think critically about the discipline as well as the topics being
considered. If you find yourself
offended by something said in the classroom, consider than in the Humanities
and Social Sciences “Truth” is at best elusive and tolerance essential.
A valid method of instruction
that has been used in the east and west for centuries, since 500 BCE, was
founded in Greece; the Socratic method is based on rhetorical
argumentation. Rhetorical argument, in
the classical sense, means the following: to inform, to convince, to explore,
to make decisions, and even to meditate, as odd that may sound. Although arguments may at times “pique” you
emotionally, as an educated person you must learn to weigh ideas and use logic
and not emotion to counter the
argument. Scholars of pedagogy agree
that we learn best when we are confronted with a problem or, put another way,
when we are humbled. Therefore you should
not consider a critique from me or anyone else in the class to be a negative
attack or an occasion for anger and vengeance, but an opportunity for critical
thought and reflection. Moreover, and
most importantly, education requires us to be tolerant of ideas that we may not
understand and to consider values that we do not embrace. Tolerance means that we allow others to
believe a certain way even though we do not believe it; it does not mean that
we have to embrace that belief. If,
however, we do not open our minds enough to understand ideas that we might
disagree with, then we all will live in shallow, ignorant worlds of like minds
and never come to agreement about anything except among people who thing just
like us. The latter is not
characteristic of a university and as a member of Wesleyan’s academic
community, I assume that you agree.
I respect students who
respect learning, so please do not show disrespect to me or your fellow
students by asking to submit papers late or by asking for extra credit when you
couldn’t meet the credit standards laid out in this syllabus. Also, if you turn in writing that does not
meet the standards set for class, you will receive the grade you deserve. That grade does not reflect anything
personal; it is strictly a professional assessment of academic work. I have many years of experience on the
university level, so I am fully aware of how to score historical writing. Although I am always happy to explain why you
earned a particular grade on an assignment, please think carefully before
asking me to change a grade; to do so is tantamount to asking me to undermine
the integrity and professional standards to which I try to adhere. It is also an insult to the students who
earned a higher grade. I will protect
the students who earned those grades. I’m
happy to explain a grade to you, but keep in mind that if you ask for a
re-evaluation, and I’ve made an error, your grade could change positively or
negatively.
What I Expect from You:
That you be punctual for every class.
That you do not receive or make telephone calls/text
messages.
That you respect what I and your fellow
students have to say.
That you come to class ready to ask and answer
questions of substance on the day’s readings.
What You Can Expect from Me:
That I will be punctual for every class.
That I will give everybody a fair share of my
attention.
That I will work to ensure you achieve the
student learning objectives.
That I will grade the quality of your work
rather than the amount of time and effort you spent on it.
Small Print:
Texas Wesleyan University Policies
· Students should read the current Texas Wesleyan
University Catalog and Student Handbook to become
familiar with University policies.
· Cheating, plagiarism (submitting another person’s
material as one’s own), or completing assignments for another person who will
receive academic credit are impermissible. This includes the use of
unauthorized books, notebooks, or other sources in order to secure or give help
during an examination, the unauthorized copying of examinations, assignments,
reports, or term papers, or the presentation of unacknowledged material as if
it were the student’s own work. Disciplinary action may be taken beyond
the academic discipline administered by the course instructor. Course exams may
not be printed out. Any person possessing a hardcopy of a course exam will be
in breach of copyright and may be held liable.]
· Texas Wesleyan University adheres to a disability
policy which is in keeping with relevant federal law. The University will
provide appropriate accommodation as determined by the Director of the
Counseling Center, Dr. Michael Ellison. Students must notify instructors of any
permanent or temporary disabilities and must provide documentation regarding
those disabilities prior to the granting of an accommodation. For assistance,
students should consult with Dr. Ellison at mellison@txwes.edu or (817) 531-7565.
· Course syllabi are intended to provide students with
basic information concerning the course. The syllabus can be viewed as a
'blueprint' for the course; changes in the syllabus can be made and students
will be informed of any substantive changes concerning examinations, the
grading or attendance policies and changes in project assignments.
· Any course taken at Texas Wesleyan University and
repeated for a grade must be repeated at Texas Wesleyan University. Any course
taken at another university may be repeated at Texas Wesleyan, and the most
recent grade on the course will be counted. When a course is repeated, the
grade point average will be computed using the most recent grade achieved.
· As noted in the catalog under the Unified
Discrimination and Harassment Policy, Texas Wesleyan University is committed to
providing an environment free of all forms of prohibited discrimination and
sexual harassment. If you have
experienced any such discrimination or harassment, including gender- or
sex-based forms, know that help and support are available from the following
resources:
o
Complete
online incident report at https://txwes.edu/student-life/report-a-concern/
o
Contact
Campus Conduct Hotline (24 hours a day): (866) 943-5787
o
Campus
security (24 hours a day): (817) 531-4911
o
Dean
of Students: deanofstudents@txwes.edu OR (817) 531-4872
o Please be aware that all Texas Wesleyan University
employees, other than designated confidential resources (i.e., Community
Counseling Center) are required to report credible evidence of prohibited
discrimination or harassment to the University’s Title IX Coordinator, or to
one of the Title IX Assistant Coordinators.
If you wish to speak to someone confidentially, please contact the
Community Counseling Center at (817) 531-4859 to schedule an appointment.
1. 5-6 pages
typewritten, double-spaced. Title page,
if used, does NOT count. Observe the
normal rules of writing such as standard one-inch margins, page numbering,
etc.
2. Full
bibliographic citation on the title page or at the top of the first page. (Consult an MLA or Chicago style guide if
you’ve forgotten how to do this. Do NOT
make up your own form.)
3. Brief
introduction to the topic or subject of the book. Why is this topic or subject important to the
period of history being covered?
4. Summarize
the author’s thesis (argument) and main points concisely but fully. (What do you think the author is trying to
accomplish by writing the book?)
5. Briefly
say something regarding the author’s qualifications.
6. Critique
the book. (What you’re doing is
analogous to what happens in a courtroom. Consider yourself the judge and the
author a lawyer who has presented an argument/case. It’s up to you, having read his/her
argument/case to decide whether or not her claims have validity.) Based on your answer to #4 do you find
his/her arguments and conclusions convincing? How does s/he do in terms of accomplishing his
purpose for writing? Do not walk fences
or resort to elementary tactics such as pleading ignorance. (This should be about one-half of your
paper.)
(6a.
If the book is a work of literature, you’ll still consider what the author is
trying to accomplish, but you’ll need to think about what the work says about
the time period or place in which it’s set, the characters, the environment,
etc. For example, you’d look at it the
same way an historian would look at More’s Utopia
or possibly Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Those works are good literature but say a lot
about the time period in which they were written.)
7. While a
review does not usually include the readers own opinion, you may provide a
brief personal evaluation of no more than one paragraph. Be sure to explain and support your opinion
carefully and coherently. At this point
in your academic career, you ought to have an informed opinion. “Informed” suggests that you’re offering
specific evidence as to how and why you agree or disagree.
8. This is
not a research paper, so formal footnoting is not necessary. If you do quote or draw on information that
is not your own, simply use a parenthetical reference according to
Turabian/Chicago style.
9. Papers
which are turned in after the time they are due will be penalized one letter
grade for each day. No papers which are
more than four days late will be accepted.
If you or someone close to you is looking like they’re coming down with
the latest disease or that they might need emergency surgery, turn it in
early. If you want mercy, pray.
Unfortunately,
most of us understand history based on what we are told in the popular media
(i.e. the movies). It is important,
therefore, to understand how to look at a movie based (however loosely) on the
past and how to critique it as “history.”
This assignment will help you accomplish that goal.
You will be
reviewing the film Allende (2014).
PART I: Watching your film:
As you watch a
film for evaluation or critique, consider and discuss as many of the following
points as possible—if they seem relevant.
These are not the only kinds of questions you should consider; depending
on the film, there may be many more. Be
sure that you keep in mind that you are evaluating this film not as a general
reviewer but as a way of understanding the past.
PART II: Writing your film
analysis:
A. The film review should begin with a
bibliographical heading, such as:
The Little
Foxes. Written by Lillian
Hellman. Directed by WilliamWyler. 166 mins. Columbia Pictures, 1941.
B. Suggested approach for writing the paper:
C. The length of
the report will depend you the nature of the film and how you decide to
approach the analysis. 5 pages would be
about right.
7-9 pages typewritten, double-spaced. The title page does NOT count. Observe the normal rules of writing (using Turabian
(Chicago) style) such as standard one inch margins, page numbering, etc. (Also, please do not use folders or plastic
covers. A staple will suffice.
1.
Begin with an
overview of your specific topic. Then
move into a discussion of your argument/thesis.
Explain it carefully and concisely.
This should be about 1-2 pages.
2.
The bulk of a
research paper is a discussion of your supporting sources/evidence. Specifically, which of the documents will you
be using to support your argument and how?
Remember that while secondary sources are important, the strongest
arguments are based on primary sources. You
should also consider which of the other sources might possibly refute your
thesis and how you will address such conflicts.
5-6 pages should be about right.
Regarding sources, in this course we consider a
variety of source material: primary and secondary; and coming from journals,
monographs, and the internet; as well as sources that are non-textual. Your paper should employ a variety of those
discussed and at least one non-textual source.
3.
Next you will
want to consider if your argument/thesis has already been considered by
historians. (Don’t be discouraged if you
can’t come up with something original.)
Who are these historians, when did they write, and what were their
conclusions? How does your thesis differ
from theirs (if at all)? This should be 1-2 pages.
4.
Conclusion. 1
page
5.
When you quote or
draw on information that is not your own, use Turabian (Chicago) style. (DO NOT make up your own style of formatting.)
6.
Late papers are
penalized one letter grade per day after the due date. No papers which are more
than three days late will be accepted.
Tentative Class Topic and Reading List
Aug 21 |
Introduction to Historical
Methods |
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Aug 23 |
What is History? Readings:
Keith Jenkins, “What History Is” in Re-Thinking
History
(pp. 6-32) https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/48111098/Jenkins%20%27What%20History%20Is%27%20in%20Re-thinking%20History%20-%20Routledge.pdf; Benjamin 1, 2 |
Aug 28 |
Historical Questions and
Writing an Historical Argument |
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Aug 30 |
Critical
Analysis |
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Sept 6 |
Intro to Examining Sources: iRead Subject-World
War I Readings:Wilson’s Address to
Congress, 1917 http://www.historymuse.net/readings/wilsonaddresstocongress.html |
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Sept 11 |
Contextualizing Sources: iRead Borderlands/Mexico:
“El Corrido de Gregorio Cortez” or “The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez” (1901) Readings: Benjamin 3; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtE_bSr0uO4 (iRead assignment instructions) |
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Sept 13, 18 |
The Critical Film Analysis |
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Sept 20 |
Taking
Notes, Citing Sources, Avoiding Plagiarism Readings: Benjamin 4 |
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Sept 25, 27 |
Close Reading of Sources: iRead (Film analysis due on 9/25) Subject-European
Renaissance: “Problems of Medical Research” from De Humani Corporis Fabrica by Andreas Vesalius (1543) Readings: Benjamin 5 |
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Oct 2, 4 |
The Critical Book Review Readings: Greenblatt, The Swerve |
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Oct 9 |
Historical Research/Using
the Library/Determining a Topic Readings: Benjamin 7 |
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Oct 11 |
Using the Internet: iRead
(Paper proposals due) Subject-US Revolutionary
War: Abigail Adams to John Adams, 31 March 1776 http://founders.archives.gov/?q=Abigail%20Adams%20john%2031%20march&s=1311311111&sa=&r=1&sr= |
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Oct 16, 18 |
Corroborating Sources: iRead (Book review due on 10/16) Subject-19th Century American West: Butterfield Overland Mail Route (1858) |
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Oct 23, 25 |
Secondary Sources: journals iRead *Student
will analyze a journal source related to their own research |
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Oct 30, Nov 1 |
Secondary Sources:
monographs iRead *Students
will analyze a monograph source related to their own research |
Nov 6, 8 |
Using Non-textual Sources iRead *Students
will analyze a non-textual source related to their own research |
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Nov 13, 15, 27 |
Organizing and Writing the
Research Paper Readings: Benjamin 8 |
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Nov 29 |
Historiography: What to do
when historians disagree |
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Dec 4 |
Wrap-up
(Final paper due) |