Senior Seminar
Course Information
Professor: Robert W. Brown
Course Description
History 4510 focuses on two separate but closely related topics. It deals first with methods of historical research, the critical evaluation of sources, primary as well as secondary, and the writing of an historical essay. Accordingly, one major course requirement will be a research paper based in part on primary sources. Because the process of historical research is as important as the research product, this paper will be the culmination of a series of steps (completed both within and outside the classroom) designed to help each student master the basic elements of research and effective written and oral presentation. Required also is an analysis of an historical document (a primary source), a critical review of a scholarly work (a secondary source) on the topic of the research paper, and an analysis of an Internet site. At the end of the semester, each student will make an oral presentation summarizing the results of his/her research. This presentation should be done using PowerPoint.
The second component of History 4510 is a study of the western historiographical tradition. It surveys the writing of History from the earliest time to the present, and it investigates the nature of History, philosophies of History, and the various types of historical writing.
Course Goals
***an introduction to advanced methods of historical research and
the
critical evaluation of primary
and secondary sources;
***mastery of a process model for the writing of a research paper in History;
***mastery of techniques for the writing of the critical book review;
***development of skills for the oral presentation of research results;
***a survey of the western historiographical tradition;
***an investigation into the nature of History, competing
philosophies
of History, and the types of
historical writing.
***an introduction to the World Wide Web as a research tool and to methods for the analysis of Internet resources.
Course Requirements
1. Required Texts:
Mark T. Gilderhus, History and Historians. A
Historiographical
Introduction. 6th ed.
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2007.
Kate L. Turabian, Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G.
Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams, A Manual for
Writers of
Research
Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. 7th ed. Chicago
and London: The University of Chicago
Press, 2007.
2. Research Portfolio:
Each student will compile a Research Portfolio consisting of the following items:
A. Statement of Paper Topic and Preliminary Bibliography;
B. Prospectus and Annotated Bibliography of Primary, Secondary, and Internet Sources;
C. The Analysis of Historical Documents (primary sources) and an Internet Source;
D. Rough Draft of the Research Paper;
E. Final Draft of the Research Paper (with the incorporation of required changes);
F. PowerPoint Presentation of the Research Paper;
G. Critical Book Review (of a secondary source on the topic of the research paper);
H. Reflective Essay.
I. Notes on the terms for the assigned readings in Gulderhus, History and Historians.
J. Answers to the Discussion Questions.
Due dates for each of these items will be
announced
during the semester. Each assignment will be
graded promptly and returned. Do Not Discard
Graded Assignments. At the end of the
semester, a portfolio containing the entire
semester's
work on the research paper must be
submitted; no grade for the course will be turned
in until all of these items have been submitted.
3. Questions for Class Discussion.
On a regular basis, hand-outs with questions
relating
to the reading assignments will be
distributed. Students will be assigned to
answer these questions in writing and to stimulate
discussion of them in class. These answers, which
will be turned in and graded, and active
participation in the class discussions are worth
10% of the total course grade. These answers
must be included in the Course Portfolio.
4. Test on Historiography.
There will be a test on the material in Gilderhus
(chapters 2-7. It will consist of short essay, identification,
matching, and
multiple-choice
questions. A list of the important names, terms, events, and so on will
be
distributed; test
items will be taken from this study sheet. The short essay questions
will be distributed
about a week before
the test date, and students are expected to write out their answers at
home. A
make-up of the original test
will be given only if the student notifies the instructor in
advance of the
assigned test date;
this make-up test must be taken before the next class meeting
after the date of the test.
Otherwise,
the make-up test will consist of the short essay questions and
twenty-five identification questions.
5. Grading.
Topic Statement, Prospectus, & Annotated
Bibliography
10%
Analysis of an Historical Document & Internet
Source
15%
Rough Draft of the Research
Paper
10%
Final Draft of the Research Paper (with the
incorporation
of required changes) and
the Oral
Report
20%
Critical Book Review (of a secondary source on the
topic
of the research
paper)
10%
Class Discussion Questions &
Attendance
10%
Historiography Answers and
Test
20%
Reflective
Essay
05%
Total 100%
6. Grading Scale:
A= 93-100; A-=90-92; B+=88-89; B=83-87; B-=80-82;
C+=78-79; C=73-77;
C-=70-72; D+=68-69; D=63-67; D-=60-62; F=0-59
7. Class Attendance: History 4510 is a discussion as well as
a
research class. Regular class
attendance is therefore very important. Students
are accordingly expected to attend every class,
beginning with the first session. Absence from
class,
no matter what the cause, does not excuse a
student from any course requirements. Make-up work
is at the discretion of the instructor.
Attendance will be taken. Please turn cell
phones off while in class.
8. Late Work: Work submitted late will be accepted without
penalty
if arrangements are made in
advance; otherwise, late work will be accepted but
penalized five points.
9. Honor Code: Honor Code: Students are expected to
comply
with the provisions of the UNC Pembroke
Academic Honor Code and the Code of Conduct, which
are printed in the Student
Handbook and are
available on the UNC Pembroke web site.
10. Web Pages: Selected materials for this course are posted on the HST 4510 Web Page.
11. Office Hours: Office hours are posted on my office door
in
the History Department (N212); if
these hours are inconvenient, please see me after
class or telephone (910.521.6438) to make an
appointment. E-mail: robert.brown@uncp.edu.
12. Students with Documented Disabilities: Any student with a
documented disability needing academic
adjustments should speak directly to Disability
Support Services and the instructor during the first
two weeks of class. All discussions will
remain
confidential. This syllabus is available in alternative
formats upon request. For
assistance,
please contact Mary Helen Walker, Disability Support Services,
Career Services Center, Room 210 (910.521.6695)
or visit the Office of Disability
Support
Services web site.
13. Emergency Information Hot Line: For information about
possible
university closings or delays
in opening, call 910.521.6888 or access the UNC
Pembroke web page.