Spring, 2016
Office Hour: Wed 6:00-6:55 AL 336;
Phone # (other than during Office Hour): 644-7875
Dr. Sue Gonda
Email: sue.gonda@gcccd.edu
SDSU WS 341B: HISTORY OF AMERICAN WOMEN, 1880 – PRESENT
(1) DuBois & Dumenil, Through Women’s Eyes: An American History with Documents 3rd (brown) edition
(2) COURSE READER – Available at KB Books Only
(3) Moody, Coming of Age in Mississippi
(4) Houston, Farewell to Manzanar
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES, OR GOALS OF THIS CLASS:
As a result of taking this class, students will be able to:











Situate women’s experiences, historical institutions and events within specific eras in American history
Analyze the human experience with a feminist and critical gendered analysis
Differentiate amongst the experiences of diverse women as their positions are affected by race, social class
and free, indentured or slave status
Examine the cultural institutions that determine the material circumstances of women’s lives (religion, law,
medicine and so on…)
Analyze how cultural and gendered norms and ideals impact diverse women’s lives (e.g.: patriarchy,
heteronormativity, notions of what is normal and abnormal and so on…)
Explain ways in which social institutions have limited women’s power and authority
Recognize ways in which women have resisted and rebelled against social, cultural & political institutions
Recognize how women have formed separate institutions, ways of being and communities within these
historical eras
Develop and apply your critical thinking and writing skills
Recognize and analyze present-day gendered relations
Analyze primary source documents, acquiring critical writing and analytical skills
This course is one of two courses (WS 341A and 341B) you may choose to fulfill the American Institutions
requirement for your General Education at SDSU. (Graduation Requirement IV A) Title 5, California Code of
Regulations, Article 5, Section 40404 requires that all students demonstrate an understanding of American
history, the United States Constitution, and California state and local government.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
(1) 4 Quizzes on Blackboard (approx. 50 points each), See Assignments, one of which is the
Plagiarism quiz, based on the Tutorial on the SDSU website. You must get 100% on this Plagiarism
quiz by Week 4 when it is due, or you get 0 points. TAKE THE PLAGIARISM and the other quizzes ON
OUR BLACKBOARD site.
(2) 2 in-class quizzes on the paperback autobiographies
(3) Final (T = approx. 120 pts) The final will be optional for anyone with a grade percentage 83% or above
on the quizzes.
(5) ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY (150 pts) and PRESENTATION (100 pts): Attached is the handout
with specific instructions (number and type of sources, etc). This 7-8 page paper is NOT a narrative-style
essay. An annotated bibliography describes sources about a particular topic.
(6) Your Topic Commitment or CBSL update (50 points) –a commitment to a topic for your Annotated
Bibliography--with four (4) complete citations and three questions you hope to answer about this topic is
DUE WEEK 5 See attached for directions. (A citation = a formal way, using MLA format, providing author, title,
publisher, year of publication. Consult a librarian if you do not know how to do this!)
Optional: ALTERNATIVE TO THE ANNOTATED BIBLIOGGRAPHY: COMMUNITY BASED SERVICE
LEARNING (CBSL): Get handouts on Bb or Weeks 1-2 in class. A limited number of students may apply to
1
participate in one of the following Community-Based Service Learning Projects (CBSL). If selected, you are
exonerated from the annotated bibliography described above. In lieu of that research paper, you must perform a
minimum of 20 volunteer hours with either (1) The Women’s Museum/S.D. Women’s Hall of Fame Induction
Ceremony, (2) The Young Women’s Studies Club at Hoover High School, (3) SDSU Safe Zones or (4) SDSU’s
Women’s Outreach Association (WOA).
REQUIREMENTS: (1) Get handout for your CBSL assignment; (2) keep a journal of your volunteer
experiences; (3) type a 5 page reflection paper, due at the end of the semester. Details will be given during class.
A one-page, double-spaced “plan and update” is due Week 5.
Topic Commitment/CBSL Plan & Update: Due WEEK 5 (50 pts)
Annotated Bibliography Paper Due WEEK 11 (150 points)
Presentations (last weeks): Criteria will be discussed in class and found on Blackboard.
CBSL Journal & Reflection due the Final meeting night (150 points)
LATE Work: I will accept late work up to one week late only, but they will be marked down, regardless of the
excuse. 1 day late: 5 points off; 2 -7 days late: 8 points off. (Theoretically, ANY excuse is a good one, so I
cannot be in a position to judge.) IF YOU ARE HAVING DIFFICULTIES OR ISSUES, please contact me about a
plan to keep up with the class. Please do not wait until the end of the semester, for I cannot help you when it is
too late.
EXTRA CREDIT: Will be offered throughout the semester. Each opportunity is worth up to 8 points for up to a
total of 30 points during the semester. All x-credit assignment are due one week from the announcement. NO
LATE SUBMISSIONS for extra credit.
IN-CLASS STANDARDS FOR BEHAVIOR:

Attendance: Once you are in class, it is disruptive to get up and leave and come back. If you have an
emergency, or if you know you must leave early, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
Talking: Side conversations or running commentary between students about class material or anything
else during class is disruptive and distracting to all of us, and you will be asked to leave after one warning.
Cell phones: MUST be turned off or set at the silent mode at the start of class. Please put all cell
phones and pagers securely away in your bag so you aren’t tempted to check text messages or anything
else. Anyone caught text-messaging or otherwise using cell phones or other electronic devices in
class will be asked to leave for the remainder of the class!
NO laptop/iPad use in class. Unfortunately, too many students use their computers for their own
distractions in class, thereby distracting both the instructor and students around them.



Academic Honesty: Cheating and Plagiarism
You are free to discuss ideas and strategies for approaching assignments with others, but with the exception of
in-class group work, students must complete their own work individually. Using other people’s work in any form
and passing it off as your own will result in disciplinary action. You must always give credit for ideas from other
sources (including the Web), even if you are not citing word for word. My standard course of action is to report
students whom I believe have cheated to the Judicial Procedures Office. In addition to the academic penalty (an
F), the Judicial Procedures Office may decide upon additional sanctions such as expulsion. For more information,
see the chapter on plagiarism in the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers.
Cheating and plagiarism are serious offenses. You are plagiarizing or cheating when you:



for written work, copy down or cut anything from a book, article or website and add or paste it into your
paper without using quotation marks and/or without providing the full reference for the quotation, including
page number
for written work, summarize / paraphrase in your own words ideas you got from a book, article, or the web
without providing the full reference for the source, including page number
for an oral presentation, copy down or cut anything from a book, article, or website and present it orally as
if it were your own words. You must summarize and paraphrase in your own words, and bring a list of
references in case the professor asks to see it
2





use visuals or graphs you got from a book, article, or website without providing the full reference for the
picture or table
recycle a paper you wrote for another class
turn in the same (or a very similar paper) for two classes
purchase or otherwise obtain a paper and turn it in as your own work
copy off of a classmate
In a research paper, it is always better to include too many references than not enough. When in doubt, always
err on the side of caution. If you have too many references it might make your professor smile; if you don’t have
enough you might be suspected of plagiarism.
Consequences of cheating and plagiarism
Consequences are at the instructor’s and the Judicial Procedures Office’s discretion. Instructors are mandated by
the CSU system to report the offense to the Judicial Procedures Office. Consequences may include any of the
following:
 failing the assignment
 failing the class
 warning
 probation
 suspension
 expulsion
For more detailed information, read the chapter on plagiarism in the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research
Papers (6th edition, 2003); visit the following website http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml and
talk to your professors before turning in your paper or doing your oral presentation if anything remains unclear.
The University of Indiana has very helpful writing hints for students, including some on how to cite sources.
Please visit http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets.shtml for more information.
(thanks to Prof. Donaday for this verbiage)
A: 93% and above
A-: 90%-92%
B+: 87%-89%
B: 83%-86%
GRADING SCALE
B- : 80-82%
C+: 77-79%
C: 73-76%
C-: 70-72%
D+: 67-69%
D: 63-66%
D-: 60-62%
F: 59% and below
ASSIGNMENTS
How to read for this course:
Read the introductions and conclusions of the essays or chapters first and read them closely. When you read,
read for argument. Determine the author’s main themes and main argument. The editors of your books give you
these in the chapter introductions, but you will learn how to extract these yourself as you read. Keep the weekly
questions in mind as you read: these help you focus the ideas and extract the most important information.
WEEK 1 (1/21): 19th Century Legacy: Women’s Culture, Women’s Sphere & Widening Horizons; Late 19th
Century Restlessness and the Middle Class
READ:
“Introduction for Students” in DuBois, TWE pp xxvii-xxxv
PLAGIARISM QUIZ: DUE by 2/11 (WK 4): Take the quiz on OUR BLACKBOARD website; take the tutorial and
practice quiz on our on the SDSU Library website, below. A passing grade is 100% You either get the full points
or 0 points, so keep taking the quiz on Bb until you get all the questions right.
To practice and take the tutorial, Go to: http://library.sdsu.edu/guides/tutorial.php?id=28
WEEK 2 (1/28): Institution-Building, College-Educated Women, & Women Transforming the Public Sphere
3
READ:
DuBois Ch 6; Coursepack Reader: Jacob, “She Couldn’t Have Done It . . .Lizzie Borden.”
Questions to focus your reading: 1- What qualities of middle-class womanhood, described in lecture & reading,
do you see in Lizzie Borden? Why was Borden, according to the author, acquitted? Question 2- Women were
transforming the “public sphere” in a variety of ways at the end of the 19 th century: Provide several different
examples of how middle-class women empowered themselves to step beyond the boundaries of home & family.
WEEK 3 (2/4): An Expanding Nation: Women in the West and Immigrant Women
QUIZ on Weeks 1-3 due on Blackboard by Saturday @ 11:59 pm.
READ:
DuBois Ch 7; Coursepack Reader: Sanchez, “Go After the Women;”
HINT: BEGIN READING FOR WEEKS 7 & 9 AHEAD OF TIME. Note the questions to focus your reading
under Week 7 and Week 9
NOTE: You should find some similarities between our recent economic crisis in the US and what happened in the
1890s. After massive immigration and the consolidation of the Western US with the more established Eastern
states, the US experienced the worst Depression up to that point. “Discontented immigrants, farmers, and wage
workers found ways to challenge what they saw as a failure of America’s democratic promise, notably the unequal
distribution of America’s new wealth and the unwillingness of the two established political parties to offer any
vision of a better social and political path.” (391)
Question to focus your reading: What were women’s activities from a variety of backgrounds and locations
under these conditions?
WEEK 4 (2/11): Politics and Life for Progressive Era Women; The First Feminist Movement (The Vote!)
Plagiarism Quiz must be done on our Bb website by 7:00 pm. Pass with 100% or you will get 0 points.
READ:
DuBois: Ch 8;
Coursepack Reader: Muncy, “The Ambiguous Legacies of Women’s Progressivism;”
Questions to focus your reading: (1) In what activities during the Progressive Era (1890-1920) did women meet
with success? Why? (2) What theories about women (women’s role, maternalism, feminism) and about race
were embraced by activists and unions? How did some of those theories hinder women’s quest for equality?
(don’t forget visual sources in your evidence)
WEEK 5 (2/18): The Roaring ‘20s: New Morality, Birth Control, and Contrasts of the 1920s
PAPER TOPIC COMMITMENT OR CBSL “Plan & Update” DUE*see attached
READ:
DuBois: 522-537; 559-561; 573-575; Coursepack Reader: 1-D’Emilio & Freedman, “Morals
and Manners in the 1920s;” 2-“Singing the Blues” lyrics; 3-Peiss, “Charity Girls;” and 4-Blee,
“The Ku Klux Klan in Indiana.”
NOTE: The 1920s were a time of contrasts in American politics and culture—a burst of liberal ideas about
sexuality; yet conservative Republican presidents emphasized morality and big business. There was also a
public, violent, widespread backlash against immigrants and blacks who migrated to northern cities. After WW I
more African-Americans traveled into the North than at any other time in American history.
Questions to focus your reading: (1) Describe examples from the readings of the positive aspects to the bursts
of energies in the 1920s. How did women create, or participate in, these changes? (2) Describe examples of
negative actions and effects during the 1920s, and how women created, or participated in, them.
(NOTE: Read for WEEKS 7 & 9 ahead of time. Use the questions to focus your reading under Wk 7 & 9)
4
WEEK 6 (2/25): Women and the Great Depression (Quiz on Wks 4-6 due on Bb by Sat @ 11:59 pm.)
READ:
DuBois 537-546; 566-572; 575-587
Question to focus your reading: How did women’s work on varied levels, and in varied communities, contribute
to the survival of families and of the nation in this devastating economic crisis?
WEEK 7 (3/4):
World War II (QUIZ – in class)
FIRST READ: DuBois: 546-558; 562-564 (hint: Houston’s book and the questions below will make much more
sense to you when you read DuBois first)
READ: Houston, Farewell to Manzanar (bring the book to class for discussion)
Quiz Questions to focus your reading: (1) How did internment affect the traditions and roles of both Issei and
Nisei women? (2) Daughters of immigrants often find themselves caught between two identities—that of their
parents’ culture and that of mainstream U.S. What were examples from readings that reveal this dual identity in
female characters? What were examples of how Jeanne and other young Nisei females embraced or rejected
American culture to cope with their dual identity?
WEEK 8 (3/11): 1950s: Cold War, Conformity & Gender Roles FILM: “Seeds of the ‘60s”
READ: DuBois: 594-617; 635-649; Segment of article by Gonda found on Blackboard
REMINDER: You should be reading Coming of Age. See focus questions below under Week 9.
(QUIZ – in class)
WEEK 9 (3/18): Civil Rights: African-American Women
READ: DuBois: 617-629 (hint: Moody’s book will make more sense to you when you read DuBois first)
Moody, Coming of Age in Mississippi. Bring the book to class.
Quiz Questions to focus your reading: (1) What individuals and major turning points in Moody’s life propelled
her into civil rights activism and her eventual feelings about civil rights? Why? (As you consider “why,” think
about events in her life AND about what was going on in a larger context of the US, learned in week 8.) (2) How
does Moody’s coming-of-age experience compare and contrast with the gender and social class changes of the
1950s learned in Week 8?
WEEK 10 (3/25): Civil Rights, Continued –Chicanas and American Indians
READ: Coursepack Reader: Chapter from Women in American Indian Society; and
Ruiz, from Out of the Shadows;
NOTE: The slogan that came out of the 1970s Women’s Liberation Movement was “The Personal is Political.”
That slogan could easily have been used by women in various rights movements dating back to the 1800s. The
slogan meant that events women endured on a daily basis—things they believed were simply personal
encounters—were actually symptoms of discrimination that was so wide-spread that people took it for granted.
For instance, a woman ignored by salesmen in the Stereo Department of a store thinks only she is ignored – not
all women. An Asian mother and daughter in a chain restaurant is kept waiting 20 minutes before a waiter takes
their order. Several Chicanas in a new car are pulled over in a nice neighborhood because a turn signal was not
used. When women like these got together among friends and discussed these incidents, they realized that these
seemingly personal stories were connected to larger political stories—of civil rights and women’s rights.
Questions to focus your reading: Give examples from the readings that reveal how “the personal is political.”
In other words, what important every-day encounters or realities from American Indian, Chicana (and African
American) lives prompted them to become activists on behalf of their people? Another way of thinking about it:
how did their personal experiences guide their political action? (2) What were their specific demands?
SPRING BREAK 3/30 to 4/3
5
WEEK 11 (4/8): Second Wave Feminist Movement
Annotated Bibliography Due.
READ: Coursepack Reader: Collins “What’s in a Name?” DuBois: Ch 11
Questions to focus your reading: (1) What movements paved the way for the second wave of feminism in the
‘60s & ‘70s? How? (2) What were the different visions of feminism, depending upon race/ethnicity and socioeconomic class? (3) Give examples of the difference between the women’s rights movement, exemplified by
NOW, and the women’s liberation movement (focusing on conditions of women in society).
WEEK 12 (4/15): Women-Identified Women: History of Lesbian Identities
QUIZ ON WKS 10, 11 & 12 due on Bb on Saturday by 11:59 pm
READ: DuBois: 677-684; Coursepack Reader: Davis & Kennedy, “Oral History . . . Lesbian Community;”
Faderman, “Lesbians in the ‘80s;” articles from Utne Reader
Note: These articles describe different group identities lesbians created, beginning in the 1930s. (“identity” = ways
of being, personaes, or ways of relating one’s self to others) Keep in mind that not all lesbians participated in
these ideas—preferring instead to go about their private lives without a sense of community and choosing their
friends carefully for their discretion. Lesbians have needed community because many lost their families when
they came out. They create new “families” within the community where they feel safe to be themselves.
Questions to focus your reading: Young lesbians of the ‘90s had some similarities and some big differences
from their counterparts 30-40 years earlier. (1) How have lesbians created identities for themselves? (2) What
are some examples of ways that group ideas about lesbian identity changed over time? (3) What historical
cultural or political factors have influenced how lesbians identify themselves?
WK 13 (4/22): Issues at the turn of the 21st Century
Presentations Begin.
READ: DuBois: Ch 12; Coursepack Reader: Articles on women’s health – “Women Are Different;” “Minorities
Are Underserved;” “Dying to Win;” and “Who Isn’t on a Diet?” These readings may, for some of you, be among
the most impactful of the semester.
“Researching women’s health issues requires more than a knowledge of female anatomy and systems; you must
consider how American culture, economics, and technology shapes women’s lives in ways that affect their
health.”
Questions to focus your reading: (1) From these readings, what are some examples of culture, economics,
and technology that affect women’s experiences at the end of the 20th century and today? (2) What are the
connections between trends about women’s bodies—and women’s ideal female role?
WEEK 14 (4/29) Presentations: Attendance Mandatory
WEEK 15 (5/6) Presentations :
Get Study Guide for the Final
Attendance Mandatory
FINAL MEETING (5/13) 7-9 pm: Final. Presentations : Attendance Mandatory
Alternative Assignment Paperwork Due
6
RESOURCES
Students with Disabilities: Student Disability Services
619-594-6473
Calpulli Center, third Floor, Suite 3101.
High Tech Center – Love Library Room 205 Ext 45315
The High Tech Center is a writing and assistive computer technology lab where students with disabilities work
independently or with trained consultants.
The HTC staff provides writing, study skills, and computer assistance to students who have cognitive, physical,
functional, visual, or other disabilities.
SDSU students or recent graduates who are registered with Disabled Student Services (DSS) and have a verified
disability are eligible to use the High Tech Center.

MORE HELP FOR STUDENTS http://dus.sdsu.edu/helpforstudents/
HELP FOR STUDENTS
This information has been prepared to help students learn about the campus resources
that support learning. They have been listed according to the kinds of needs students often
experience.
Need help with a class.
Each professor has scheduled office hours when you can meet with him/her on an
individual basis for consultation on points that confuse you, and to discuss how you can
improve your performance in the class.
If you need help with study skills including time management, note taking and reading
strategies, consult Hints on Learning and Studying.
Need help with Writing. The Department of Rhetoric and Writing has courses in reading
and writing development, as well as courses to help you meet the writing requirements.
Consult your Class schedule for class listings. Tutoring for EOP students is available at the
Educational Opportunity Program and Ethnic Affairs (EOP) Office, SS-2109. Regular office
hours are M-F 8:00-4:30. Their general phone number is 594-6298.
Tutoring
San Diego State University Department of Rhetoric and Writing Studies offers a 'Drop
in' writing clinic where a writing tutor will evaluate your essay.






The English Department and the Department of Rhetoric & Writing Studies offer "drop-in" tutoring
on writing.
The schedule changes each semester so call for hours and days.
Rhetoric & Writing tutoring--Call 46515 for Rhetoric & Writing schedules.
English Department tutoring--Call 45307 for English Department schedules.
First come, first serve.
Bring your essay.
For more information and hours, please call the RWS administration office at 619-5946515.
7
Need academic advising. Start by reading the Catalog for recommended prerequisites
and background knowledge. The University Advising Center can provide information on
general education and graduation requirements as well as help in selecting a major; walkin academic advising is available M-Th 9:00-6:00 and Friday 9:00-4:00 in SS-1551, phone
594-6668. Email advising is available at http://www.sdsu.edu/advising. Your department
adviser https://monet.sdsu.edu/es/advising/advisers/select_adviser_display.cfm and your
college Assistant Dean for Student Affairs also have scheduled hours when they are
available. EOP students should see their counselors in the Office of Educational
Opportunity/Ethnic Affairs.
Need help with Library research. Go to http://infodome.sdsu.edu for help with your
research needs, to access the catalog, develop a research strategy or to ask questions.
Need help with personal problems. Counseling and Psychological Services can help
with these kinds of worries. To make an appointment with a Counselor, call 594-5220.
Office hours are Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM, in Calpulli Center 4401.
Need help funding your education? Please visit the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships (OFAS) website at
http://www.sdsu.edu/financialaid for information about grants, work study, and loans. From this site students can
also log on to AidLink, the OFAS's online student information system, to view the status of your financial aid
application, download necessary documents, and activate student loans. For information about available
scholarships please visit http://www.sdsu.edu/scholarships. Also, financial aid counselors are available Monday
through Friday by phone, 9:00AM-4:00 PM at (619) 594-6323 or in person 8:00 AM-4:30 PM at SSW 3605.
Need help defining career goals. Trouble finding an academic direction? Career
Services can help you assess your interests and abilities. Mon - Fri 8 AM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday extended hours: Office open until 5:30 PM. Walk-in Hours: Mon. - Wed. 1 PM
- 3 PM
Wed. 4:30 - 5:30 PM Thu. & Fri. 10 AM - 12 PM. Location: SS-1200. The Career Library is
open during office hours. Their phone number is 594-6851. http://career.sdsu.edu.
Need help with computing. The Love Library Student Computing Center in LL-200 is
available for Help Desk consulting or call 594-3189. Free computer software training
workshops are also available (word processing, spreadsheets, web, etc). Contact
http://batsweb.sdsu.edu/Student/descriptions.cfm for information.
Need help because of illness. Student Health Services is located in Calpulli Center and
is open Mon-Fri: 8:30 am - 4:30pm. The Clinic is open on a walk-in basis, appointments
are available as well. You can also communicate with Student Health Services via their
secure, confidential web based messaging system. You can register by going to
http://shs.sdsu.edu on your web browser. For weekend emergencies call 1-888-594-5281
from off campus or 8-1-888-594-5281 from on campus for information on local emergency
care. Their general number is 619-594-HEALTH (4325).
8
TOPIC COMMITMENT OR CBSL “PLAN & UPDATE”
INSTRUCTIONS
DUE WEEK 5
Your Topic Commitment includes

four (4) complete citations (A citation = a formal way, using MLA format, providing author, title,
publisher, year of publication. Consult a librarian if you do not know how to do this!) NOTE BELOW in
the Directions for the Annotated Bibliography which sources are valid or invalid:






Your textbook may be used as a 7th source, but not one of the central 6 sources.
Primary sources may be found online, but not secondary, which must be print sources.
No encyclopedias or dictionaries as sources (this includes online encyclopedias) except with
prior approval.
Be certain your sources are scholarly sources written for adults (versus books about women in
history written for children or teens).
Use MLA Style for your complete citations
three (3) questions you hope to answer about this topic
 ONE of your questions should be a modified version of the following question (tailored
wording to fit your topic): How does (fill in—your person, topic, event – whatever the
case is) help us to understand the role of (fill in race/ethnicity and region of US) women
in the US, in the (fill in decade or time period, eg, mid-1800s) ?
 (You are creating two more questions)
If you are participating in a community-based service learning assignment:
 Type a one-page, double spaced report:
o In which program are you working?
o When did you start?
o Did you have an orientation?
o What have you been doing so far with your organization?
o What is your plan for completing your hours in this service learning?
9
WS 341: DIRECTIONS FOR THE ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
341B: 1880 through 1985











Each student selects a topic they think would be a valuable supplement to the existing
lecture material in WMNST 341B.
The focus of this paper is to evaluate 6 sources--2 primary and 4 secondary sources
Your textbook may be used as a 7th source, but not one of the central 6 sources.
You focus your evaluation of the sources with 3 questions—two of which you turned in for
your topic commitment.
o For ONE of your questions, you should fill in the appropriate information for the
following:
How does (fill in the title of your topic here) help me to understand the role of women in the
US? Be sure to include the race, ethnicity, and socio-economic class of the topic, because
your topic can’t teach us about all women – but about a specific group of women at that
time and place.
o The other two questions are those you create.
Paper is 7-8 pages
Primary sources may be found online, but not secondary, which must be print sources.
No encyclopedias or dictionaries as sources (this includes online encyclopedias) except
with prior approval.
Be certain your sources are scholarly sources written for adults (versus books about
women in history written for children or teens).
Use MLA Style for your complete citations
Intro and Conclusion should be double spaced
Single space the body of the paper—the annotated bibliography.
INTRODUCTION – roughly 1-1/2 to 2 double spaced pages
A. Pretend you are preparing a lecture for this course: American Women’s History. Your
three questions will help you focus your lecture. State your rationale for including a
lecture on the topic, arguing reasons for its importance for understanding the era,
location and particular women involved.
B. State the main questions you are answering about the topic (you turned these in with
your topic commitment), because they are the main points you would make in the
lecture.
C. Note WHICH women are included in your study and those who are not. Note how their
social class, race/ethnicity, regional location, religion, sexualities and so on help shape
their experiences.
10
THE ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY –
1 paragraph to 1+ page per source, single spaced
A. PRIMARY SOURCES (sources from the era – first person accounts): List each source
separately, giving its full bibliographic information (author, title, publisher, place and
year of publication.
CITATION EXAMPLE: Erdrich, Louise. Love Medicine. 1984. New York: Perennial-Harper,
1993.
(This book is a primary source for a topic in the 1980s. The book was reprinted in 1993)
After citing the source, do all of the following:



What is the unique info – specific details, examples, quotes from this source that
answers one or more of your questions? (If it does not answer a question, then it is not
a valid source for this assignment)
Is this source consistent with other sources you’re using, or does it contradict facts of
other sources? It’s OK if you find different viewpoints—that’s a valid point for you to
state.
NOTE: do not state that it is interesting, boring, etc. This is not a book review.
B. SECONDARY SOURCES (books & articles by historians: Like the primary sources, list
each source separately with the full citation and do all of the following:
CITATION EXAMPLE: Palmer, William J. The Films of the Eighties: A Social History.
Carbondale: Southern Illinois UP, 1993.



What are the author’s main theses, points, or main arguments, in this source? What
overall message(s) does the author want to convey? (Find this with a close reading of
the author’s Intro & Conclusion)
What is the author’s point of view? How is the author’s main ideas about the topic
similar to, or different from, your other sources? Is this source consistent with other
sources you’re using, or does it contradict facts of other sources? It’s OK if you find
different viewpoints—that’s a valid point for you to state. (Note: The YEAR of the
source might make a difference. For instance, interpretations about historical events
change over time. This is called “historiography.” Historians during the Cold War, the
Feminist Movement, the Civil Rights Movement, or the Vietnam War, all had their
viewpoint affected by those events as they wrote their analysis of a historical event. So,
in your case, how was the author’s attitude toward the topic affected by the events of
the decade she/he was writing? )
What is the unique info – specific details, examples, quotes from this source that
answers one or more of your questions? (If it does not answer a question, then it is not
a valid source for this assignment)
11

NOTE: do not state that it is interesting, boring, etc. This is not a book review.
CONCLUSION – ½ - 1 PAGE DOUBLE SPACED
Summarize the main findings that you highlighted about your topic. Then state what the
facts of your “lecture” teach us about women’s lives, women’s roles, and the perceptions of
women at the place and time of your topic. What does your “lecture” teach us about women of
different ethnic or class backgrounds? In other words, your topic teaches us two things (1)
specific details about a specific topic (i.e., about the beginning of nursing as a profession at the
end of the 19th century), and (2) something more general about women’s history, i.e., women’s
roles and attitudes about women after World War II and the impact of World War II upon
women’s role.
REMINDERS:





PROOFREAD!
SPELLCHECK!
Check grammar and punctuation
Give not only details about each source, but WHY the source HELPS EXPLAIN the
details. You want to convey why each source and its info is important for your lecture.
IF THE SOURCE IS NOT HELPFUL, THEN IT’S NOT VALID TO SAY THAT. FIND
ANOTHER SOURCE THAT IS HELPFUL. EVEN IF IT CONTRADICTS YOUR OTHER
SOURCES, IT’S USEFUL TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVES ABOUT YOUR QUESTIONS.
Remember that you need to understand what was going on in the United States at that
time that affected your topic. USE YOUR TEXT BOOK AND GOOGLE U.S. CULTURE
AND POLITICS DURING THE DECADE YOU’RE STUDYING. Find out what affected
your topic; do the same for the period that had an effect on your secondary source
authors.
12