HSTR 400 Historical Research Seminar Fall 2015 (An approved upper-division writing course with a World History [W] designation.) Wednesdays 2:10-5:00 p.m. Jeanette Rankin 203 Please note that this syllabus is subject to change if necessary. Instructor’s contact information: Professor Gillian Glaes History Department University of Montana-Missoula Office: Email: Mailbox : Liberals Arts building 259 gillian.glaes@mso.umt.edu history department office (2nd floor/Liberal Arts building) Office hours: Liberal Arts 259 (history department wing): Tuesdays, 2:30-4:30 & Thursdays, 2:30-4:30 If you cannot meet with me during my office hours, please let me know and we can schedule an appointment. Methods of communication with students: ● ● ● ● in-class time, Moodle, email, and individual conversations and meetings (although not necessarily in that order) In your email messages, please include the course number and topic in the subject line. Per official UM policy, please use your UM email account for email communications. Please remember to maintain a professional demeanor in all interactions, including email and other electronic forms of correspondence. Required texts, other resources, and photocopying: All assigned texts are available for purchase at The Bookstore at UM ● Kate Turabian, A Manual for Writers (8th Edition) ● Mary Lynn Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing History (8th Edition) Moodle resources: please use the resources on Moodle as directed in the course plan 1 Please note that you may incur photocopying and other research-related expenses over the course of this class. Papers will be available electronically for peer reviews and other assignments, but you may want to print them out to read them if that’s the way you work best. Make sure to account for this in planning out your semester in terms of photocopying, copying, and other expenses. Course overview: Welcome to HSTR 400: Historical Research Seminar, which is designated as an upper-division writing course for the history major at the University of Montana. This course is a seminar-style class. Because it is also designed as a “world history” or W course, it requires you to develop, research, write, present, and revise an original research paper on a topic related to transnational, international, and global history. The goal of this course is to teach you not only how to conduct historical research but also how to write an original research paper in the field of history using primary and secondary sources while thinking about historical issues from a global perspective. Because this is an upper-division writing course geared towards juniors, seniors, and graduate students, those enrolled in the course should have already completed lower-division requirements such as HSTA 101, HSTA 102, HSTR 101, or HSTR 102 as well as upper-division history courses that require primary-source analysis. HSTR 400 requires you to write a 20-page paper based largely on primary sources with secondary sources as well. If you have not yet taken history courses that require longer papers or primary-source analysis, it might be a good idea to take this course at a later date. If you have any questions about this or would like to discuss this further, please contact me early in the semester. Expected learning outcomes and course goals: Note: This class is an approved writing course in the University-wide Program-level Assessment Program. At the end of the semester, you will be required to submit your final paper to the Moodle site for this program as part of your final grade in addition to submitting it to the HSTR 400 Moodle site. Details and further instructions will be forthcoming. This course intends to help you learn to: Compose written documents that are appropriate for a given audience or purpose In taking this course, students will: ● create documents, from research proposals to drafts of a research paper, that are appropriate for the discipline of history ● convey key arguments in those documents about the chosen research subject ● explain how and why various sources were used ● articulate the paper’s overall contribution to the field of history Formulate and express arguments and ideas in writing ● Students will select a topic and, through the use of primary and secondary sources, present a historical argument, analysis, and contribution 2 Use writing to learn and synthesize new concepts ● Students will use the topic that they have selected to learn about a new subject related to global and international history. Students may also develop further knowledge of a topic they have previously learned about in a prior class, assignment, reading, etc. Please note, however, that reusing a paper from a previous class in this course is not allowed. Revise written work based on constructive feedback ● Students will present their work for formal peer review and informal feedback and then integrate those suggestions and ideas into a revised draft to improve their overall argument, analysis, use of sources, and writing Find, evaluate, and use information effectively, including primary and secondary sources ● Students will locate appropriate and useful primary sources and use them to construct and argument. Secondary sources will also help to establish the paper's historical context and scholarly contribution. Use discipline-specific writing conventions ● Students will use Turabian/Chicago-style citations for this course. Please see Kate Turabian, A Manual for Writers, one of the required books for this course, for more information. Demonstrate appropriate English language usage ● Students will learn to write in a formal yet engaging manner that conveys an argument about the historical past. Please note that history papers, articles, and books are written in the past tense. Student responsibilities and expectations for student conduct: I am here to help you as an instructor and will do everything possible to set you up for success in this course. As in any course, though, your performance is ultimately in your hands. To succeed in this course, you need to: 1. attend class and participate in discussion. A seminar-style class requires active participation from all enrolled students. 2. do the required work each week. I advise students that they need to spend a minimum of TEN (10) HOURS PER WEEK conducting research and doing work for this course beyond the classroom. This is a realistic and achievable goal and the wise student will embrace it early in the semester. To track your progress, you could could use a productivity app, a spreadsheet, or a Word document to log your hours each week to see where you’re falling on this recommendation and where you can make improvements and adjustments. 3. be a colleague to your fellow students. You will be giving feedback on writing and research to your fellow students. Our discussions and your critiques of one another’s work will be respectful and encouraging of your fellow students’ learning and development. Professional and courteous behavior is expected at all times. 3 More specifically, please remember to: ● maintain a collegial and professional demeanor throughout the semester (please do not serve as a distraction or negative influence for others and their learning) ● come to class prepared, participate actively, and pay attention ● stay for the entire class period ● silence your cell phone ● refrain from texting when class is in session ● use electronic devices, such as laptops and tablets, for academic purposes only (when using laptops & other electronic devices for academic purposes, you must follow all UM policies governing the use of electronic devices) ● keep non-alcoholic beverages in closed containers. If you spill, please clean it up. ● refrain from eating when class is in session. ● avoid side-bar conversations in class. ● treat your fellow students and your instructor with respect. UM’s Student Code of Conduct governs student behavior on and beyond campus. Please see especially the section VI on General Conduct. Assignments and grading: Your final grade will be calculated based on the following categories: ● Attendance, participation, and peer review participation (15%) (In a seminar-style research seminar course, attendance and participation are vital, as is constructive and consistent participation in the peer review process. More than one absence will earn a failing grade in the attendance category.) In class participation will be graded on the following scale: ● 9-10 = Student participates in class discussion without prompting and demonstrates a familiarity with the assigned materials. ● 7-8 = Student demonstrates familiarity with assigned materials, but only participates when called upon. ● 6= Student participates in class discussion without prompting, but demonstrates little or no familiarity with assigned materials. ● 5= Student rarely participates in class discussion. ● 0-4 = Student does not participate in class discussions and demonstrates little or no familiarity with assigned materials. ● Preliminary assignments, each graded on a 10-point scale (20%) (For all of these assignments, please upload a copy to Moodle AND bring a paper copy to class unless otherwise indicated.) (Please see the handout on rubrics for the rubric for this section.) *Moodle forum posts as directed in the course plan and available on the Moodle page (due at various times throughout the semester: see the course plan below) *Typed list of 5 (minimum) potential research topics (due W 9/16 by 2:10 p.m.: upload to Moodle and bring to class) 4 ● ● ● ● *Handout exploring historical sources and methodology (due W 9/16 by 2:10 p.m.) (Please bring this completed worksheet to class. You do not need to upload a copy to Moodle.) *a well-written 1-page statement about your research topic (due W 9/23 by 2:10 p.m.: upload to Moodle and bring to class) *2+ page Preliminary Research Proposal & 1-2-Page Annotated Bibliography (due M 9/28 at noon to Moodle & please bring a copy to class) *a prepared lead commentary on another student’s second draft (please upload your commentary to Moodle prior to your time slot and bring a paper copy to work from when presenting your critique) 5-page Research Proposal & 2+Page Annotated Bibliography (10%) (due F 10/9 by 5 p.m. to Moodle) (Please bring a draft of your assignment to your corresponding consultation.) Introduction and thorough outline (5%) due Monday, 10/19 at noon to Moodle Rough draft (15%) (due M 10/26 by noon to Moodle/Google Docs) The rough draft will be a minimum of 15 pages and will include an introduction, a main body, and a conclusion. You must show engagement with the primary and secondary sources that you included in your annotated bibliography. You are also required to use the endnotes in the Chicago/Turabian format. For more information, see Turabian, A Manual for Writers, especially Part II, chapters 15-19. Final draft (35%) (due Thursday, December 17 to the course Moodle page and the University-wide Program-level Writing Assessment on Moodle by 3:10 p.m. Late submissions will be docked one letter grade per day and submissions will not be accepted after Monday, December 21) Your research paper – on an original topic with a global focus of your choosing – will be: ● at least 20 pages long (6000 words of text -- endnotes, the bibliography, and other materials do not count toward your page requirements) ● double-spaced in 12-point Times New Roman font ● formatted PERFECTLY according to Kate Turabian’s guidelines in A Manual for Writers. ● You will be required to use endnotes in order to separate out the text of your paper from your citations. The essay will not exceed 25 pages of text. ● Your topic will have a global, trans-national focus, even if it’s rooted in local history. In your research and writing, you will focus on primary sources while using secondary literature to provide the historical context and to position your contribution as original in the field of history and the sub-discipline in which you are working this semester. Throughout the semester, you will construct an original argument using various types of historical analysis, sources, and approaches. You could, for example, write a social history, a cultural history, or an economic history, use oral history, incorporate gender or social class, or take an interdisciplinary approach by using literary theory, media analysis, anthropology, demography, sociology or other means of analysis. With this 5 project, you could assess, for example, a particular historical event, development, trend, person, group, or place. Please keep in mind, though, that your paper must have some sort of global focus or international connection. Grade scale and important dates for the Registrar’s Office: Based on your performance in this course, you will be evaluated on the following grade scale: A 94-100 A90-93 B+ 87-89 B 84-86 B80-83 C+ 77-79 C 74-76 C70-73 D+ 67-69 D 64-66 D60-63 F 59 and below ● ● Courses taken for for your major cannot be taken as “credit/no credit” courses. This course, therefore, can only be taken for a traditional letter grade by history majors. If you have any questions, please see me. The last day to withdraw on Cyberbear without a “W” on your transcript is Monday, September 21. Please see the Registrar’s Office for more information. Accessibility and accommodations: The course materials, interactions, and policies are intended to accommodate all students. The University of Montana assures equal access to instruction by supporting collaboration between students with disabilities, instructors, and Disability Services for Students. If you have a disability that requires an accommodation, please contact me during the first week of the semester so that proper accommodations can be provided. For further information or if you feel that you have a disability for which you need accommodation, please contact: Disability Services for Students (DSS) Lommasson Center, 154 The University of Montana Missoula, MT 59812 Voice/text: Fax: Email: (406) 243-2243 (406) 243-5330 dss@umontana.edu Academic honesty: Issues with academic integrity, plagiarism, and/or cheating will be addressed according to the University of Montana-Missoula’s Student Code of Conduct and, specifically, its policies regarding academic misconduct. See especially section V on academic misconduct. 6 The Academic Misconduct policy within the Student Code of Conduct defines misconduct as plagiarism, misconduct during an academic exercise, unauthorized possession or examination of course material, tampering with course materials, submitting false information, submitting work previously presented in another course, improperly influencing conduct, submitting or arranging substitution for a student during an examination or other academic exercise, facilitating academic misconduct, or altering academic documentation (transcripts, etc.). I assume that you have read and understand these policies. I also assume that you will abide by them and conduct yourself in an ethical manner throughout the semester. I will be checking your work for originality. Instances of academic misconduct will be dealt with swiftly and in accordance with UM’s policies. If you have any questions, please contact me. Technical support: Having trouble with Moodle? Unable to post or log in? Can’t submit assignments? Avoid waiting until the last minute to contact UM Online Tech support or me. If you are experiencing technical difficulties and need immediate assistance, here are important resources: Email: Phone: Web: umonline-help@umontana.edu 406.243.4999 or 866.225.1641 (toll-free) UM Online Technical Support Note: Firefox is the preferred internet browser for Moodle. For more information go to UMOnline. COURSE OUTLINE AND ASSIGNMENT DUE DATES WEEK 1: W 9/2 Course overview, introduction, and selecting a topic Assignment: ● Begin developing your research paper topic ● Work on finding primary and secondary sources for your topic WEEK 2: W 9/9: HSTR 400 in the Mansfield Library Research and Primary Sources in the Digital Age Class meeting location: We will meet in the Mansfield Library at 2:10 in the Archives Teaching Room on the 4th floor. Assigned reading: (Please complete reading assignments before the weekly class meetings.) Turabian, A Manual for Writers Chapter 1: What Research Is and How Researchers Think about It 7 Chapter 2: Moving from a Topic to a Question to a Working Hypothesis Chapter 3: Finding Useful Sources Chapter 4: Engaging Sources Rampolla, A Pocket Guide Chapter 1: Introduction: Why Study History? Chapter 2: Working with Sources Chapter 3: Approaching Typical Assignments in History (pgs. 24-41) Moodle forum assignment: ● Please post your response to this week’s assigned readings on the Moodle forum for this week by Wednesday at the start of class (2:10 p.m.). (1 paragraph/minimum of 5-7 sentences or 150 words) ● Then, following the presentations on Wednesday, please provide a second post in which you reflect on the presentations, what you learned, and where your research project is headed. (1 paragraph/minimum of 5-7 sentences or 150 words) ● You should have a total of two posts by Friday of this week and the final post is due by Friday at 5:00 p.m. Schedule for W 9/9: 2:10-2:20: Class welcome and weekly reminders/updates/announcements 2:20-3:15: Donna McCrea/Mansfield Collection/Archives Teaching Room (4th floor) (Please note: food and drink are not allowed in the archives as we’ll be working with documents.) 3:15-3:30: Break 3:30-4:15 Kimberly Swanson/Library resources overview, including digital resources (Reassemble at 3:30 at the Student Learning Center/2nd floor/Mansfield Library) 4:15-5:00 Susanne Caro/Government documents collection (Student Learning Center or TBD/Mansfield Library) WEEK 3: W 9/16 Framing Research Questions, Conducting Research, Using Methodologies, and Evaluating Sources Assigned reading: Please review Turabian and Rampolla on sources and research questions from week 2. Moodle: ● Robert Swartout, Jr., “Kwangtung to Big Sky: The Chinese in Montana, 1864-1900” Montana: The Magazine of Western History Vol. 38, No. 1 (Winter 1988): 42-53. ● Joseph Sramek, “ ‘Face Him like a Briton’: Tiger Hunting, Imperialism, and British Masculinity in Colonial India, 1800-1875” Victorian Studies Vol. 48, No. 4 (Summer 2006): 659-680. ● Example student paper: “The British Monarchy and Empire: The Formal and Informal Power of the Monarchy in Relation to the Empire from Queen Elizabeth I to Queen Victoria” (from an undergraduate research seminar) 8 Written assignments: ● Please complete the handout on the example articles for this week and bring it to class. ● Bring a typed list of 5 (minimum) potential research topics and upload this document to Moodle. Presentation ● Be prepared to discuss your list of potential research topics for 5 minutes. Part 1: Discussion of sources, methodologies, research questions, and digital resources such as Zotero, Endnote, etc. Please be prepared to thoroughly discuss each of the articles provided on Moodle. Tip: it’s a good idea to use a program such as Zotero or Microsoft’s Endnote early on in the research process to keep track of your citations and sources. You can also take notes on your sources in these research tools. Part 2: Discussion of student research topics WEEK 4: W 9/23 A Workshop with UM’s Writing Center This week, we will work with members of UM’s Writing Center on best practices for writing and revising your paper. Check out the Writing Center for more information on their services. Use them early and use them often. Written assignment: ● Please write a coherent 1-page statement about your research topic. This assignment is due by the start of class W 9/23 to Moodle. Please also bring a paper copy to class so that you can discuss it and your project overall with the staff from the Writing Center. WEEK 5: W 9/30 Presentation of Preliminary Research Proposals Assigned reading: Turabian Chapter 5: Planning your Argument Chapter 6: Planning a First Draft Rampolla Chapter 4: Following Conventions of Writing in History Written assignment: ● Please submit your 2+Page Preliminary Research Proposal & 1-2-Page Annotated Bibliography (all in one document) to the respective Moodle forum by Monday, 9/28 at noon so that other students can read them ahead of time and come prepared with comments. Bring a paper copy to class as well, which will help you to stay on point during your presentation. Providing constructive feedback for other students: 9 ● Please read over each of the proposals and come ready to provide constructive feedback, including strengths and areas of improvement. Remember to read the proposals as judiciously as you would want yours read. Presentation: ● Please be prepared to speak about your research topic, proposal, and bibliography for 57 minutes and then you will receive feedback. Each student, then, will be allotted 10 minutes for their presentation and feedback. End of class: Please sign up for week 6 individual consultations, which are scheduled from 12:30- 5:00 on W 10/7 in my office (Liberal Arts 259). (20 minute time slots) WEEK 6: W 10/7: Individual Consultations -- Liberal Arts 259 (my office) 12:30 p.m. -- 5:00 p.m. ● Please sign up for your individual consultation during the week 5 class meeting. Remember to come prepared to discuss your research topic overall, your progress, and your research proposal. Bring any notes, examples, and electronic devices that you might need to the meeting. ● REMINDER: Please bring a draft of your research proposal and your annotated bibliography to your consultation and have your forum post (below) completed by the start of our meeting. Due date: Final draft -- 5-page research proposal and 2-page annotated bibliography ● The final draft of your 5-page research proposal and 2-page annotated bibliography is due by Friday, 10/9 to Moodle, following our consultation. WEEK 7: W 10/14: Writing (and Citing) Draft #1 ● ● ● Discussion of the writing process: best practices for drafting your paper Writing an introduction and writing an outline: from thesis statement to draft #1 Citation boot camp Assigned reading: Turabian Ch. 7: Drafting your Report Chps. 15-19: Citations (Make sure you spend time reviewing these chapters.) Rampolla Ch. 5: Writing a Research Paper Ch. 6: Plagiarism: What is it and how to avoid it Ch. 7: Quoting and Documenting Sources Moodle assignment: ● Please prepare the discussion questions distributed ahead of this week’s class. ● Please post to the Moodle forum for this week a 1-paragraph statement of historical argument & a 1-paragraph statement of historiographical argument or contribution (you can do this in the same forum post) by W 10/14 by 2:10. Then, reply to one other 10 student’s post and provide constructive feedback. You should have a total of two posts -your post by Wednesday and your response to another student by Friday. Tip: Get to know Turabian, Part II, Chps. 15-19, which details how to cite just about any source you could possibly imagine. This is the guide for how to cite in history and all history citations are based off of Turabian’s A Manual for Writers. This section of Turabian will be a valuable resource to you as you begin to write your first draft as it’s important to cite every source accurately from the very first time you use it, even in a rough draft. Doing so will save you time and energy at the end of the semester. WEEK 8: W 10/21: Introduction and Outline Part 1: Crafting an introduction and outlining your paper Part 2: Presentations of introductions and outlines by students. Assigned reading: ● Turabian, Ch. 9: Revising your draft ● Read sample introductions provided on Moodle and be prepared to critique them in class with attention paid to both their strengths and their weaknesses. (See below.) Written assignment: introduction and outline ● Please post your introduction and the outline of your paper to the respective Moodle forum by Monday, 10/19 at noon so that students can review them before coming to class. Presentation of your introduction and outline: ● Be prepared to discuss your introduction and your outline for 5-7 minutes and then receive feedback from the class for a total of 10 minutes allocated per student. Feedback/critique for your fellow students: ● Please read your classmates’ introductions and outlines on the Moodle forum prior to coming to class on Wednesday. Be prepared to provide constructive feedback, including strengths and areas of improvement. Remember to read them as judiciously as you would like yours read. Distribution of peer review worksheets for draft #1 FIRST DRAFT REMINDER: The first draft of your essay is due to Moodle/Google Docs by Monday, October 26 by noon so that members of your small group can read your draft and comment on it by the start of class on Wednesday. 11 WEEK 9: W 10/28: Small group peer review -- draft #1 Assigned reading: Turabian, Ch. 11: Revising Sentences & Ch. 12: Learning from Your Returned Paper The first draft of your essay is due to Moodle/Google Docs by Monday, October 26 so that members of your small group can read your draft and comment on it by Wednesday. The peer review will work in a small-group, round-robin format, with each person in the group receiving feedback from the other group members on their draft. The peer review groups will be assigned ahead of time and you will read your fellow group member’s papers ahead of time and provide feedback via a worksheet and small-group conversation. You should plan to spend the entire class period on the peer review, allotting 30-35 minutes per paper. WEEK 10: W 11/4: Writing, Revising, and Research Day ● ● ● Please use this day to continue revising your draft and conducting additional research. Moodle forum assignment: **Please post a reflection (at least 1 paragraph long) on your progress this week: your goals, what you accomplished, challenges that you encountered, etc. **Then, please response to 1 other student’s post. Please complete your posts by Friday of this week (11/6). **You should have two posts on this forum by Friday, 11/6. **This will help with accountability during this week since you are doing research and revising your draft during class time. Reminder: Group #1: Please post your papers to Moodle/Google Docs by W 11/11 in preparation for your all-class peer review scheduled for W 11/18. WEEK 11: W 11/11: NO CLASS -- Veterans’ Day (officially observed holiday) Continue working on draft #1. ● Group #1: Please post your papers to Moodle/Google Docs by W 11/11 in preparation for your all-class peer review scheduled for W 11/18. ● Moodle forum assignment: **Please post a reflection (at least 1 paragraph long) on your progress this week: your goals, what you accomplished, challenges that you encountered, etc. **Then, please response to 1 other student’s post. Please complete your posts by Friday of this week (11/13). **You should have two posts on this forum by Friday, 11/13. 12 ● ● **This will help with accountability during this week since we are not meeting. Reviewers (all other class members): remember to complete the peer review worksheet for each paper. Remember that even if you’re paper is up for review today, you still need to review the other students’ papers that are also up for review as well. Lead commentator: remember to prepare your commentary, which should be about 20 minutes long. Assigned reading: Look through Turabian, Part III: Style to learn more about how to correctly quote, how to include tables and figures, etc. This will be a particularly useful section as you are writing and revising your paper. Week 12: W 11/18: All-class peer review for group #1 -- draft #2 ● ● ● Reviewers: remember to complete the peer review worksheet for each paper. Lead commentator: remember to prepare your commentary, which should be about 20 minutes long. Please upload your commentary to Moodle and bring a paper copy to work from to class. Group #2: Please post your papers to Moodle/Google Docs by W 11/25 in preparation for your all-class peer review scheduled for W 12/2. PAPER: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. LEAD COMMENTATOR Week 13: W 11/25: NO CLASS -- Happy Thanksgiving ● ● ● ● Reminder: Group #2: Please post your papers to Moodle/Google Docs by W 11/25 in preparation for your all-class peer review scheduled for W 12/2. Remember to spend time reading and commenting on the papers that we will review in time for class on W 12/2. Reviewers: remember to complete the peer review worksheet for each paper. Lead commentator: remember to prepare your commentary, which should be about 20 minutes long. Please upload your commentary to Moodle and bring a paper copy to work from to class. Week 14: W 12/2: All class peer review for group #2 -- draft #2 ● ● ● Group #2: Please post your papers to Moodle/Google Docs by W 11/25 in preparation for your all-class peer review scheduled for W 12/2. Reviewers: remember to complete the peer review worksheet for each paper. Lead commentator: remember to prepare your commentary, which should be about 20 minutes long. Please upload your commentary to Moodle and bring a paper copy to work from to class. 13 PAPER: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. LEAD COMMENTATOR Week 15: W 12/9: All-class peer review for group #3 -- draft #2 ● ● ● Group #3: Please post your papers to Moodle/Google Docs by W 12/2 in preparation for your all-class peer review scheduled for W 12/9. Reviewers: remember to complete the peer review worksheet for each paper. Lead commentator: remember to prepare your commentary, which should be about 20 minutes long. Please upload your commentary to Moodle and bring a paper copy to work from to class. PAPER: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. LEAD COMMENTATOR Week 16: Finals week ● ● Please submit your final draft by Thursday, December 17 by 3:10 p.m. to Moodle. UPWA SUBMISSION: Remember, too, to submit your final paper to the UPWA via Moodle. Your final grade for the course will not be tabulated until you submit your final paper to both Moodle AND the UPWA via Moodle. Please consult the University-wide UPWA Holistic Rubric when preparing your final paper for submission. 14