Research Discussion:
Writing a Paper Proposal and
Working with Primary Sources and
Secondary Accounts
IAFS/JWST 3650
Outline
• Paper proposal guidelines
• Primary sources and secondary accounts
• Working with primary sources
Identifying and Refining
a Paper Topic
• Pick a general topic that interests you
• Narrow your topic down
–Chronologically
–Thematically
–Geographically
Identifying and Refining
a Paper Topic
• Identify available sources
• Read a range of material on your topic
Identifying and Refining
a Paper Topic
• Consult a reference librarian
ucblibraries.colorado.edu/services/bibliograp
hers.htm
• Talk to your professor
Proposal Guidelines
Review full guidelines, posted on course
website.
Proposal Guidelines
Paper proposals are due at the beginning of
class on Tuesday, February 26. Your assignment
is to identify a topic in the history of the ArabIsraeli conflict that you will address in your final
paper. Specify the question or questions you
will attempt to answer, and include a properly
formatted preliminary bibliography of relevant
scholarly (i.e. peer-reviewed) secondary
accounts.
Proposal Guidelines
The body of your proposal must be 2-3 pages
(that’s at least two full pages), double-spaced,
and your bibliography must be at least one full
page, single-spaced.
Proposal Guidelines
You must submit a hard copy; do not email me
your proposal. Technical problems are not a
valid excuse for late submissions.
Paper Proposal Grade Sheet
Name:
Proposal Title:
Topic: Includes clarity of topic and proposed questions; overall
concept of proposal.
Grade: ____/40
Remarks:
Organization and Use of Materials: Includes use of appropriate
concepts; use of appropriate secondary accounts (and primary
sources, if included); inclusion of bibliography; overall logic of
proposal.
Grade: ____/40
Remarks:
Writing and Style: Includes quality of writing; grammar; presentation
(was the proposal proofread? does the title convey the paper topic?);
citation format.
Grade: ____/20
Remarks:
Late/length penalty (if any):
Overall grade: _______/ 100
Letter grade:
Citation
• See HIST guidelines on department website
• Chicago Manual of Style
Primary Sources
“A primary source is a record left by a
person (or group) who participated in or
witnessed the events you are studying or
who provided a contemporary expression
of the ideas or values of the period under
examination.”
(www.colorado.edu/history/guidelines/index.html#prim)
Examples of Primary Sources?
Secondary Accounts
“Secondary works are accounts written by
people who were not themselves involved
in the events or in the original expression
of the ideas under study. Written after the
events/ideas they describe, they are based
upon primary sources and/or other
secondary works.”
(www.colorado.edu/history/guidelines/index.html#prim)
Examples of Secondary Accounts?
Quickthink
• Why is it important to look at a full primary
source rather than an excerpt?
Balfour
Declaration
(1917)
Balfour Declaration (1917)
Balfour Declaration (1917)
• British motivations
–Short-term: Russian and US support
during WWI
–Long-term: stable hold on Palestine
Conclusions
• Work with numerous primary sources that are
related and that shed light on each other