42.398 Research and Writing Skills, summer

William V. Hudon
Department of History
Bloomsburg University
Office: OSH 107
Telephone:389-4159
Summer 2008 office hours: M--Th, 8:30-9:30AM, or by appointment.
e-mail: whudon@bloomu.edu

                                         Research and Writing Skills (42.398)
Textbooks:

***BOTH ARE REQUIRED***

Wayne C. Booth, et al., The craft of research 2nd edition (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003).
    Actively employ the guide for reading this book.

Mary Lynn Rampolla, A pocket guide to writing in history, 5th edition (New York: St. Martin's Press, 2007).

Warning: n.b.--The "summer" version of this course is different from any other. You face a daunting task: to generate a first-rate research paper, in most cases ex nihilo, in six weeks. Hence, class meetings will be minimized. In order to succeed (i.e. to get a "C" or better), the thesis argued in this paper must rely upon extensive use of primary sources and be written up along with analysis of the main lines of professional historiography in the subject area. To succeed, you must maximize your library, reading, thinking and writing time, and meet with me, privately, on a regular basis.
Grade composition: Assignments in the course are all designed to become part of the finished, final project, steps toward the completion of the 15-25 page research paper. A good job done on each assignment will make composition of the final paper a relatively simple matter, although weaving the portions together properly goes way beyond any simple cut-and-paste process. There will be no examinations. Early submissions for any and all assignments will be gratefully accepted. Provisional "grades" may be assigned to give you a sense of where you stand along the way. None of the provisional grades become final unless no improvement is shown in the final draft.

       3-5 page prospectus/proposal: In this brief essay you must describe several things: the general area of history in which you are working, the specific topic within that field that you plan to investigate, some primary sources related to the topic and field, plus the research question or questions that you hope to answer with the sources you have located. The description of the primary sources is the most important part.  Provide specifics.  This essay must be written in a narrative, paragraph form (no lists). Your working bibliography (divided into primary source/secondary source sections, and in the proper format, as defined in Rampolla) must be attached to the prospectus. Look at the sample prospectus documents on electronic reserve in Andruss Library under the instructor's name ("Prospectus Samples 1-4") for more ideas on how to get started.  Material included in the essay portion of this assignment will become part of the introduction to your final paper.  **Nota bene: this is the preliminary submission that transfers LEAST automatically into the final paper.  Only some elements of the prospectus go into the full paper, and they have to be incorporated in a substantially different form.**  The attached bibliography will, of course, become part of your final bibliography. This prospectus is due no later than 12 noon, Wednesday, 9 July, at the end of class.  When you hand in this essay, sign-up for a prospectus/proposal conference. The conference is required.

        3-5 page historiographic essay: In a brief essay, review and explain earlier discussion of your topic by professional historians in secondary sources. You must review treatment in general works on the broader period you are studying, as well as in sources more directly related to your specific topic. The essay must outline past and current historical interpretations related to your field, and indicate how your research may support or contradict existing literature. Narrow down gradually from broader matters to your specific focus, tracing the changes in historical interpretation on each matter.  Indicate what primary sources could be used to gain insight into your specific topic, (describing them BRIEFLY) and state the thesis for your paper.  In order to trace historiography adequately in the manner described above with most any topic, you will need to consult and use between 18 and 36 secondary sources.  This essay must be accompanied by footnotes or endnotes in the proper format (see Rampolla).  For more ideas on how to get started, look at the sample historiographic essays on electronic reserve under the instructor's name in Andruss Library ("Historiography Samples 1-4").   The essay is due Thursday, 17 July, at the end of class.  This essay will be incorporated (in its entirety, if carefully done), into the introductory section of your final paper.

       Outline of primary sources: After a careful, initial reading of the primary material and composition of the thesis statement, this will provide a logical structure to your paper and make the drafting process simpler. Begin by asking yourself "why?" you drew the conclusion that is represented by your thesis statement, and list the reasons. Identify the specific primary evidence for each reason on the list. Write each reason in one clear sentence. Then, reread your thesis statement and each "reason" sentence, and ask yourself whether or not each reason sentence backs up the thesis directly. If any of them do not, rephrase them. Beneath each sentence, identify in detail which source or sources you will employ to back it up. The sentences that indicate reasons why you came to your thesis will become the paragraph topic sentences in the evidence section of your paper. The list of specific references to sources sustaining each reason will make the task of writing the evidence portion simpler, so that you can concentrate on being creative in your analysis and description. This assignment is an OUTLINE, and should be written as such (that is, NOT in paragraph form).  For further guidance on composing this outline, look at the sample outlines on electronic reserve in Andruss Library under the instructor's name ("Outline Samples 1-3").  The outline is due Thursday, 24 July, no later than 12 Noon. 

      First draft of complete paper: After careful reconsideration of both primary and secondary sources, compose the first draft, following these steps: a) Provide an introduction that indicates the importance of the questions you have put to the sources, and that leads the reader through the historiography on your project, down to the thesis statement. [This material should come mainly from your revised prospectus.] b) Either while drawing down through the introduction (preferred for clarity), or in a separate section after the thesis statement (O.K. but can lead to confusion and need to restate thesis), review past and more recent historical interpretations of the general topic and even interpretations of the same sources you are utilizing, if they are available. [This material should come mainly from your revised prospectus and revised historiographic essay.] c) Write up the evidence for your thesis with developed paragraphs following from paragraph topic sentences that all support the thesis directly. Weave the primary evidence for the thesis into your narrative, in the form of direct address.  To do this properly, consult the coursepack and my on-line Term Paper Guide, both of which have examples of how to use quotations properly. The backbone for this section overall, of course, is your revised outline of primary sources. d) Draw conclusions that illustrate the significance of your thesis and of what you have found to the broader understanding of your specific topic and of the general area of history in which it is located. e) Be sure that all of the above portions are fully and properly footnoted or endnoted according to the forms provided in Rampolla's A Pocket Guide. f) Complete the bibliography by adding primary and secondary sources to the working bibliography you presented with the prospectus, according to the forms provided in Rampolla's A Pocket Guide. Note that the bibliography format is different from the note format. This first draft is due Thursday, 31 July, no later than 12 Noon. No extensions are possible. When you hand in this draft, sign-up for a first draft conference. First draft conferences are required.

      Complete final draft: Revise first draft in accordance with the recommendations of the instructor. The final paper must be 15-25 pages in length, not counting the bibliography. Final draft is due Thursday, 7 August, no later than 12 Noon.

Class meetings/topics/assignments:
***As you can see, class meetings are limited. This is to insure that you will have sufficient time for research, and for private meetings with me for advice and assistance. I will be in my office during class periods when there are no formal meetings. You can set up appointments with me as you need. The writing process is a difficult one, but one that brings great rewards. I want you to gain the rewards, and I will work hard with you because I want you succeed. Still, the first step--into my office--is always yours to take.***

Week 1: Read Booth, Craft (entire); Consult Andruss Library collections; begin research by identifying topic and scope of paper, by hunting primary sources, and by familiarizing yourself with historiography on your topic.

Tues. 1 July. Introduction. Defining the project: i.e. consulting the Andruss Library collection/other collections, hunting primary sources, using Library of Congress Subject Headings, Pilot, and some other reference works. What is "history"?  What is "historiography"?

Wed./Thurs. 2, 3 July. No class meetings.  Individual meetings in the office of the instructor. . . sign up. (Meetings will also be available outside of class time on Mon., 7 July.)  Bring all notes gathered so far, and copies of any preliminary essays you have written that are related to your period of historical interest, especially if you wrote them in Historiography and Historical Methods (42.298).

Mon.—Wed. 7, 8, 9 July.  In-class discussion of Booth, The Craft (entire).  Prepare for the discussion by reading and answering the questions on the study guide. 

**Prospectus due no later than 12 Noon, on Wednesday, 9 July.**  Prospectus conferences (required) will be available on 10, 11, 14 July...sign up.

Mon. 14 July.  Writing the historiographic essay, note format in historiographic essays.  Bring a copy of the reserve sample historiographic essays.  Bring primary source/s from your project, for exchange with other members of the seminar.  The sources you bring for distribution can be no longer than two (2) pages, total.  PRINT your last name at the top of the primary source/s you have chosen for distribution, and also PRINT basic identification information for each source (name of creator, date of creation, title, etc.) on that first page.  Please, EITHER bring enough copies for all members of the seminar, OR present the documents to the instructor for duplication 24 hours ahead of time. 

Tues./Wed. 15-16 July. Techniques for structuring paragraphs.  Bring a copy of the Term paper guide available on this website. 

Thurs. 17 July.  Review of basic structure of paper, review of some rules related to writing.  Bring your copy of Rampolla.  **Historiographic essay is due at the end of class on Thursday, 17 July.**  Historiographic essay conferences will be available on 18, 21, 22 July.

Mon.—Wed. 21, 22, 23 July.  Practice in interpreting primary sources. 

Thurs. 24 July.  **Outline of evidence section is due no later than 12 Noon on Thursday, 24 July.  Outline conferences will be available, 24, 25, 28 July.

Weeks 5 and 6.  Read, study, think, confer (following posted sign-up lists for conferences). 

**Complete first draft due on Thursday, 31 July, no later than 12 Noon.  Rough draft conferences (required) will be available on 1, 4, 5 August.

**Complete final draft due no later than 12 Noon, on Thursday, 7 August.

Letter/number grade equivalents:
A =92 and higher; A- =89-91; B+ =85-88; B =81-84; B- =78-80; C+ =74-77; C =70-73; C- =67-69; D =60-66; E =59 and below.

**NOTE: While I do not anticipate any circumstances that would necessitate alteration of this syllabus, all due dates and assignments listed here are subject to change.  Any necessary changes will be announced in class.  Appropriate adjustments will be made to the on-line syllabus on Blackboard.  The on-line syllabus is the official course schedule and supercedes any printed version.**

Statement on plagiarism:
    Plagiarism, whether accidental or deliberate, is defined in this class as follows.  "Exact word plagiarism": using three or more words of another author in succession, excluding proper nouns.  "Parallel plagiarism": setting up sentences in a paragraph, or even in one sentence alone, where the structure and/or content, and/or ideas there expressed parallel the structure, content and ideas in the work of another author.  Neither of these forms of plagiarism, whether created deliberately or accidentally, will be tolerated in this class.  If plagiarism is detected, a grade of E for the assignment--or for the course--shall be issued at the discretion of the instructor.  Fabrication of evidence and other forms of academic dishonesty will be treated in an identical fashion.  (See the Academic Integrity Policy in The Pilot, the Bloomsburg University student handbook.)

Statement on classroom behavior:
    Disruptive classroom behavior will not be tolerated.  Such behaviors are defined as: 1.) verbal, physical, or psychological threats, harassment, and physical violence; 2.) refusal to comply with reasonable directions for the instructor; 3.) repeatedly arriving after class has begun or leaving class early; 4.) distractive talking, including speaking out of turn or monopolizing discussion; 5.) use of any electronic device not related to class during the class period; 6.) use of an electronic device related to class but in a manner that restricts discussion/learning; 7.) use of alcohol, tobacco products, or controlled substances.  If any such behaviors take place in class, the disruptive student will be asked to leave and not allowed to return until the matter is adjudicated through the Office of Student Standards.