TuTh 2-4pm

Office: 2308 Dwinelle

Hours: TuTh 12:30-1:30 pm

         This is a research seminar in nineteenth and twentieth century United States history. Students are expected to write a competent research essay, to do the assigned reading, and to participate actively in the discussion and essay evaluation sessions. As outlined below, the production of the research essay will be a step-by-step process: (1) topic selection; (2) short project description; (3) annotated bibliography; (4) précis; (5) outline; (6) first draft; and, (7) final draft. All assignments must be typed. Throughout the various steps of constructing the essay, I will be available to guide and assist you. Please note that there is a mandatory library tour that will be tailored to assist you in the researching of your topics.

            During the semester, there will be a series of individual conferences where you will sign up to talk to me one-on-one. Sign-up sheets for tutorial conferences will be available a week ahead of time in class or via email. There will also be open conferences during the semester that will function like traditional office hours — that is, on a drop-by basis at my office — dedicated solely to our seminar.

            The seminar grade will be determined as follows: final paper — 45%; first draft — 20%; working bibliography, précis, and outline — 20%; discussion and essay evaluation sessions — 15%. Late and sloppy assignments are unacceptable, as are incompletes. The essay evaluation sessions will be the times set aside for the critical yet respectful discussion of the individual first drafts. Each student’s rough draft will be discussed by a seminar colleague as well as by me. In other words, the discussant (and I) will carefully read and respond critically to the first draft of a selected seminar participant. I will assign student discussants in consultation with seminar participants. REMEMBER: Your discussion of your colleague’s essay will be a crucial part of the 15% for “discussion and essay evaluation sessions” noted above.

TEXTS: (Available at ASUC, NEDS, Moffitt, History Library [2337 Dwinelle])

(1) Selected Student Essays from CLIO: XXXXXXXX

(2) Melton A. McLaurin, ed., Celia: A Slave

(3) Carlos Bulosan, America Is In the Heart

Schedule

January:

            18: Introduction

            20: Student Essays

            25: Celia: A Slave

            27: LIBRARY TOUR

February:

              1: Student Essays

              3: INDIVIDUAL Conferences to finalize topics

              8: *NO CLASS: TOPICS MUST BE FINALIZED; SHORT PROJECT DESCRIPTION DUE (narrative description of research essay [one page: no more than 250 words] along with tentative title in my mailbox in Main History Office, 3229 Dwinelle)

            10: Bulosan, America Is In The Heart

               15: Conferences to discuss short project description; ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY DUE (Critical primary and secondary sources with a line or two describing each source’s importance to your work)

               17: FINISH Conferences to discuss short descriptionS

               22: *NO CLASS: RESEARCH TIME

   24: *NO CLASS: RESEARCH TIME

March:

                 1: INDIVIDUAL Conferences to discuss annotated bibliographies; and,

  PRÉCIS DUE (concise 2-3 pages [500-750 words] emphasizing project’s thesis/hypothesis, principal lines of argument/investigation, and proposed organizational scheme) 

   3: FINISH Conferences to discuss annotated bibliographies

   8: Entire seminar re-convenes for presentation and discussion of each précis (Each participant will give a very brief [less than five minutes] summary of her/his project followed by brief responses from seminar members.  Beforehand, each of you should read all of these documents and prepare comments to be shared openly. They will be on reserve in the History Library and will have been shared on email.)

            10: finish précis presentations

            15: *NO CLASS: OUTLINE DUE (Full outline of entire essay)

            17: *NO CLASS

            22-4: *NO CLASS: SPRING BREAK

            29: INDIVIDUAL Conferences to discuss outlines

            31:            “                           “            “           “                 “

April:

               5: *NO CLASS

               7: *NO CLASS

NOTE: For all of our EVALUATION SESSIONS the presenter must get to the discussant as well as to me a hard copy of his/her full draft at least 3/4 days ahead of the day the draft is to be discussed. My copy should be placed in my mailbox in 3229 Dwinelle. The presenter is responsible for arranging the receipt of the draft by the discussant.]

             12: Evaluation Sessions  [copies due by noon, Th, 7 April]   

             14: Evaluation Sessions  [copies due by noon, MON, 11 April]

             19: Evaluation Sessions  [copies due by noon, Th, 14 April]

             21: OPEN Conferences

             26: OPEN Conferences

             28: OPEN Conferences

May:

                 3: *NO CLASS: FINAL ESSAY DUE NO LATER THAN 4 PM in main History Office

                 5: COURSE EVALUATIONS AND ROUNDUP

               10:  POTLUCK

*NO CLASS