HST 500-001
Tuesday, 6:30-9:15 p.m., MO 212
Historical Methods
Office Hours: T-R-2:15-3:30 & T, 4:45-6:30
Fall 2009
Office:
Morton 233
Dr. David La Vere
Phone: x3315
Webpage:
Email: lavered@uncw.edu
http://people.uncw.edu/lavered/index.htm
Historical
Books:
Anna Green & Kathleen
Troup, The Houses of History: A Critical Reader in 20th Century History
Kate
Turabian, A Manual for Writers,
Course:
By entering a History M.A. program, you’ve said that you
want to become a professional historian. This class is to help prepare you for
that journey to professionalism. You are all now apprentices studying to become
professionals. So what do professional historians do? At the most basic, they
research a wide variety of primary and secondary sources to arrive at the truth
about the past and then explain their interpretation, with as little bias as
possible. You do this through presentation and publication. Essentially,
historians tell what really happened back then. A professional historian not
only records the past, but also interprets it. But even then, as you’ll see, it
is not always easy as there are many “varieties” of history which affect the
telling, including your own apparent and unrealized biases.
Beyond this, professional historians do all sorts of
things. Some become university professors or college instructors, others become
teachers, managers of museums or historical sites, archivists or museum
exhibition specialists, park rangers, preservationists, urban planners, and the
list goes on and on. Wherever they go, one of the most essential things is for
the professional historian to know his or her field of history. That means
reading, thinking, questioning, and writing in your field, your specialty. You
must choose a specialty or track or field. And this class will help with that.
However, no matter what field of history you go into; no
matter what your specialty, the surest way to become a professional and
respected historian is to publish. The old adage “publish or perish” holds
true. So all of the above will shape this class.
Objective:
By the end of this class, we will have read articles from
several historical theories, philosophies, or specialties. Hopefully you’ll
come to appreciate how people can often interpret the same details in such
different ways. Not only that, hopefully you will have decided upon your
historical track and specialty, but have also decided upon an argument for your
thesis. Along the way, you’ll have learned how to research and write as a
professional historian. You’ll learn how to do and write a book/article review.
These are important and historians do more of these than anything. But they
will help you identify arguments, your own as well. In the very end, you will
produce a primary source-based article on an area of history within the track
you have chosen. While not required to be so, this article might well serve as
your thesis argument and the backbone of your thesis as a whole. Even better,
it might be something you can publish or present at a conference. So by the end
of class, not only will you have a thesis/argument, you’ll have an article to
expand into a thesis or be published to help with your career.
Skills You Should Master By End of Class:
Frame a historical question.
Identify a broad range of
sources.
Show an awareness of
historiography and different historical interpretations.
Research, evaluate, and
analyze both primary and secondary sources.
Write clearly and
effectively.
Develop an argument and
interpretation based on evidence.
Understand relevant
historical facts and context.
Express ideas and arguments
both in writing and orally.
Be able to read an article
or monograph and then write a review on it.
Be able to competently use a
computer for writing and research purposes
Assignments:
1. 5 article reviews – 3
pages, typed.
2. 12 questions turned in, 2
for each article (2 questions per week).
3. Typed article title and
thesis you plan to argue.
4. A prospectus of your
article which includes a Bibliography of sources for your article
5. First draft of your paper
with footnotes and Works Cited
6. 25-30 pages of text,
primary source-based footnoted article
7. 15 minute oral
presentation on your article.
8. General discussion during
class, ALL must participate every week.
How this class works:
Essentially, each week you will read a chapter and accompanying
article from Houses of History. Then
the next week you will turn in a 3 page article review. I will grade this and
get it back to you the next week. For every review, you will also hand in two
compelling and significant questions, one about the relevant chapter in Houses of History and one about the
article. We will use these questions during our discussions. I will grade you
on the quality of your questions.
By Sep 15 you will have had to decide upon an
article topic as well as an argument/thesis as well. Please consult with me
about ideas and topics. You will type this up, giving a tentative article title
and then your tentative thesis/argument. On Sep 22, you’ll bring 3 books
and 1 article that you will use in your article. On you’ll bring 3 primary sources you plan on
using for you article. On Sep 29, you will turn in a typed article
prospectus (with title) and bibliography of books and articles you will use in
your article. See enclosed handout. Be sure to give the title of your paper and
make this look professional. Naturally, you will probably add more primary
sources later. You will then research and write a primary-source based article
of about 25-pages of text, footnoted and with a bibliography of Works Cited.
You write this with the idea of publishing it as an article or using it as the
core of your Master’s thesis. On Nov 3 you will bring a completed first
draft of your. This should be correctly formatted, with correct footnotes and a
Works Cited. It should look clean, as if you were ready to turn it in. We will
briefly look at this in class. Your completed, footnoted, Works Cited, final
draft of your article is due Nov 17.
Beginning on Nov 24 and possibly continuing to Dec
1, you will make an oral presentation about your article. It should be 15
minutes long. DO NOT MISS EITHER OF
THESE CLASSES. How many class days it takes for us to finish these
depends on the number of students. Do not decide to miss the first day of these
with the expectation of presenting the next day.
Finally, there will be several meetings where we meet in
the Library – Sep 1 and Sep 29.
TENTATIVE CLASS WORK FOR FALL 2009 HST
500
Aug 25 – Introduction. Book Reviewing. Writing Rules
for History. Internet.
For Next
Week:
Read
Green & Troup, Chap 1 – Empiricists
Write 2-3 page review of G. R. Elton’s
“England Under the Tudors.”
Begin: From now to Feb 3, run by article ideas with Dr. La
Vere
Sep 1 – Library computer tour. Randall Library 1022.
Sue Cody X7409. Meet at Library.
Turn in: review of Elton, “England
Under the Tudors.”
For
Next Week: Turn in 2 questions, 1 historiography, 1 from Elton’s article
Sep 8 – Early Historiography - Empiricists
Turn in: questions on Empiricists & Elton, “England Under
the Tudors”
Discuss: Empiricists & Elton’s
“England Under the Tudors.”
For
next week:
Read
Green & Troup, Chap 4 –
Write
2-3 page review of F. Braudel, “The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World.
. .”
Write questions about Braudel’s article.
Run by Dr. La Vere article/paper ideas
Turn in topic & thesis/argument of
article you will write
Sep 15 – Historiography,
continued; - The Annales School
Turn
in: questions & review of Braudel’s “The
Discuss: Annales
and Braudel’s “The
Turn in & discuss: topic &
thesis/argument of article you will write and present for class.
For next week:
Read Green & Troup, Chap 7 – Anthropology
and Ethnohistorians
Write
2-3 page review of Clendinnen’s “Mayan Yucatec Women. . .”
Write
questions about Clendinnen’s article.
Select & bring 3 top overall books in your field & 1 top
article in your field.
Sep 22 – Asking Questions & Developing a topic
and thesis. - Ethnohistory
Turn in: questions & review of Clendinnen’s “Yucatec
Mayan Women”
Discuss: Ethnohistory and Clendinnen’s
article
Bring to class & discuss: 3 books, 1 article in your field.
For next week:
Article Prospectus and Bibliography of sources
cited in your article (include paper title)
Sep 29 – Special Collections & Archives Tour
& – Randall Library (2nd Floor)
Turn in: Prospectus
and Bibliography of sources cited in your article (include paper title)
For
next meeting (Oct 20):
Read Green & Troup, Chap. 2 – The
Marxists
Write 2-3 page review of E. P. Thompson’s
“Exploitation”
Write questions from the Marxists and E. P.
Thompson’s “Exploitation”
Bring to class 3 primary sources you will use
in your article
Oct 6 – No class – Fall Break
Oct 13 – No Class - Work on
your article.
Oct 20 - Sources and Finding Them – The
Turn in: questions & review of the Marxists &
Thompson’s “Exploitation”
Discuss:
The Marxists and E. P. Thompson’s “Exploitation”
Bring
to class & discuss: 3 primary sources for your article
For
Next Meeting:
Read Green & Troup, Chap 9, Oral History
& Thomson, “Anzac Memories.”
Write 2-3 page review of Thomson, “Anzac
Memories.”
Write a question from Psychohistory and
Thomson, “Anzac Memories.”
Oct 27 – Writing – Oral History
Turn in: questions and review Thomson’s “Anzac Memories”
Discuss:
Thomson’s “Anzac Memories”
For
next week:
Bring first draft of your paper with
footnotes & bibliography
Nov 3 – First
Draft Look (this can begin at 4:45 during
office hours)
Turn
in: completed first draft of your article
Discuss:
Talk with Dr. La Vere on your article
For
next meeting:
Read Green & Troup, Chap 11, Post-Colonial
Perspectives & Whiteman’s “White Buffalo Woman”
Write question on Post-Colonial Perspectives
& Whiteman’s article.
Nov 10 – No class. Work on your paper
Nov 17 – Making a Conference Presentation –
Post-Colonial Perspectives
Turn
in: questions Whiteman, “White Buffalo Woman” (no review needed)
Discuss:
Post-Colonial Perspectives and Whiteman’s article
TURN IN
ARTICLES
Nov 24 – Presentations – 15 minute presentations – DO NOT MISS THIS CLASS
Dec 1 – Presentations - 15 minute
presentations – DO NOT MISS THIS CLASS
WRITING GUIDE FOR CLASS 2-3 PAGE BOOK REVIEWS
Please follow these instructions when writing for
this class. Not doing so will lower your grade.
Appearance. Typed, doubled-spaced, with a 1" margin all
around. The size and style of type should basically be the same as this
syllabus. Type your name, class, and date on the top left hand first page in
single-space. Double space down and type the author’s name, book title and
publishing info. This will serve as your paper title. Double space again and
then start your endeavor. The paper will then be stapled at the upper
left-hand corner. No binders, cover sheets, paper clips, etc. No more than 3 pages. DO NOT go over.
Put page number on second page.
Type style. 12 point Courier
New or 14 point Times New Roman. Black ink on white paper.
Spacing. Single space your name, class, date and book info,
but double space the body of your paper. Do not quadruple between paragraphs.
The first line of a paragraph should be indented five spaces. Use indented
paragraphs.
Titles. No cover sheet. Just
start it on the first page. For book questions, give me the title,
author, and publication info – city, state, press, & year. Example:
Gary C. Anderson, Little Crow: Spokesman for the Sioux.
Purpose. A review is
different from a book report in that you are trying to find the author’s
argument/thesis and then explain it to the reader. It is also not like a movie
review in that you’re not telling if you liked it or not. Go with the idea that
the reader will only read your review, not the book. Don’t give a
chapter-by-chapter description or summary of the book. Don’t tell me “what the
book is about” nor “what the author does,” but tell me what his or her argument
is and then give specific examples of how he/she backs it up. You MUST find the
central argument of the book and explain it.
Begin your paper this way: “[Author’s name] __ argues that. . . .”
Write in compete sentences and other
instructions. You should have a basic knowledge of grammar,
syntax, and spelling. Use a dictionary,
your computer's spell checker, or go to the
Never use “I,” “You,” “We,” or other
personal pronouns.
No Quotes. Use your own
words. I’m serious on this. Quotes will result in a lower grade.
Tenses and voice. This is
history, it happened in the past, so use the past tense. When you write, avoid the passive voice – which is
different than the past tense. Write in
the active voice. “He was asking” = passive voice; “He asked” =
active voice.
Read your paper out loud before turning it in. It’ll make your paper better.
Length. 2-3 pages,
double-spaced.
How to write a Book Review
Title
This
is the Bibliographic citation for the book, meaning author’s name, full book
title, city, state (abbreviated), publisher, and date. Watch your grammar and
punctuation and remember, book titles are always italicized or underlined. You may do either, but not both.
No other title than this. See example below:
Karen Ordahl Kupperman,
Paragraph 1 – Identifying the author’s
thesis/argument
What is the message the author is trying to convey? What
interpretation of events is he/she pushing? The author is arguing what? Example: Custer’s defeat at the Little Bighorn was
due to the cowardice and incompetence of Major Marcus Reno. That may be
true or it may not be. It must be proven first. In a way, an argument is an
opinion, but one that must later be backed up by historical facts and evidence.
The best way to find the argument is to answer the question: [Author’s name]
argues that . . . When you can answer
that, you have the argument. For my class, that is the way I’d like you to
begin your paper:
[Author’s
name] argues that . . .
Middle Paragraph(s) – Explaining the argument
Here you essentially summarize the book while paying
particular attention to explaining the author’s argument/thesis. What evidence
does the author use to support his/her argument? If Maj. Reno is to blame, the
author might show that
Last Paragraph – Analyze the strengths and weaknesses
of the book
Where is the author’s argument compelling? Where does it
fall short? What is particularly persuasive? What is missing? How does the book
fit with the lectures and discussions? What does it add to our understanding of
the historical topic at hand? How does it compare to the other books you have
read? DO NOT provide a summary of what you have just argued as there is no need
for this in such a short review.
How to Write a Prospectus
A prospectus is a brief statement of
the research problem you plan to tackle and the strategy you plan to
employ. Writing it serves two main
purposes. First, the process helps you clarify what it is you think you are
doing. Second, it gives your instructor
some idea of what you are doing so s/he can give you some advice about sources
and strategies and warn you if you are headed in the wrong direction.
You should provide a tentative title
of your article. Then, the first paragraph of the prospectus should state
explicitly and clearly the research question you plan to address. It is
appropriate in this paragraph to identify a tentative thesis; and remember a thesis is not framed by asking a
question. Actually, the thesis is the answer to a question you have proposed.
Example: Why did Custer fail at the Little Bighorn. Thesis: He failed due to
the cowardice and incompetence of Maj. Marcus Reno. A thesis should identify
causation and answer the why of your
question.
The next few paragraphs are used to flesh out
(develop) the problem you have identified. In other words, you must answer the
question: why is this topic important to
study? What are the underlying
assumptions of the question you propose to answer? What have other scholars written about this
topic? Have you identified a prevailing
explanation that you plan to challenge?
In essence, you are providing the reader with some background
information about your topic. The last paragraph should identify HOW you plan
to answer the question you have posed.
You will then provide a short paragraph explaining
the sources you plan on using in your article. While you need not list all of your sources here (that is what
the bibliography is for), at the very least, you must discuss all of the main primary sources you will use. Demonstrate that you have thought about how you will use your primary sources
to answer your question.
Finally, you will provide a Bibliography of sources, both primary and secondary, you plan on
using in your article. They will be listed, Primary Sources first, Secondary
Sources next. The format should follow that in Turabian or any good history
monograph. You will probably add sources as you continue researching.
MAJOR HISTORICAL
JOURNALS
American Historical
Review
Journal of American
History
Past and Present
The Historical Journal
The Historian
Reviews in American
History
Journal of Southern
History
Western Historical
Quarterly
William and Mary
Quarterly
Southwestern Historical
Quarterly
International Journal of
Middle Studies
Central European History
Canadian Journal of
History
African Studies Review
English Historical Review
Russian Review
Slavic Review
Journal of Modern History
Ethnohistory
Oral History Review
The Public Historian
Business History Review
Teaching History: A
Journal of Methods
Journal of Economic
History
Agricultural History
Architectural History
Asian Studies Review
Civil War History
Cold War History
Diplomatic History
Environmental History
Good list of history
journals: http://www.uv.es/%7Eapons/revistes.htm