HISTORY 398-M02: HISTORIANS AND HISTORY – SPRING 2008
Instructor: Dr. Jeffrey Brown
Class: Tuesday nights, 6:00 – 8:30, Breland 258
Office: Breland Hall, room 223
Telephone: 646-7321
e-mail: jbrown@nmsu.edu
Office Hours: Tuesdays: 1:30 – 3:00
Wednesdays 2:30 – 4:00
or by appointment
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
History 398 is a majors-only course intended to introduce students to the craft of history. This particular section of History 398 will focus on the history of New Mexico and the Southwest. Students will learn how to develop and write a 25-page paper based on original research using primary sources. In addition, students will learn about historiography and the different ways in which history is and has been interpreted. This course will help students in conducting research and writing papers for their other upper division courses in history and/or in future graduate studies.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
1). RESEARCH PAPER: Papers for this course will be at least 25 pages but not more than 35 pages in length (typed on a word processor, double-spaced, one inch margins all around, font size no larger than 12). The papers will be evaluated based on the research topics and the quality of research; the quality of writing; the use of appropriate mechanics (spelling, grammar, bibliography, notes, etc.): the use of primary sources; and your critical analysis of the historical issue that your paper discusses. The papers should be prepared using the Chicago style (see Rampolla for details). Please put the footnotes at the bottom of the page! No late papers (both first and final drafts) will be accepted without prior approval of the instructor.
Success in any major project often depends upon getting off to a quick start. Students will therefore submit components of the final paper during stages of the course in order for me to monitor their progress. Both a first draft and a final paper will be required. A substantial portion of your course grade will depend upon the first draft. Therefore, it is essential that you make every effort to write as polished a paper as possible for the first draft.
The final draft must do more than simply incorporate my suggestions. Along with the final version of the paper, you will need to submit a one-page statement discussing the revisions that you made for this version. The bibliography in the final version needs to be annotated and must discuss the sources that you used for your paper. Finally, you will be required to submit your notes and other materials along with your final paper. The number of sources used for the paper will depend upon the topic. However, no sources from the Internet may be used without my prior consent. While you may use the Internet to locate sources, the Internet should not be used for primary or secondary sources, except in extraordinary circumstances.
Selecting an appropriate topic is vital to your success. I can help by offering guidance and suggestions, but in the end the topic will be your choice.
If you have trouble locating a sufficient number of secondary or primary sources, please see me. Please note that it will require a substantial amount of work and effort for you to locate these primary and secondary sources. You may need to borrow materials through interlibrary loan, which reinforces the fact that you must start your work early.
2). ORAL HISTORY. All students will conduct a taped oral history interview as a part of this course. If your paper covers a post-1960 topic, your interview may become an important part of the paper. We will discuss the methods for conducting an oral history interview in class.
3). CLASS PARTICIPATION, ATTENDANCE, AND PROGRESS REPORTS: It is very important that each student attend every scheduled class and actively participate in discussing the materials. For each class that a student misses without an approved excuse, 50 points will be deducted from the course grade. I will administratively drop students from the course if they miss any of the first five classes, unless prior arrangements have been made with me. Your progress reports are vital as well.
4). PRESENTATIONS: Near the end of the semester, each student will present the results of his or her research to an audience of other students, faculty members, and possibly members of the community. Further information about these presentations will be discussed in class.
No extra credit work will be accepted.
ACADEMIC AND NON-ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT: Cheating in
all forms is prohibited in this course. Students must be especially aware of
plagiarism in their written work. The NMSU Library has prepared this Web
site about plagiarism:
http://lib.nmsu.edu/instruction/plagiarismforstudents.htm.
Use your own words! If you have any questions
concerning the use of sources, please contact me. You will automatically
fail this course if you cheat, and I may impose additional sanctions.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: If you believe you have a learning disability and would benefit from accommodations, you may wish to self-identify by contacting the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) Office located in 244 Corbett Center (phone: 646-6840). If you have already registered, please be sure that your instructor receives a copy of the accommodation memorandum from SSD within the first two weeks of classes. It is your responsibility to inform either me or the SSD office in a timely manner if accommodations provided are not meeting your needs.
If you have a condition which may affect your ability to exit safely from the premises in an emergency or which may cause an emergency during class, you are encouraged to discuss any concerns with the instructor and/or Mr. Michael Armendariz, SSD Coordinator. Feel free to call the EEO/ADA Office at 646-3333 with any questions about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and/or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. All medical information will be treated confidentially.
GRADING:
Paper First Draft 400 points
Paper Final Draft 500 points
Paper Components/Other Exercises 100 points
Class Participation 200 points
Oral History Project 200 points
Final Presentations 100 points
TOTAL 1,500 points
Your research proposals must be a minimum of 1-2 pages, typed and double-spaced. Your sample footnotes and bibliography must also be a minimum of 1-2 pages, typed and double-spaced. Your paper outline must be a minimum of 1-2 pages, typed and double-spaced. Your oral history project should include submission of the oral history tape, 2 copies of signed release forms, and a 3-4 page summary of your interview.
Your research paper will be evaluated by the following standards:
1 Content and Organization
2 Quality of Writing
3 Adequacy and Style of Documentation
4 Analysis and Interpretation
5 Care and Accuracy of Preparation
READINGS. Some of your readings will introduce you to schools of thought about history or to different interpretations of the history of New Mexico. Other readings will assist you in preparing your research papers.
REQUIRED COURSE READINGS:
Mark T. Gilderhus, History and Historians: A Historiographical Introduction. 6th edition.
Erlinda Gonzales-Berry and David Maciel, eds., The Contested Homeland: A Chicano History of New Mexico
John L. Larson and Michael A. Morrison, eds., Whither the Early Republic: A Forum on the Future of the Field
Mark Simmons, An Interpretive History of New Mexico
Mary Lynn Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing in History. 5th edition.
Additional assigned materials will be distributed in class or placed on reserve at NMSU’s Zuhl Library. Any assignments from reserve materials will be listed in the syllabus or announced one week before they will be discussed in class.
SCHEDULE OF CLASS TOPICS AND ASSIGNMENTS
This schedule is subject to change. All such changes will be announced in class. It is the responsibility of each student to be aware of any changes if he or she is absent from class.
Week 1
January 22 INTRODUCTION: What is History 398? Discussion about
potential topics
Week 2
January 29 LIBRARY ORIENTATION. Meet in Zuhl Electronic Classroom
with Molly Molloy.
Assignment: William Story, Writing History: A Guide for Students,
pages 1-43 (on reserve)
Week 3
February 5 LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES RESOURCES FOR NEW
MEXICO HISTORY. Meet in Archives Classroom, Branson Hall,
Fourth Floor
Assignment: Read Larson and Morrison, pp. 1-83; Gilderhus,
chaps. 1 and 8
Week 4
February 12 INTRODUCTION TO NEW MEXICO HISTORY
Assignment: Read Larson and Morrison, pp. 84-199; Simmons,
ix-106; Gonzales-Berry and Maciel, 1-82
Week 5
February 19 INTRODUCTION TO ORAL HISTORY.
PROGRESS REPORTS
Assignment: Read Oral History Materials
DUE: Research Proposal
Week 6
February 26 MECHANICS OF THE PAPER: FOOTNOTES AND
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Assignment: Read Simmons, 107-202; Rampolla, entire
Week 7
March 4 HISTORY PROBLEM SOLVING
Assignment: Read Gilderhus, chaps. 2 and 3; Storey, 45-105 (on reserve); Gonzales-Berry and Maciel, 83-189
DUE: Sample Footnotes and Bibliography
Week 8
March 11 HISTORIOGRAPHY
PROGRESS REPORTS
Assignment: Read Gonzales-Berry, 191-301; Gilderhus, chaps. 4
and 5
DUE: Paper Outline
Week 9
March 18 PROGRESS REPORTS
Assignments: Judith DeMark, ed., Essays in 20th Century New
Mexico History, pp 63-74, 169-180 (on reserve);
Gilderhus, chaps. 6 and 7; Storey, pp 107-111 (on reserve)
DUE: Oral History Project Materials and Summary
Week 10
March 25 SPRING BREAK
Week 11
April 1 PROGRESS REPORTS; Group discussions provide assistance
FIRST DRAFT OF PAPER DUE BY 5:00 ON THURSDAY, APRIL 3 IN DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY OFFICE, BRELAND 239. SIGN UP WITH ME FOR INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS.
Week 12
April 8 INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS TO DISCUSS PAPERS. NO CLASS
MEETING
Week 13
April 15 INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS TO DISCUSS PAPERS. NO CLASS
MEETING
Week 14
April 22 PROGRESS REPORTS; Group discussions provide assistance
Week 15
April 29 12-MINUTE CLASS PRESENTATIONS
Week 16
May 6 12-MINUTE CLASS PRESENTATIONS
FINAL PAPERS from Week 15 due no later than THURSDAY, May 8 at noon. FINAL PAPERS from Week 16 due no later than FRIDAY, MAY 9 at noon.