Department:

Department of History, Geography, and Global Studies

Course Title:

Civil War and Reconstruction

 

Subject:

Hist 423 001

Credits:

3

Effective Term:

Day:

Fall 2007

M.W.F.

Time:

3:30 p.m. – 4:50 a.m.  GJ 312

 

Instructor(s):

Dr. Roger Davidson, Jr.

Office Location:

Grace Jacobs 416

Office Hours:

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m. or by appointment

Office Phone:

(410) 951-3437

Email:

rdavidson@coppin.edu

 

Note: All official communications between students and the University must be via Coppin email addresses. Communications received from students from non-Coppin email addresses will not be recognized.

 

Required and Additional Texts/Materials:

Ř      Georg Iggers, Historiography In The Twentieth Century: From Scientific Objectivity to Postmodern Challenge

Ř      William Strunk and E.B. White., The Elements of Style

Ř      Mary Lynne Rampolla, A Pocket Guide To Writing History

Ř      Jules Benjamin, A Student’s Guide to History

Ř      Gerard Pelisson, Mastering United States History Skills

Ř      Kate Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations

Ř       Any American Standard Dictionary

Ř      Articles and Primary Documents will be assigned as needed

 

I. Course Description:

The art of History is writing; the science of History is research.  This course is designed to teach research and writing skills.  Inasmuch, students will research topics and develop proposals for the senior seminar papers.  "What is Past is Prologue . . . Study the Past."

 

II. Course Objectives:

The curriculum is designed so that students acquire and demonstrate college-level proficiency in Historical research and writing. The course objectives will assess each student’s proficiency in the specified competencies from the list below:

.

Ř      Oral and written communication

Ř      Critical analysis and reasoning

Ř      Technological competency

Ř      Information literacy

 

III. Course Outline:

August 27                                           Introduction

 

August 29th                                         Choosing a Topic

 

September 5th -                                   Plagarism

                                                            Rampolla-- Chapter 6

                                                            Benjamin – pp. 113-116

 

September 10 - September 14 --     Identifying Historical Sources and Developing                                     -                                                       Topics

                                                            Rampolla --Chapter 2

                                                            Benjamin -- Chapter 4

***********Plagiarism Assignment is Due on

Wednesday, Sept. 14th**************

 

September 17 – September 19         Interpretation of Sources

                                                            Pelisson – Chapters 5 & 6; 18 - 20

                                                            Benjamn – pp 8 - 18.

                                                            

                                                          

September 24 - September 26 --         Using the Library and Arcives

                                                            Pelisson – Chapters 14 & 15

                                                             Benjamin  -- Chapter 4 (again)

                                                            The Class will visit he library on Wednesday, -            -                                                           September 26th

 

-              Topics – with a small ANNOTATED bibliography containing  -       4 primary and 6 secondary sources are due on Wednesday September 26  -- Please Note That examples of annotated bibliographies is included in chapter 3 of Rampolla.

           

 

 

 

 

 

October 3rd - October 5th --               Developing a Thesis             

                                                            Benjamin – pp. 78 – 83 (again)

                                                             Rampolla  -- Chapter 4

                                                             Pelisson – Chapters 23 & 24

 

October 8th - October 10th--              Historiography and Writing History

                                                            Iggers -- Chapter 1 & 2

                                                             Benjamin pp. 1 – 8

                                                              Rampolla – Chapter 3

 

*****Thesis Paragraph and Statement

are due on Wednesday, October 10th******

 

October 15th - October 17th--              Footnotes, Endnotes,Quotations and Bibliographies

                                                  The Chicago Style  

                                                Rampolla -- Chapter 7

                                                 Benjamin – 125 - 152

           

October 22nd – 24th    Writing a Proposal and the Review Of Literature

                                           See Documents Section for Instructor’s Notes

                                                  Igger Chapter 3 & 4

********* The Citation Exercise (Footnote/ Bibliography) is due Wednesday October 24th **********

 

October 29  - October 31  --  Research and Research Updates/ Refresher

                                                Rampolla – Chapter 5

                           

****Historiographical Essay/ Review of Literature on your particular Topic is Due Wednesday October 31st***

 

 

November 5  – November 7 – Oral History and Conducting Oral Interviews

See Instructor’s Notes in the Documents section of -                                                           Blackboard

                                                           

November 12 – November 14  --   How To Write a Research Outline

                                                            Benjamin – pp. 82 – 83

See Instructor’s Notes in the Documents section of Blackboard

 

******Proposal Draft is Due on Wednesday, Nov. 14th

 

************  Thanksgiving Break – November 19 – 24 **********************************

 

 

 

November 26  - November 28th --      Class Presentation of Progress

                                                            In Class Discussions

                                                            Field Work on Wednesday

 

 

 

December 3rd – 5th --       Lecture  and Fieldwork

 

Research Outline is Due on Wednesday December 5th

 

 

 

December 10th – Last Day of Class

*******Final Draft of The Proposal Monday December 10th *********

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Class Conduct:

Please Turn Off Cell Phones

No Talking during lecture or discussion unless pertinent to class

Be Prompt and Prepared

 

 

 

IV. Technology used in this Course:

Ř      Blackboard

Ř      Tegrity

 

V. Modes of Instruction:

Ř      Lecture

Ř      Tegrity

Ř       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VI. Modes of Assessment:

Ř      Tests

Ř      Paper or Book Review Option **  see section on writing papers in this syllabus

You will have two tests and two writing assignments.  The tests (mid-term and final) will be in-class essay tests.  The writing assignments will consist of either a two five page papers or two five page book reviews (five pages excluding the bibliography and endnotes ).  If you choose the book reviews, I will provide you with a handout with details regarding the composition of a book review.  You must provide the title of the book two weeks before the review is due.

 

 

Assignment Values:                                                                Due Dates:

Plagiarism Essay                                                             50 pts                      Sept. 14

Topics & Annotated Bibliographies                 100 pts                   Sept 26

Thesis Paragraph and Statement                      100pts                    October 10

Citation Exercise                                               100pts                   October 24

Historiographical Essay and Review of Lit      100pts                   October 31

Research Proposal (First  Draft)                        50 pts                   November 14

Research Outline                                               200 pts                  December 5

Research Proposal (final Draft)                         200 pts                  December 10

Attendance                                                        100 pts

Total                                                                    1000pts

 

Passing in Assigned Work and Late Assignments:

Assignments are due electronically (via e-mail) and in Hard copy by 5:00 p.m. of the listed due date.  Any late assignments will be accessed a late charge of 25 points per day (that includes non-class days).  Any Assignment more than a week late without approval will receive a zero grade.

Attendance:

Unexcused absences will result in a loss of attendance points per absence. 

 

 

VII. Writing Standards: Standards for a “C” Paper

A.  Content

The “C” paper fulfills the assignment, meeting all specified requirements, such as subject, organization, and length, and reflects the author’s awareness of audience and purpose. The paper presents a central idea supported by relevant material (facts, figures, examples, quotations, or other details). The reasoning is sound; arguments are supported with adequate evidence. Other points of view are acknowledged and responded to as appropriate. Sources of information are accurately presented and fully attributed.

 

B.     Organization

The “C” paper has a discernible and logical plan. It has a focus, and the writer maintains the focus throughout the essay. The writer has unified the entire essay in support of the central idea, or thesis, and individual paragraphs in support of subordinate points. Some individual paragraphs, however, may be weak. The writer promotes coherence through the logical order of paragraphs and the use of some or of the following devices: thesis statement, topic sentences, opening and closing paragraphs, and transitions. The use of these devices may lack smoothness, but the writer has achieved an acceptable level of organization.

 

C.  Style / Expression

The “C” paper uses reasonable stylistic options (tone, word choice, sentence patterns) for its audience and purpose. As a rule, the paper has smooth transitions between paragraphs, although some transitions may be missing or ineffective. The meaning of sentences is clear, although some sentences may be awkward or there may be a lack of variety in sentence patterns. Nonetheless, sentence structure is generally correct, although it may show limited mastery of such elements as subordination, emphasis, sentence variety and length, and modifiers. The paper reflects current academic practices of language use established by the Chicago Style (better known as Turabian).  Please note that this is the professional style that Historians use.  The “Manual for Writers” should be in the bookstore.  If not, please order it from Amazon.com

 

D.  Grammar / Mechanics

The “C” paper follows the conventions of standard written U.S. English; thus, it is substantially free of errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and mechanics. What errors are present must not impede meaning nor overly distract the reader. The paper reflects current citation and documentation of sources as specified in Turabian.

 

VIII. Plagiarism Policy:

Ř      It will be taken for granted that any work, oral or written, that a student does for any course is his/her original work. Any violation of this rule constitutes plagiarism.

Ř      Plagiarism includes any form of cheating on examinations, tests, quizzes and any unacknowledged and/or undocumented use of another’s writing or ideas published or unpublished, including copying or rewording information found on the internet.

Ř      A student who plagiarizes will receive a failing grade for the particular assignment.

 

IX. Bibliography:

Ř      See Titles listed in the back of each chapter in the assigned textbook

Ř       

Ř       

 

X. Glossary:

Ř       

Ř       

Ř       

 

SPECIAL NEEDS: Students qualified by the American Disabilities Act (ADA) are welcomed and will be accommodated in this course. University policy requires ADA-qualified students to register with the counseling center and to provide the instructor with documentation from the center about the accommodation.  Accommodation can not reasonably be made for evaluations and other course activities that take place before the instructor receives the requisite documentation from the student.  Please contact the Counseling Center at (410) 951-3944.