HS496
RESEARCH METHODS IN HISTORY
Instructor: Dr. Daniel
T. Dorrity
Office: Library 303
Office Telephone:
635-2117
Office hours: MTWRF
0900-1000am
Email: ddorrity@lssu.edu
Web Site: www.lssu.edu/faculty/ddorrity.htm
Students
Accommodations and Support Services:
In compliance with
Required Text
Students are required to
read (study) the following textbook: Mark T. Guilderus. History and
Historians: A Historiographical Introduction. Students will also be assigned excerpts from various writings. These
will be placed on reserve in the Library. Listed below are a number of other
works on historical method and writing, some of which the student may wish to
purchase or use in the library.
Barzun, Jacques and Henry Graff. The Modern Researcher.
Barzun, Jacques. Writing, Editing, and Publishing: Essays Explicative and Hortatory.
Benjamin, Jules R. A Student’s Guide to History.
Bloch, Marc. The Historian’s Craft.
Butterfield, Herbert. The Whig Interpretation of History.
Cantor, Norman and Richard I. Schneider. How to Study History.
Carr, Edward H. What Is History?
Gottschalk, Louis. Understanding History: A Primer of Historical Method.
Guinsburg, Thomas N. The Dimensions of History
Lichtman, Allan J. and French, Valerie. The Living Past.
Lowith, Karl. Meaning in History.
Pace, David , et al. Studying for History.
Steffans, Henry J. and Dickerson, Mary J. Writer’s Guide: History.
Stern Fritz. The Varieties of History.
Tuchman, Barbara W. Practising History: Selected Essays.
Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for the Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations.
Wilson, John R. M. Research Guide in History.
Wresch, William, et al. Writing for the 21st Century: Computers and Research Writing.
Course Objectives
Students will acquire:
A deeper understanding of the
processes of history
A greater ability to perceive the
progress of history and to think critically about the major issues from age to
age and the means and methods used to solve them
A perception of the complex nature
of history and the multiplicity of disciplines that comprise it and contribute to
an understanding of it
A comprehension of the importance
of a historical perspective in understanding current issues and problems
And a keener perception of the
nuances of historical explanation and a greater precision in the expression of
that understanding
Among the specific
substantive/content issues addressed are:
The methods of research in history
The major tools and sources that historians
use in their research
Methods of organizing research and papers
The terminology of the historical profession
How historians develop their approach to
history around themes and concepts
The major philosophies of history
The nature of critical analysis of
historical documents
The differences between primary and
secondary sources
The distinction between fact and
interpretation
The importance of historical evidence and
the means of weaving this into a piece of historical writing
To distinguish between
objectivity and subjectivity
The impact of personal
philosophy and cultural influences on historical interpretation
The class will meet on MF from 0200-0250pm.
Exams
There will be four exams
for the course. These exams will be made up of multiple choice and written
questions, and will be based on the textbook, and other assigned readings, on
lectures and class discussions, and on videos shown in class or assigned for
viewing outside of class.
Grading
The grade for the course
will be computed on the basis of your performance on the various exams, the
quality of your contributions in class, on class attendance, and on extra
credit assignments, in cases where those are allowed. Each of the four exams
will carry the same weight. Grades will be based on the following percentages:
|
A+ |
97 |
B+ |
87 |
C+ |
77 |
D+ |
67 |
|
A |
93 |
B |
83 |
C |
73 |
D |
63 |
|
A- |
90 |
B- |
80 |
C- |
70 |
D- |
60 |
Extra Credit
Students may be
permitted to do special assignments for extra credit. The instructor's decision
to permit a student to do these will be based on the student's attendance,
constructive contributions in class, and the Instructor's perception of the
student's work ethic. Students deficient
in any of these areas will not be permitted to submit work for extra credit.
Attendance Policy
To be discussed and
announced in class.
Class
Participation
Students are strongly
encouraged to participate in class discussions. Your contribution is important
for various reasons. First it can indicate to the Instructor where he may need
to provide further clarification or more information. Second it helps the
student by gaining further explanation, while at the same time it will help
fellow students who may be experiencing the same problem. Third it helps students develop the ability
and confidence to express themselves in a group
setting, and it will also help them gradually to express themselves with greater
clarity, as well as encouraging classmates to do likewise. And fourth it will
help engage the class in a group discussion of the issue or problem that is of
special benefit because of the various sides of the issue that can emerge and
the variety of explanations possible. Finally it makes the student an active
participant in the classroom who provokes and stimulates discussion and the
search for explanations and understanding rather than a passive recipient of
knowledge.
Honor Code and
Plagiarism
Ethics is an important
aspect of the human being. It is indispensable to the effective functioning of
all societies and to reliable and successful relations between all human
beings. Consequently you are expected that all work submitted to the Instructor
as a part of this course be your own, unless otherwise
denoted in footnotes or by some other appropriate means. The University imposes
very severe penalties for plagiarism, so you should be sure to avoid this at
all costs. If you have some doubts about all the different forms and aspects of
plagiarism, you should log on to the
Research Paper
All written work submitted
for this course must follow the bibliographic, footnoting, and quotation style
presented by Kate L. Turabian. Copies of her books on style are in the library
and excerpts and examples are on the
Correct Form for
the Term Paper
Follow the Turabian
style and suggestions available on
Bibliography
Bibliographies must follow
the style set out by Turabian and available on Duke University’s and Long
Island University’s web sites which are linked from my web site. Be sure to
follow her warning not to cite or list encyclopedias or textbooks in your
writings. Also note her comments on the proper title for your bibliography.
Once again, be sure in all historical research papers to concentrate on primary
sources, using secondary sources mostly as a guide to primary ones and also to
familiarize yourself with the major perspectives and interpretations of your
topic.
Textbook
To be announced in
class.
ASSIGNMENTS
A list of the projects for this course will be handed out in class. Some of the projects will be fairly straightforward; others will require considerable time, thought, and analysis. So review the projects early in the course and make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to do a thorough job that is required at the 400 level.