History J495Jack Kaufman-McKivigan
Spring 2010Cavanaugh 531
Thursday 3-5:40Office Hr. Thur. 1-2PM
CA 537Email:
Phone # 274-5860
Proseminar for History Majors:U.S. History
Course Description: History 495 is an undergraduate research seminar in which History majors are introduced to the research methods, sources, and critical techniques employed by professional historians in a specific topical area. The topical area is defined in terms of the faculty instructor's own specialization and expertise. The research and writing of History has been likened to a craft, the exercise of which requires the acquisition and development of various skills. The faculty instructor in History 495 thus serves as a master craftsman, a mentor to the student apprentices completing their training. Along the way, students are expected to acquire a knowledge of the relevant secondary literature in the topical area, the primary source materials of that area, the proper uses of forms of source citations, and the compilation of bibliographies. The end-product of the course will be a twenty typed page paper which is expected to reflect a qualitative depth of research, a critical examination of source materials, and a style of writing that is literate (if not literary), accompanied by all the appropriate scholarly paraphernalia. This product is intended to be a marketable one, available for the student’s application for employment or advanced study, and for faculty writing letters of recommendation.
The goal of the course is to give students the opportunity for intensive research on a topic of their own selection in the area of the American Civil War. Judging from the enormous amount of scholarly literature already published, the history of this great military struggle should provide students with a vast array of research topics to pursue. Students also will be encouraged to consider investigating topics beyond the narrow definition of traditional military history, such as the civilian experience, economic consequences of the war, wartime politics and diplomatic initiatives, etc. In the early weeks of the semester, reading assignments and will be used to introduce students to important historical issues associated with the Civil War, which they might select to study on their own. Students will be provided both group and individual guidance in methods of historical research and manuscript preparation. The course will use the seminar format to discuss common readings, related research themes, and the techniques of historical research and writing.
The course objectives are in accordance with the IUPUI Principles of Undergraduate Learning. (Students are recommended to consult these at for a complete listing). The specific principles that come to bear on this course are those that promote students’ intellectual depth and breadth as well as their understanding of society and culture. In addition, this capstone course offers students opportunities for exercising their critical thinking skills and creates greater awareness about the impact of personal choices and judgments on the society at large. The particular parameters of this proseminar in American history lend themselves to fostering students’ abilities to recognize the importance of historical context and perspective and also the political, social, and ethical dimensions of major decisions and developments in the past. Moreover, the course is designed to showcase the students’ ability to make cogent written presentations of their own research and historical analyses--ways for demonstrating their mastery of core communication and quantitative skills. In short, this class is designed to illustrate the development history majors achieved in their understanding of history and historical methods.
Nature and Amount of Student Responsibility: The success of this course depends upon completion of the reading and writing assignments and participation in class discussion by the students. If a student falls behind in his/her work in the seminar, she/he will soon find it difficult to follow the subject matter of class discussion or join in it. Students should feel free to ask questions about unclear material at any time during the class. Students also should feel free to talk to the instructor about any course-related problems especially in cases when a student believes that his/her assignment grades do not accurately reflect her/his performance in the course.
There will be four categories of graded assignments during the course of the semester:
(1) Book Review (4-5 typed pages). Each student will prepare a review assessing James M. McPherson's For Cause & Comrades: Why Men Fought in the Civil War (New York: Oxford University Press, 1997. This review is due on February 11th. The review should include biographical information about the author and a summary of the book's scholarly reception as well as the student's own assessment of the work's merits. (Value: 10% of the course grade.)
(2) Research Project on a topic related to the American Civil War, selected in consultation with the instructor. This assignment is intended to enable students to strengthen skills in selecting a feasible topic, finding and exploiting available sources, and presenting the results of their research. There will be various components of this project, each with its own deadline and assigned grade value:
1.) A two page written prospectus and five minute oral report, describing the intended topic and principal sources (minimum of three) for the project, is due February 4th. (Value: 5% of the course grade.)
2.) A preliminary annotated bibliography for the Research Project, which should include a minimum of twenty entries, organized into appropriate categories, and cited correctly, is due February 25th. (Value: 5% of the course grade.)
3.) A preliminary draft of the introduction of the Research Project, which should include a minimum of three footnotes following appropriate scholarly guidelines, is due March 25th. (Value: 5% of the course grade.)
4.) Two copies of the first draft of the Research Project (minimum of ten typed pages) are due in class one week before the student’s assigned oral presentation date. (Dates will be individually assigned.) Students will present an approximately 15 minute oral report on the findings of the research project to the seminar on either April 8th, 15th, or 22nd. (Dates will be assigned on February 18th.) (Combined Value of the First Draft and the Oral Presentation: 15% of the course grade.)
5.) The final draft of the Research Project (a minimum of twenty typed pages) is due on April 29th. (Value: 35% of the course grade.)
(3) Written Critique (2-3 pages) of the preliminary draft of the research papers prepared by another student in this seminar. The purpose of this assignment is to allow students the opportunity to exchange constructive criticism on the preliminary draft of their research projects. The critique should point out both strengths and weaknesses in the project's thesis, research, documentation, organization, and writing style and make suggestions for improvement. In addition to the written critique, the student will deliver a 5 minute oral critique of each paper on the same evening that its author presents it to the seminar. (Dates and papers to be assigned later.) The instructor will endeavor to match student interests and backgrounds as far as feasible in these assignments. (Value: 10% of the course grade.)
(4)Class Participation/Deportment/Attendance: The final graded element of student performance in the seminar deals with class participation. By definition a seminar requires a give-and-take that can happen only when people are there and participate. A great measure of the success of the seminar depends upon its members' willingness to share both factual information and critical insights. These skills in oral presentation should be considered as valuable as those for written presentation. Therefore the instructor will assign a graded value to each student's performance in class participation that takes into account both factors of quantity and quality. Please note that participation means not just speaking. Attendance will be taken and absences will affect the participation grade accordingly. If it is absolutely necessary to miss a session, the student must notify the instructor in advance. More than two unexcused absences will result in a full letter grade penalty in the final course grade. It is your responsibility to check classmates and ONCOURSE for materials or announcements from a class you miss. A written assignment may be required to cover the missed session. (Value: 15% of the course grade.)
Course Policies Related to Grading:
University Grading Scale(in accordance with the academic regulations stated in the Bulletin, p. 16.):
1) For demonstrable excellence in their work students can achieve an "A-" (90-92 percent) or "A" (93-97 percent); “A+” is for a score of 98-100 percent.
2) Students whose work is above average will receive grades of “B+” (87-89 percent); “B” (83-86 percent); “B-“ (80-82 percent); or "C+" (77 to 99 percent).
3) Students who do satisfactory work can expect the average grade of "C" (73-76 percent)
4) Below average work constitutes "C-" (70-72 percent); “D+” (67-69 percent); “D” (63-67 percent); “D-" (60-62 percent).
5) Less than 60 percent representsunacceptable work and hence carry the failing grade of "F".
6) For calculation of the semester grade, improvement over the course of the semester is an important consideration and can raise the final grade above the mathematical average.
Extensions for Assignments: Extensions for deadlines for assignments are granted only if a student contacts the instructor BEFORE the deadline. Extensions are not automatically given. Students should be sure to get from a written note or email from the instructor indicating that he agreed to the later date; a copy of that note must be included with the assignment when it is handed in.
Late or Missed Work: Tardy submission of written work inconveniences your classmates as well as the instructor and should not happen. Material that is handed in after the due date (or extended due date) will generally be marked down for each day it is late. Days means days of the week, not class sessions.
Intellectual Honesty: Developing your intellectual skills is possible only when you actually do the work assigned. We will have a longer discussion of intellectual work, academic integrity, and plagiarism. Plagiarism and cheating will result in an “F” for the work in question and possible disciplinary action by the University. The University’s policy on plagiarism, as stated in the IUPUI Campus Bulletin, 2006-2008 (p.36) is:
A student must not adopt or reproduce ideas, words, or statements of another person without an appropriate acknowledgment. A student must give due credit to the originality of others and acknowledge indebtedness whenever he or she does any of the following:
a. Quotes another person’s actual words, either oral or written;
b. Paraphrases another person’s words, either oral or written;
c. Uses another person’s idea opinion, or theory; or
d. Borrows facts, statistics, or other material, unless that information is common knowledge.
For more information, you can find the IUPUI Student Code of Conduct on line at: Students may also talk with the instructor if they have questions about what is or is not permissible. Academic integrity is important to establish a level playing field for all students; to maintain it, the instructor will use whatever means necessary (including Turn-it-in) to detect violations.
Incompletes: IUPUI’s policy on incompletes is that they are only for students who have completed almost all of the course requirements and have been prevented by significant or unanticipated events from finishing the class.
Withdrawing from Classes: If a student decides to drop the class, please note that you must submit an official “drop slip” to the registrar (signed by the appropriate people). University policy requires assigning an “F” to a student who stops showing up even if that student has told the professor that she or he plans to withdraw.
Assigned Reading:
James M. McPherson, For Cause & Comrades: Why Men Fought in the Civil WarNew York: OxfordUniversity Press, 1997.
John Tosh, The Pursuit of History, 4th ed. LondonNew York: Longman, 2006.
Mary Lynn Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing in History, 6th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2009.
Course Schedule: The following is a prospective schedule of class topics and reading and writing assignments. IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER: If class is canceled by the university, written assignments are due to the History Department Office on the day the university reopens or within two days of your absence. Please ask the secretary to initial and date/time the assignment. If a class is cancelled, the Instructor reserves the right to revise the following schedule:
Jan 14Introduction
Jan 21The History of the American Civil War.
Reading Assignments: McPherson, For Cause and Comrades
Jan 28The Historiography of the American Civil War
Reading Assignments: Tosh, Pursuit of History, 1-56, 114-44
Feb 04Selecting a Paper Topic
Reading Assignment:Rampolla, pp. 20-32, 66-73
Writing Assignment: Each student will prepare a 250 word Prospectus for their Research Project, present a 5 minute oral presentation, and respond to questions from the class.
Feb 11Finding and Utilizing Primary and Secondary Sources Online
Important Note: This class will be held in UL 1130
Reading Assignment, Rampolla, pp. 6-19, 73-82; Tosh, 57-87
Writing Assignment: Review of McPherson Due
Feb 18Finding and Utilizing Primary Sources in Local Archives
Important Note: This class will be held in UL Archives and then 1130
Reading Assignment, Tosh, 88-113
Feb 25No Seminar Meeting
Assignment: Each student will meet individually with the instructor during this week to review the progress on her/his research project.
Writing Assignment:Each student should bring to her/his appointment with the instructor a preliminary draft of the bibliography of their research project, which should include a minimum of twenty entries, organized into appropriate categories, and cited correctly.
Mar 04Refining Research Topics
Assignment: Each student will make a 5-10 minute oral presentation on the progress of their research project and respond to questions from the instructor and other students.
Mar 11Typical Research Problems
Reading Assignment: Rampolla, pp. 82-85; Tosh, 173-344
Mar 18SPRING BREAK – No Class
Mar 25Typical Writing Problems
Reading Assignment, Rampolla, pp. 39-65, 86-128, Tosh, 145-71
Writing Assignment: Each student should bring to class a preliminary draft of their research project, which at a minimum should include the paper’s introduction, three footnotes, and an updated bibliography, all prepared according to appropriate scholarly guidelines.
Apr 01Critiquing Research In-Progress: Instructor Presentation
Assignment: Students are encouraged but not required to offer oral and written critiques of the instructor’s research presentation.
Writing Assignment: Group 1 turns in six copies of the rough draft of their Research Reports.
Apr 08Student Presentations (Group 1)
Writing Assignment: Group 2 turns in six copies of the rough draft of their Research Reports. Student critiques of Group 1 reports are due.
Apr 15Student Presentations (Group 2)
Writing Assignment: Group 3 turns in six copies of the rough draft of the Research Reports. Student critiques of Group 2 reports are due.
Apr 22Student Presentations (Group 3)
Writing Assigment: Student critiques of Group 1 reports are due.
Apr 29 Course Wrap-up & Evaluation.
Writing Assignment: Final Draft of the Research Report Due.
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