SYLLABUS

HSTR 4181: TOPICS IN ORAL HISTORY - METHODOLOGY

FALL 2014

Monday, Wednesday, 1630-1745 hrs

Instructor: Al Lowe, MA, DMin

Adjunct Professor of History

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  • UNILERT is an emergency notification service that gives Texas A&M University Central Texas the ability to communicate health and safety emergency information quickly via email and text message. By enrolling in UNILERT, university officials can quickly pass on safety-related information, regardless of your location.
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1.0COURSE OVERVIEW:

  • This course explores the origin, definition, methodology, justification of oral history; conduct two projects including preparation, performance, transcription, and analysis of an oral history project.
  • The student will be required to become certified by the National Institutes of Health, Protecting Human Research Participants (PHRP).

2.0COURSE OBJECTIVE: The student will

  • Understand theories and methodology of oral history.
  • Create and conduct own oral history project.
  • Contribute to the Oral History Project of TAMUCT.

2.1STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

  • The student will have a basic working knowledge of oral history,
  • And the methodology to prepare, conduct, and analyze an oral history interview.

3.0REQUIRED READING and TEXTBOOKS

  • Donald A. Ritchie. Doing Oral History. Oxford, NY: Oxford University Press, 2003.
  • Lynn Abrams. Oral History Theory. NY: Routledge, 2010.
  • National Institutes of Health, Protecting Human Research Participants Course. (online)
  • Audio Recorder (provided)
  • Video Recorder (optional)

4.0 COURSE REQUIREMENTS

  • PHRP: Student must complete the online training course and submit to the instructor a hard-copy of the certificate before being conducting oral history interviews. Multiple attempts are allowed.
  • TAMUCT Project: Student will complete not less than two (2) oral history projects including
  • Project
  • Questions
  • Contact interviewee, arrange time and place for interview
  • Proper use of equipment
  • Transcript
  • Analysis
  • Unrestricted/restricted Deed of Gift
  • ATTENDANCE & PARTICIPATION
  • To succeed in this course the student must
  • Attend scheduled classes
  • Participate in discussions
  • Conduct two (2) oral history interviews
  • Meet deadlines
  • Complete PHRP on line certification
  • To conduct oral history interviews and receive a passing grade for this course, the student must participate in and receive certification of completion of the PHRP training course.

5.0GRADING CRITERIA RUBIC: 2,000 points possible

  • In Class Written Tests:400
  • Sept 225 questions20 points each
  • Oct 275 questions20 points each
  • Dec 1010 questions20 points each
  • PHRP
  • Oct 1200
  • Attendance100
  • 20 meetings05 points each
  • Participation
  • Oct 01 Interview fellow student200
  • 5 questions10 points each
  • 15 minute Interview50 points
  • Transcript, 100 points
  • Hard Copy
  • FINAL: Dec 031,100
  • Turn in Hard Copy and CD
  • Interview #1550 points
  • Audio (CD)200
  • Corrected Transcript(CD, HC) 250
  • Analysis (CD)50
  • Unrestricted/restricted Deed of Gift(HC) 50
  • Interview #2550 points
  • Audio (CD)200
  • Corrected Transcript (CD, HC)250
  • Analysis (CD)50
  • Unrestricted/restricted Deed of Gift(HC) 50

TOTAL POINTS AVAILABLE:………………………………………….2,000

200 POINTS POSSIBLE

A1,851 – 2,000

B1,700 – 1,850

C1,600 – 1,700

D1,500 – 1,600

F0 – 1,499

KEY DATES:

  • Oct 01: Hard Copy PHRP Certification due (can be submitted early).
  • The certificate can be turned inLATE WITH PENALTY on October 06. The penalty for turn in after October 01 is 10 points per day (including weekend & holidays) the PHRP is late.
  • If not turned in byOctober 06, student will not pass the class.
  • Participation in the oral history project requires the student to successfully complete and present to the instructor PHRP Certification.

6.0COURSE CALENDAR

Aug 25Introduction, pass out syllabus, PHRP

27Define, discuss PHRP, HARD COPYDUE OCT 01

Read:

Ritchie 1, 2

Abrams 1, 2

Sep 01NO CLASS, LABOR DAY

03Introduction to Oral History

08Oral History v. Oral Tradition

10Methodology: Preparation of Project

Write, be prepared to present a Preparation Paragraph

Unrestricted/restricted Deed of Gift

15Methodology: Project Statement

Write, be prepared to present a Project Statement

Read:

Ritchie, 3

Abrams 3, 4

17Review Preparation and Project Statement,

22TEST: IN CLASS – 5 questions

Read:

Ritchie, pp 64 – 75

Abrams, pp 144 - 151

24Methodology: Analysis, Transcribe

Read:

Ritchie, 3

29Methodology: Questions

ASSIGNMENT: Prepare 5 questions for next class.

Oct 01Student v. student; ask questions; transcribe.

ASSIGNMENT: transcribe your “interview”

PHRP DUE – MANDATORY TO CONTINUE CLASS

06Review Student v. Student transcribed “interview.”

ASSIGNMENT: 1st Interview: Senior Citizens of Belton

Project outline

Unrestricted/restricted Deed of Gift

PHRP: FINAL DATE TO SUBMIT, PENALTY IMPOSED.– MANDATORY TO CONTINUE CLASS

08Field time – interview (professor available for guidance)

13Field time – interview & transcribe (professor available for guidance)

15Field time – interview & transcribe (professor available for guidance)

20Field time – interview & transcribe (professor available for guidance)

22Submit transcript, (hard copy). In class,

  • Students will go over other student’s transcript, identify errors, return to owner.
  • The owner will make corrections.
  • Final corrected transcription due NLT Dec 03

Review Project, Statement, Questions

27TEST IN CLASS – 5 questions

29ASSIGNMENT: 2nd Interview: Student choice of interviewee

Project outline

Unrestricted/restricted Deed of Gift

Nov 03Review 2nd Interview; Project Statement, Questions,Unrestricted/restricted Deed of Gift

05Field Time – interview (professor available for guidance)

10NO CLASS, VETERANS DAY

12Field Time – Interview, Transcribe (professor available for guidance)

17 Field Time – Analysis, Transcribe (professor available for guidance)

19Field Time – Analysis, Transcribe (professor available for guidance)

24Submit transcript,(hard copy). In class

  • Students will go over other student’s transcript, identify errors, return to owner.
  • The owner will make corrections.
  • Final corrected transcript due NLT Dec 03

26NO CLASS THANKSGIVING

Dec 01Review Transcript, Analysis

03* Completed oral history projects #1 & #2 due on CD:

Audio of interviews

Corrected transcripts

Analysis

* Competed oral history projects #1 & #2 due on Hard Copy:

Corrected transcripts

Unrestricted/restricted Deed of Gift

08Review: Definitions of Oral History, Oral History v. Oral Tradition,

Methodology: Project Statement, Purpose Statement, Questions,

Transcript, Analysis.

10FINAL TEST IN CLASS – 10 questions.

7.0DROP POLICY

If you discover that you need to drop this class, you must go to the Records Office and ask for the necessary paperwork. Professors cannot drop students; this is always the responsibility of the student. The record’s office will provide a deadline for which the form must be returned, completed, and signed. Return the signed form to the records office, wait 24 hours, go into Duck Trax and confirm that you are no longer enrolled. If you are still enrolled, FOLLOW-UP with the records office immediately. You are to attend class until the procedure is complete to avoid penalty for absence. Should you miss the deadline or fail to follow the procedure, you will receive an “F” in the course.

8.0ACADEMIC INTERGRITY

Texas A&M University Central Texas expects all students to maintain high standards of personal and scholarly conduct. Students guilty of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary action. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on an examination or other academic work, plagiarism, collusion, and the abuse of resource materials. The faculty member is responsible for initiating action for each case of academic dishonesty. More information can be found at

9.0DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES

If you have or believe you have a disability, you may wish to self-identify. You can do so by providing documentation to the Academic Support Programs Coordinator. Students are encouraged to seek information about accommodations to help assure success in this class. Additional information can be found at

10.0TUTORING

Tutoring is available to all TAMUCT students, both on-campus and online. Subjects tutored include Accounting, Finance, Statistics, Mathematics, and Writing (APA and MLA). Tutors are available at the Tutoring Center in Founder’s Hall, Room 204, and also in the library in the North Building. Visit and click “Tutoring Support” for tutor schedules and contact info. If you have questions or if you are interested in becoming a tutor, contact Ryan Thompson at 254-519-5796 or by email at .

Tutor.com is an online tutoring platform that enables TAMUCT students to log-in and receive FREE online tutoring and writing support. This tool provides tutoring in Mathematics, Writing, Career Writing, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Spanish, Calculus, and Statistics. Chat live with a tutor 24/7 for any subject on your computer. To access Totor.com, click on If you have any trouble logging in, contact Ryan Thompson at 254-519-5796 or .

11.0LIBRARY SERVICES

INFORMATION LITERACY focuses on research skills which prepare individuals to live and work in an information-centered society. Librarians will work with students in the development of critical reasoning, ethical use of information, and the appropriate use of secondary research techniques. Help may include, yet is not limited to: exploration of information resources such as library collections and services, identification of subject databases and scholarly journals, and execution of effective search strategies. Library Resources are outlined and accessed at

12.0INSTRUCTOR POLICIES

  • Late Work: In the student needs to miss an assignment or exam deadline, s/he is encouraged to notify the instructor in advance. Arrangements can be made for such events. If the student misses an assignment or exam without notification, it is the student’s responsibility to arrange for a time to make up that assignment or exam. There is a 25% penalty for assignment or exam make-up without notification.
  • PHRP Certification has a deadline of October 01. Early submission of certificate accepted. Certification can be submitted after October 01 with a penalty of 10 points per day the certification is not turned in through October 06. PHRP Certification will not be accepted after October 06. If the PHRP Certification is not turned in by October 06, student will not pass the class. It is the responsibility of the student to drop the class. See DROP POLICY above. Participation in the oral history project requires the student to successfully complete and present to the instructor a PHRP Certification.

INSTRUCTOR RESPONSIBILITIES

“I take seriously my responsibility to evaluate students’ historical understanding, to provide substantive and timely feedback, to assist students in improving their individual abilities in research and writing skills in Oral History.”

The Instructor reserves the right to amend this syllabus at any time!

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