DEPARTMENT
OF HISTORY
HISTORY
415
SENIOR
SEMINAR
STUDY
TRACKS
PROFESSOR
FEDRICK
HISTORY 415
SENIOR SEMINAR
FALL 2005
PROFESSOR FEDRICK
History is the record and the interpretation of significant past events. As a Senior History major you are expected to have a general knowledge and comprehension of the more significant events in American and world history. You are expected to have a general knowledge of the significant resource materials available to increase your knowledge of history. And you are expected to have a general knowledge of the major interpretations of the more significant events as well as the skills by which to develop your own sound judgments and interpretations of these events. Finally, I hope that you are able to view the study of history as “celebration and critique”.
This course is designed to provide you with the opportunity to integrate discipline-specific knowledge into a culminating senior experience. You will be required to analyze and discuss all facets of history and historical presentations, including scholarly works and public history. You will make an in-depth public presentation, demonstrating some aspect of historical research, study, or professional involvement. This course offers senior history majors an opportunity to both sum up their undergraduate historical study and prepare for life beyond graduation.
A. Objectives:
1. To identify the major events, persons and ideas of history.
2. To develop concepts and methods which give an understanding of what influenced attitudes and behavior of peoples in the past and present.
3. To practice critical and analytical skills in examining historical problems.
4. To identify and analyze significant problems and situations as they relate to continuing issues and the investigation of the past.
5. To become aware of options for careers and activities after graduation.
B.
GOALS:
1. To improve understanding of the major events which have influenced the modern world.
2. To understand the influence of the past on contemporary events and problems, or, in other words, to develop Historical Mindedness.
3. To be an intelligent consumer and evaluator of information about events in the world.
4. To develop a global perspective which recognizes the political, social, economic, cultural and technological interdependence of all nations.
5. To prepare for professional and personal life in our contemporary society.
C. General Learning Outcomes:
In addition to the more content-related objectives described above, this course promotes some general liberal learning goals of developing academic skills. It is expected that successful completion of this course will help you improve your ability:
1. To manage information, which involves sorting data, ranking data for significance, synthesizing facts, concepts and principles.
2. To understand and use organizing principles or key concepts against which miscellaneous data can be evaluated.
3. To differentiate among facts, opinions and inferences.
4. To frame questions so as to clarify a problem, topic or issue
5. To compare and to contrast the relative merits of opposing arguments and interpretations, moving between the main points of each position.
6. To organize your thoughts and communicate them clearly and concisely in written and oral form.
7. To obtain practice in selecting and presenting information and arguments within a restricted environment, including examinations, timed presentations, word limited essays or articles.
1. TEXTS (required)
Top
Careers for History Graduates.
Stearns, Peter . Thinking
History.
These books are intended to provide you with important factual and background information before discussion AND to be used as a review and reference work afterwards. Before class, read the assignments listed on the Class Schedule. You should prudently mark up, underline, highlight and otherwise annotate your books as you study. After class, regularly through the semester, you should review your class notes and compare them with the text’s versions of the material.
The instructor will give quizzes to test your textbook reading and comprehension
You are expected to use American and world history textbooks as reference works.
TEXTS
(recommended; not required)
Gustafson, Melanie S. Becoming a Historian: A Survival Manual.
Schulz, Constance, Page Putnam Miller, Aaron Marrs, and Kevin Allen. Careers for Students of History.
2. Class Participation & Attendance:
Participation and attendance are necessary because lecture and discussion provide the essentials for achieving class goals and objectives. Thus a portion of your grade
( 25 points) will depend on your in-class performance. You are required to attend each class, arrive on time, remain attentive, maintain proper classroom decorum, respond to questions, ask questions and participate in projects and/or discussions. For class discussions you should be aware of current political and historical events. For class discussions you may be asked to present a short oral report or lead a discussion without prior notice.
Absences due to College activities, emergency or extended illness may be excused by the appropriate College official. Other absences are unexcused and will substantially lower the class participation portion of your grade. After any absence, you are responsible for making up missed work, requesting hand-outs and already returned assignments, or borrowing notes from other students. Remember – one class missed is equal to three 50 minute day schedule classes!
All students who have a learning disability, physical handicap and/or any other possible impediment to class participation and requirements should schedule an appointment with the instructor within the first two weeks of classes to discuss available accommodations.
If
at some point during the semester you must discontinue the course due to poor
performance, illness or some other cause, be sure to follow proper procedures
for withdrawal.
3.
Academic Honesty:
Be aware
of academic honesty policy concerning cheating and plagiarism, and your
moral, ethical and legal obligation only to submit work completed by you
yourself.
For more information see http://www.kings.edu/infoliteracy/helpstop.html
4.
DUE DATES / Deadlines:
Meeting due dates is an important aspect of written assignments. You must make Oral Presentations on the assigned date or receive zero points for that assignment. Written assignments must be handed in, in person, to the Reader or to Professor Fedrick on the dates assigned. Late papers/projects will receive at least five (5) points up to twenty-five (25) points for that assignment.
Minor Writing Assignments:
Throughout
the semester you will participate in various projects in class (to be assigned)
and have brief written assignments due as assigned, each worth 10 points.
Total - three minor written assignments per student.
For presentation guidelines of the assignments and the Major Project,. Citations/Bibliography should be in Turabian/Chicago Manual of Style format.
Current
Events Studies
You will regularly read The New York Times and report on the historical dimension of current events (50 points - total). The instructor will assign a topic area for the coming week. At the beginning of the next class you will be prepared to present your thoughts, how it fits in the context of the social studies, and how it relates to other past and contemporary issues. You will also hand in a copy of the pertinent article(s) from the NYT and a page long typed commentary. You will be evaluated on the value of the story, the clarity of your presentation and writing, your connection of the story to historical dimensions, and your contribution to any subsequent discussion.
Employment
Skills Summary (25 points).
During
Career Planning and
Due visit to
Resume and Cover Letter due September 13, 2005.
A Career Planning and
History
Career Study Guide
You will also produce a Study Guide on one History Career (25 points). The instructor will assign you a choice from the principal text, Top Careers. You are then to prepare a Study Guide for your fellow students, with a brief description of the basic activities and necessary preparation for the field and at least seven (7) key terms defined, and three print annotations. Make and distribute enough copies for the class and the instructor. Your Oral Presentation (5 – 10 minutes) should not just go over the basics, but convey key concepts and opportunities worth knowing about in the field. Your study and promotion guide will be evaluated on its clarity, usefulness for review, comprehensiveness, and thoroughness. You should be prepared to teach and to promote the field.
Due Tuesday, October 25, 2005.
Major
Project:
You will have different assignments depending on which track is appropriate for your study. Your track must be explicitly confirmed by Professor Fedrick in writing after an individual discussion in his office before September 6. The instructor will provide you individually with more detailed requirements and evaluation criteria. For your Major Project you will submit a short answer question (and its appropriate paragraph long answer) for the Final Exam.
Track 1: Education. If you are a secondary education major or have other concrete educational career plans, you will be in this track. Your main assignment will be to prepare a complete lesson plan and assessment program for classroom instruction.
Track
2:
Track 3: Professional Historian. If you are planning to go on to graduate school in history or take a position as a professional historian, you will be in this track. Your main assignment will be to prepare a research paper on a relevant historical subject and to develop and argue a thesis on the subject.
Track 4: Other. If you have different, or uncategorized career plans (business, following your second major, etc.) you will be on this track. Your main assignment will be individually tailored to your expected future needs.
6.
Status Reports:
On the scheduled day of Status Reports you must give an exactly five (5) minute (no more than 10) presentation of the current progress of your research. You will also turn in an Annotated Bibliography. You will be evaluated on the clarity of your presentation, the apparent amount of work achieved, and the indications of thought about further progress. You must be able to answer questions about your project. You should, if possible, offer help to other students with their projects. It will be worth 25 points of your class participation grade.
7.
SEMINAR NOTEBOOK
You will receive a Senior Seminar NoteBook which is to be used as indicated and to serve as the record of all activities in the semester. All graded papers, maps, quizzes, minor reports, and your Major Project should be on file in the NoteBook.
8.
Exams and Quizzes:
Throughout the semester you will have to take exams and quizzes. This may entail knowledge from readings, or general knowledge about current events, material you have learned as a history major, map studies of the globe, and the material relating to careers in history.
To study for these quizzes, you should read any assignments, but also review material learned over the years, and attend to daily news reports.
The final exam will be made up of questions related to the presentations of the major projects and general knowledge of history and careers in history.
E. Grades
You earn your grade. It is your responsibility to understand why you have achieved a certain grade, and what steps you can take to maintain or improve your grade. You are encouraged to consult with Professor Fedrick during office hours or by appointment about all assignments.
For your protection, in case of errors of recording, you should keep copies of all assignments until you have received official notice of your final grade.
Your final grade will be based on a percentage of the sum of the following points:
10 for each Map or Topic Quiz or Written Assignment;
25 for Employment Skills Summary
25 for the History Career Guide and Review
100 for the Final Exam;
50 for the Current Events Studies;
225 for your Major Project;
50 for your Class Attendance & Participation.
50 for Seminar Notebook Organization and Maintenance
The
general grading scale to be used is as follows:
A+ = 98 A = 95 A- = 92
B+ = 88 B = 85 B- = 82
C+ = 78 C = 75 C- = 72
D+ = 68 D = 65
F = 59
Learning
is not achieved only within the confines of a classroom. To that end be advised
of the following:
Howard B. Fedrick
August 15, 2005
SENIOR SEMINAR Class Schedule FALL 2005
All topics and assignments on the schedule are tentative; the instructor may change them at his discretion.
Class Date.......
Aug 30 Orientation: History and You
Sept 6 Class – 6:00 to 7:30 American History Quiz
Career Planning Visits: Career
Planning and
Sept 13 Class – 6:00 to 7:30 World History Quiz
Career Planning and
Sept
20 What is a Historian?
Map Study Quiz
- Europe, Africa, and
Sept 27 History Review ……….. Major Project Topic and Thesis Due
Oct 4 No Class
Oct 11 No Class
Oct 18 Status Reports............................................... Tentative Bibliography Due
Oct 25 History Career Studies ..................................... Review Due
Current Events Quiz
Nov
1
Major Research Project....................................
Major Project Due
Map Study Quiz -
The
Nov
8 No
Class: Individual Meetings with
Professor Fedrick (required)
Nov 15 ORAL PRESENTATIONS
Nov 22 No Class – Thanksgiving Break
Nov 29 ORAL PRESENTATIONS
Dec 6 Review
Dec 13 FINAL EXAM