HIS485/6 Senior Project/Senior Project in Pedagogy
Instructor: Dr. Gary Kroll
Office: Champlain Valley Hall 323 Phone #: 564-2738 Office hours: MW 10-11, T 11-12 or by appointment E-mail: gary.kroll@plattsburgh.edu
* The best way to reach me is through email, not by phone. But please note I generally dont check email over the weekend.
Welcome to your senior project experience. We are working this semester on bringing your history project to fruition. You have an idea, you have a proposal, and our task is to assist you in researching, writing and presenting it either as a conference paper (HIS 485) or a teachers' guide (HIS 486). This class is not intended as a course of study in any particular aspect of history but is intended, rather, to be a framework within which you can complete your project with maximum success. It is assumed that you are prepared for the heavy workload that this process requires. You are solely responsible for the time spent on doing the research and writing this paper. We as a group will help you with feedback, encouragement, a structured schedule, and finally peer-review. You will be ready for your presentation to the assembled department and students.
Course Objectives Following this course, you will have:
1) Successfully researched a significant topic in primary and secondary sources; 2) Placed your research in its appropriate historical and historiographical context; 3) Compiled your research, interpretations and arguments into an appropriate scholarly vehicle - either a conference paper or a teachers' guide; 4) Aided your classmates in the completion of their projects through seminar, peer review and other forms of feedback; 5) Presented your research orally to the public at the Fall "History Department Senior Project Presentation Day."
But there is more My personal goal for you is that you experience a sense of growth and satisfaction in work. I want you to deepen your commitment to historical thinking, scholarly knowledge and the life of the mind. I want you to feel more confident in your abilities, not less. And I want you to see this as an investment of your time and effort that was well worth making. Stress comes when we feel like things are beyond our control. This should not be a stressful experience, because you have chosen this major, chosen this topic, and mastered skills that will enable you to succeed. If you plan your semester according to the schedule here, this should not be a stressful experience.
Course Policies 1
Attendance: You must come to every scheduled meeting. Anything more than 1 absence (without a legitimate excuse), and you will be penalized by one full grade point per absence. Late Assignments: Every assignment must be turned in on time Communication: Please enable, check, and use CAMPUS email. Please respond promptly and professionally to all my efforts to contact you. Required Statement on Academic Honesty: It is expected that all students enrolled in this class support the letter and the spirit of the Academic Honesty Policy as stated in the college catalog (If you cheat on this, your senior project, you will have sullied everything you have worked so hard to achieve in your career at Plattsburgh. Plagiarism and other serious forms of Academic Dishonesty will result in failure of the course and recommended dismissal from the History program.)
Course Readings There are no assigned common readings for this course. However, it is highly recommended that you have your copy of Mary Lynn Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to writing History available at all times. It is the departmental recommended guide for students. The required departmental citation style is CMS, a.k.a. "Chicago Style."
Grading
Schedule
August 27: Research Questions
Introductions to the syllabus and to each other Summer reading assignment Research Question Discussion: Formulating the Right Question
Seminar Assignments: You must meet with your content mentor this week, revise and finalize your research question/s, and be ready to report to your colleagues at our next class meeting
1 These policies apply uniformly to all students, but please note I reserve the right to modify them at my discretion, based on circumstances. Redefining Projects (including mentor visit) Abstracts (5) (oral report) Other class exercises Outline/Preliminary Thesis First Ten Pages First Draft Presentation (practice, formal, reflection) Final Draft Portfolio Assessment
5% 5% 10% 5% 10% 25% 15% 15% 10%
September 3: Expanding and Prioritizing the Bibliography
Revised research questions due at the beginning of class! Student reports on meeting with content mentors Bibliography Discussion: Primary and Secondary Sources
Seminar Assignment: You must locate, print out, and carefully read at least one pertinent secondary source scholarly article and be ready to report to your colleagues at our next class meeting.
September 10: Reporting Progress from the Library or Archive
Student reports on scholarly articles Primary Source Discussion: Analyzing Your Primary Sources
Seminar Assignment: You must locate, print out (if possible) and carefully analyze at least one primary source and be ready to report to your colleagues at our next class meeting.
September 17: Abstracts and Archives
Student reports on primary sources Abstracts Discussion: Understanding and Summarizing Your Secondary Sources
Seminar Assignment: You must prepare an oral report of secondary source abstracts and be ready to present it to your colleagues at our next class meeting.
September 24: Historiography
Secondary Source Abstracts: Oral Reports due in class Make appointments for individual meeting with Professor Kroll
Seminar Assignment: You must complete your final bibliography and have it ready to hand in to Professor Kroll at your individual meeting.
October 1: Individual Meetings with Professor Kroll to Discuss Progress (No in-class meeting)
Bibliography due when you meet individually with Professor Kroll
October 8: Slouching Toward Bethlehem
Thesis Statement and Outline Discussion Make appointments for individual meeting with Professor Kroll
Seminar Assignment: You must complete your introduction, thesis statement and outline and hand it in to Professor Kroll during the next one-on-one.
October 15:: Individual Meetings with Professor Kroll to Discuss Progress (No in-class meeting)
Seminar Assignment: You must complete your First Ten Pages and print out two copies, due at our next class meeting.
October 22: How to Peer Review a First Draft
TWO COPIES of First Ten Pages due at the beginning of class! Peer Review of First Ten Pages
Seminar Assignment: You must prepare a brief progress report and be ready to present it to your colleagues at our next class meeting.
October 29: Research Reports, Citing and Formatting Conventions
Students report on their writing progress Citation Discussion: Correct and Complete Citations are Essential
November 5: Individual Meetings with Professor Schaefer to Discuss Progress (No in-class meeting)
Seminar Assignment: You must complete your First Complete Draft and print out two copies, due at our next class meeting.
November 12: First Complete Draft and Peer Review; Guidance for Presentations
TWO COPIES of First Complete Draft due at the beginning of class Peer Review of First Complete Draft Presentation Discussion: Public Speaking, PowerPoint, and Professionalism
November 19: Dress Rehearsal Presentations
All students must be ready to give their Dress Rehearsal Presentation
November 26: Dress Rehearsal Presentations
All students must be ready to give their Dress Rehearsal Presentation
Friday, December 5: Spring 2014 History Department Senior Project Presentation Day
Final Class Meeting TBA (Finals Week)
Final Draft and Bibliography due at the beginning of class Portfolio Assessment Presentation Assessment Course Evaluations
***This course design is based upon one created by Drs. Schaefer, Neuhaus, Carey and other members of the History Department.