Dickinson College - Spring 2009


History 204

Historical Methodology

W 1:30 in the library Bechtel Room
Prof. Karl D. Qualls   -   Denny 307  -  (717) 245-1774 - Email: quallsk@dickinson.edu   Office hours: T 9:00-12:00

I reserve the right to adjust any part of this syllabus, with reasonable prior notice, in order to accommodate the needs of students.

Any history class should serve at least three purposes: 1) to create a more informed human being who can speak intelligently on a wide range of topics, 2) to provide a lens through which to observe and interpret our current condition in the United States and within a larger global community, 3) to teach the life skills of thinking, writing, and communicating.

Our objectives are: 

  • to learn how historians practice their craft (e.g., defining questions, finding sources, reading and interpreting those sources, constructing an argument)
  • to practice deep thought 
  • to learn how to write and communicate more effectively as historians (see my grading criteria for writing) 

Our course will be based on conducting original primary source research on the 1920s and 1930s when most of the world was recovering from the "Great War" and revolutions, suffering (or prospering) from a devastating economic depression, and struggling to come to terms with new cultural media and ruling systems. Several world leaders created new social programs in an attempt to ameliorate the worst of the effects. Internationally, fascism and communism rose as political/economic systems that seemed to adapt much better than democracy and capitalism to the new global economy. Our task this semester will be to unwrap, reveal, and reconstruct this past and hopefully gain a better understanding of the decades.

Throughout the semester, we will concentrate on the skills that professional historians use every day. This, then, will culminate in "doing" history rather than relying on someone else's version of it. You MUST always remember that history does not exist; it is created. This course will teach you how to responsibly create history. History is not objective and many historians have used history for their subjective agendas, which we must avoid at all costs. If you have followed the news in the last few years, several prominent American historians are facing shame, ridicule, scorn, and professional sanction because they have plagiarized. Thus, beyond learning how to wield the tools of the discipline, we will also discuss the ethics of the historical profession and attempt to shed light on one of the most difficult to define sins of academic life: plagiarism.

Requirements
First and foremost the course will require diligence and hard work. If you are taking this course only for the "W" requirement, you will likely want to rethink your choice. To do well, you must spend 10-15 hours per week on your reearch once it begins in earnest. Anything less will give you inadequate time to bring together the information and ideas you need to make a convincing argument. History takes time and patience. You cannot merely conduct an experiment to find "truth." You must search, dig, discard, start over, and revise. This all takes time...much more time than you have likely spent for any course thus far. Most of you will work harder in this course than any other you have taken in college. If this is not the most difficult and exciting history course you have had, then I have not done my job correctly. History is not the memorization of names, dates, and events. Rather, history is a complex process of investigation, interpretation, and communication of findings. Thus, you will be required to attend every class without exception. Any absence without due cause, which is subject to my judgment, will dramatically affect your final grade. The reasons are simple: we will be learning complex skills and benefiting from peer evaluation. If you miss class you will hurt not only your own performance, but also that of your peers. This will not be allowed. Historians lead an odd life of solitude while in the archives and public communication and scrutiny of findings at conferences and in the journal articles and books that we write. You too must learn to live this odd life. Throughout the semester we will balance between group activity and independent research that will require great initiative and creativity. I will not spoon feed you. You will be shown a path and it is up to you to make the trek. Students who work hard will improve greatly; those who choose not to take this course seriously will fail. Your grade will reflect your performance, whether good or bad. I have no problem failing students who have earned it. Whenever you need help, however, I and your peers will provide aid and feedback.

Historians are only as successful as the histories they construct; therefore, communication skills will receive priority attention in this course. Because this is a "W" course, we will spend a great deal of time discussing formal analytical writing. We will post our written work to Gateway for critique by all members of the class, and we will briefly practice formal oral presentations of our research.

Active attendance and participation and communication (both written and oral) will be essential for you to prosper in this course. You may not merely sit in class and listen. A substantial portion of your grade depends on you being an active member of the class. This means both speaking and listening, and your participation will be evaluated based on quality rather than quantity. Note-taking is essential preparation for each class discussion, and notes from readings, research, and class discussions should be placed in a single notebook with dated entries.. You should be able to summarize the main points of each reading, discuss the questions or problems it raised in your mind, and place it in context with other readings. I expect the discussions to be open, honest, and civil. I expect and hope for disagreements. You will defend your positions and challenge others with reason and logic. The anti-intellectual bashing of journalists, talking heads, politicians, and average citizens will not be tolerated.

You must also practice civil discourse in communication with me and peers. Thus, the email beginning, "Yo, Prof." will be ignored. If you email me you should begin with a proper salutation, write in complete and grammatically correct sentences, and conclude with an appropriate sign-off. I will neither read nor respond to sloppy discourse. I prefer face-to-face conversations or phone calls. We can accomplish much more in direct communication. If I am unavailable, you may email. But plan ahead because I only check email once or twice a day at most.

Out of respect for me and your peers, please turn off cell phones. I will answer the calls and ask you to leave the classroom for the rest of the period.

Disability Statement

Requests for academic accommodations are to be made during the first three weeks of the semester (except for unusual circumstances) so that appropriate arrangements can be made.  Students are required to register with Academic Resource Services in the Advising Office located on the first floor of Biddle House (contact ext. 1080 or waybranj@dickinson.edu)to verify their eligibility for appropriate accommodations. Likewise, any conflicts with religious holidays must be pointed out to me by the end of the second week.
Academic Honesty

This course follows the College's policy on plagiarism as defined in Students Records, Rights, and Responsibilities and Proscriptions on Conduct. Please ask any questions in advance in order to avoid potential problems. Academic honesty is fundamental to the activities and principles of a college. All members of the academic community must be confident that each person's work has been responsibly and honorably acquired, developed, and presented. Any effort to gain an advantage not given to all students is dishonest whether or not the effort is successful. The academic community regards academic dishonesty as an extremely serious matter, with serious consequences. When in doubt about plagiarism, paraphrasing, quoting, or collaboration, consult the Student Handbook or ask me.

 
Reading list

In addition to the texts that you will find on our Gateway course site, the following are available for purchase in the bookstore.

  • Benjamin, A Student's Guide to History
  • Tey, Daughter of Time
  • Kate Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations

In addition, all students should read and regularly consult Strunk's and White's classic Elements of Style eithe on-line or by purchasing the book (less that $5 most likely). I would dare say that few serious writers have concluded their careers without reading this pithy reference.

Grades will be distributed as follows:

Essay on Historians  10 percent
Primary Source Analysis  15 percent
Research Proposal   15 percent
Research Paper  30 percent
Class Participation  25 percent
Presentation 5 percent

Late work is simply unacceptable because it unfairly penalizes students who have submitted the work on time. Most of our work will be peer reviewed, so late submission will directly affect at least one other member in the course. Thus, any deadline missed (even by a minute) will result in a 50 percent reduction in the grade for the assignment for each day it is late. If any assignment is not submitted it will result in a failing grade for the course.

Unless otherwise noted in class, all written work below a "C," except the final paper, must be rewritten within one week after I return them. Rewrites will continue until the papers represent "C" quality work.  The final grade for each task will be an average of all attempts, but not higher than a "C".  This, hopefully, will encourage the best possible work on the first attempt and reward students accordingly.  It should also ensure that by the end of the class each student should be well on her/his way to becoming a successful and effective writer.

You must keep all assignments and my comments and be prepared to send them to me at any time.

Important Dates

  • Spring Break: March 8-13
  • Roll Call Grades Due: March 5
  • Last Day to Withdraw: March 27
  • Classes End: May 1

January 21: What is History and Introduction to the Course

Jules Benjamin, A Student’s Guide to History, ch. 1.

Two of the following:

  1. Carl Becker, “Everyman His Own Historian”
  2. Charles Beard, “Written History as an Act of Faith”
  3. Edward Carr, “The Historian and His Facts”
  4. Barbara Tuchman, “In Search of History” and “When Does History Happen?” from our Gateway course site

Locating secondary sources: Chris Bombaro (2:45)

Historian Essay due 

January 28: The Detective/Historian and Introduction to the Archives

Benjamin, "How to Read a History Assignment and Take Notes"

Josephine Tey, Daughter of Time

Introduction to the Archives with Jim Gerencser and Malinda Triller

Short bibliography project on secondary sources due

February 4:

Benjamin, "How to Research a History Topic"

Locating primary sources: Chris Bombaro

Locating primary sources in the archive: Jim Gerencser and Malinda Triller

Primary source exercise due

February 11: Evaluating Sources and Learning to See

Qualls, Chapter 5 and figures 5-11 (on Gateway).

Underworld (extracts)

Short bibliography on primary sources for Chris Bombaro.

Discussion of possible research topics with Jim and Malinda:

 

February 18: Developing an Argument

Natalie Zemon Davis, “The Rites of Violence: Religious Riot in Sixteenth-Century France,” Past and Present 59 (1973): 51-91.

James Axtell and William C. Sturtevant, “The Unkindest Cut, or Who Invented Scalping?,” William and Mary Quarterly 37 (1980): 451-72.

Research ideas due

 

February 25: Uniting Concepts and Details

E.P. Thompson, “Time, Work Discipline, and Industrial Capitalism,” Past and Present 38 (1967): 56-97.

Peter Holquist, "Information is the Alpha and Omega of Our Work"

 

March 4: Discuss Primary Sources and Research Proposals

Research proposals due at noon on Monday before class

Peer review in class

March 11: Spring Break

March 18: Moving from Research to Writing: Notes and Outlines

Benjamin, Chapter 5, “How to Write a Research Paper”

March 25: Types of History: Comparative

Tentative: Schivelbusch, Kershaw/Levin

Outline due

April 1: No Class

Tentative: Kotkin, "Modern Times" and Holquist, "Information is the Alpha and Omega of Our Work," reprised

April 8:

Presentations and Peer Review

April 15: ROUGH DRAFTS DUE

Presentations and Peer Review

April 22:

Individual Meetings

April 29:

Presentations and Peer Review

Final Paper due no later than 09:00 May 12. Earlier submissions are welcomed!!

Human and Online Resources