the senior seminar: historical methodology sarah jones weicksel department of history...
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The Senior Seminar: Historical Methodology
Sarah Jones WeickselDepartment of History
Course Goals Prepare students to research and write a 40-60 page B.A. Thesis
(department-defined goal)
1. Articulate and undertake the historical research process2. Design and complete a digital history project based on individual
research3. Be able to articulate the range of ways of communicating
historical knowledge4. Conduct historical research using both textual and non-textual
sources5. Be conversant with historical methodology 6. Be able to “deconstruct” an author’s approach and argument
Sarah Jones Weicksel, [email protected]
Goals for Using Digital Component (swhistory.wikidot.com website)
Use online tools to facilitate the learning process and project development in ways that essay assignments do not
Help students think about the possibilities of digital history and audiences beyond academia (e.g. the general public)
Enable students to develop an additional set of skills as they look towards post-college careers and/or graduate studies, including web design and collaborative work
Sarah Jones Weicksel, [email protected]
Assignment: Primary Source Annotation and AnalysisYour assignment is two-fold: 1) annotate two primary sources, and 2) write a 2-page analysis of those sources in light of the
questions posed by your project. • Begin by selecting two primary sources that you expect
will play a significant role in shaping your argument. The sources should also help to explicate one another, or to help you approach the same historical question.
• Transcribe the two sources (no more than ~350 words each).
• Choose at least four key words, phrases, or ideas (per source) that require further historical context in order to understand the source. These annotations will be facilitated by the use of links in the online portfolio, and should be at least one paragraph in length.
• (Due one week later): Write a 2-page analysis paper that synthesizes the two sources, rather than address each individually. Select a heading/title that characterizes the sources you have chosen. Use citations where appropriate.
Course Goals: Articulate and undertake the historical research process Design and complete a digital history project based on
individual research Conduct historical research using both textual and non-
textual sources
Sarah Jones Weicksel,
Course Goals: Design and complete a digital humanities project based on individual
research Be able to articulate the range of ways of communicating historical
knowledge
The final assignment is designed to synthesize what you have learned over the course of the quarter, both in terms of methodology and your own research. Each student will design a digital introduction to their research project, using the site features to organize the project and present it to an educated reader. Images and citations should be used where appropriate. There are three components to this assignment: 2-3 page (equivalent) narrative analysis : Select a primary source, pair of sources, or an
event that is particularly illustrative of the central point of your project. Your task is to write a narrative analysis that both effectively sets up the historical problem posed by your paper, and hooks your reader.
1-2 paragraphs (equivalent) that posit your current working thesis about the historical problem set up by your narrative analysis paper
2-paragraph (equivalent) that outlines your methodology. (What kind of history are you writing? Which aspects of the project make this the case? What is the justification for your periodization? How does the periodization affect the framework of your historical problem?)
Assignment: Final Project
Sarah Jones Weicksel, [email protected]