HISTORIOGRAPHY - HST 390
Contact information:
Instructor: Marc Cooper; Office: PACB 415 (History Department); Phone: 836-5511. You may leave messages for me and make appointments to see me with the secretaries in the History department office, PACB 410, or through e-mail at mac566f@smsu.edu.
Required texts:
| Benjamin, Jules | A Student's Guide to History |
| Ferguson, N. | The Pity of War (required if available) |
| Fogel, R & Engerman, S. | Time on the Cross: The Economics of American Negro Slavery |
| Le Roy Ladurie, E. | The Begger and the Professor |
| Schorske, C. | Thinking with History |
| Tosh, J. | The Pursuit of History: Aims, Methods and New Directions |
Content:
This course will pursue the modern history of historical writing, briefly considering issues in the philosophy of history and a variety of contemporary approaches to the past.
Goals:
By the end of the semester students should
1. acquire a general knowledge of history as a field of study;
2. acquire a general knowledge of the history of historical writing
3. understand how to employ primary and secondary sources;
4. be able to write book reviews;
5. be able to find printed and electronic primary and secondary sources;
6. be able to construct useful bibliographies.
Papers:
Students will write four book reviews. Students will also construct a hypothetical term paper's bibliography, and a paper checking the accuracy of oral history transcriptions. Each paper will be graded for style and content.
Attendance:
Attendance is required at all class meetings. While there is no direct punishment for poor attendance, those who attend irregularly cannot expect to receive full credit for class participation.
Pass / No Pass option:
A student may drop this course without permission on or before the 24th of March. After that date, a student who has a passing grade may drop with an N.
ETS Examination:
Each student is required to complete the ETS major field exam in history. Failure to complete this exam will result in a failing grade for the course.
Grades:
Each of the six papers, an examination over the Tosh text, a final exam, and class participation will be equally weighted. Grades will be based on performance; the instructor rigorously adheres to the University's nondiscrimination policy.
Academic dishonesty:
Cheating and plagiarism may result in a failing grade for the course. The instructor may impose all penalties allowed in the SMSU Catalog (p. 56).
Miscellaneous policies:
ESL and disabled students should inform the instructor about any special needs within the first two weeks of class.