DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY
Junior I.S. Workshops: Fall 2011
Session 1: Tuesday, September 6
Getting Started, Getting Organized and Getting a Topic That Works
Session led by Madonna Hettinger, Shannon King, and Jeff Roche
Session 2: Tuesday, September 20
From Topic to Argument, From Reading to Writing
Session led by Kabria Baumgartner, Katie Holt, and Greg Shaya
Student Proposals Due
Session 3: Tuesday, October 4
Student Presentations
Thursdays, 11:00 – 11:50 am
Kauke Tower – Room 305
Guidelines:
These meetings are required for all students enrolled in Junior IS (History 401) in the Fall Semester. However, all history majors are invited to attend.
Please come prepared with notebook and pen and notes on your project.
Required Proposals: For the Second Session, students are required to bring to the meeting—and formally submit—a research proposal including: 1. Title; 2. Statement of Intent (the topic & its significance); 3. Statement of What You Hope to Show; and 4. A Working Bibliography (that includes at least one primary source and eight secondary sources).
Presentations: For the Third Session, we will break up into groups of three or four, joined by faculty. You will be expected to present your topic, your research question, your analysis, and your argument.
Required Reading for Junior IS: All students enrolled in Junior IS are required to purchase Mary Lynn Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing In History and Wayne Booth, et. al. The Craft of Research. You will be expected to work through these books on your own and will be responsible for making yourself familiar with their contents. Both books are available in the bookstore.
You will need A Pocket Guide to Writing In History as a guide to constructing a bibliography and footnotes. You will be required to use the formatting that she provides. A Pocket Guide to Writing In History also contains a definition of plagiarism that you will be expected to know.
The Craft of Research is the definitive guide to planning and executing a major research project. Booth and his collaborators provide invaluable information for all phases of the I.S. process from finding a topic and locating sources to editing and proofreading. We ask that you pay particular attention to the chapters on formulating a research question and developing an argument (chapters 3 and 4).
Most Junior IS projects demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of an important historical topic, but many do not have a well-conceived research question or an argument. In fact, the lack of a solid research question and an argument are the biggest problems that faculty encounter in grading both Junior and Senior IS.