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Professor Juan R. García

Office Location: Room 227, Social Sciences Building

Office Phone Number: 621-1586

E-Mail: Jugarcia@U.Arizona. Edu

Office Hours: Tuesday 9:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M.; Wednesday 3:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M.; Friday 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M.; and by appointment.

REQUIRED TEXTS:

Wendy Bishop & Pavel Zemliansky (eds.), The Subject is Research.

James Davidson & Mark Lytle, After the Fact: The Art of Historical Detection (4^th edition).

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

History 396A is a capstone course in U.S. History for students majoring in the discipline. The purpose of the course is: for students to learn how historians research, write about, and interpret the past; and for students to practice the art and craft of researching and writing history. The course is designed to provide students with information, skills, and practical experience in reading, researching, writing, and interpreting history.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

Students in this seminar are required to write a research paper anchored in primary resources. The topic must confine itself to the United States between 1890 and 1980. The research paper must adhere to the highest standards of historical scholarship, be written in competent, if not graceful English prose, and contain original research, analysis, and interpretation. The paper must be 10-15 typewritten pages in length, excluding title page, endnotes, graphs, charts, tables, appendices, and bibliography. TWO copies of the final paper are to be submitted to the instructor on May 9, 2002. The research paper is worth one third of your final grade.

One-third of the final grade is based on written assignments (including the proposal and preliminary outline), on active participation in discussions, homework, in-class assignments, written critiques, and attendance. One requirement is that each student must submit a one-page proposal delineating the research topic, a preliminary thesis, and reason(s) why you are interested in pursuing work on this topic. A working bibliography (provided on a separate sheet) must also accompany your proposal. The proposal is due January 24th. Part of the course will be conducted on a tutorial basis. Each student is expected to confer with the instructor during the semester. At these meetings, students will discuss their progress, present a synopsis of their research, and describe any problems they have encountered. Students are required to participate in class discussions over the assigned readings. In addition to the texts listed above, students will be provided with supplementary readings throughout the course.

One-third of the final grade is based on student presentations and a written précis. During the semester each student will be required to present an oral report about their research in class and write a précis. The précis is to contain a succinct statement of the research topic, the thesis, major preliminary conclusions, and a bibliography of the most salient primary and secondary sources consulted. The précis is to be four or five typewritten pages in length. The presenter must provide each student in the course a copy of the précis. The instructor must receive TWO copies of the precis from each presenter. The précis is due on March 7th, 2002.

The oral presentation to the class, which is to be based on your precis, should address the following points: The content of your précis; how you have approached your research, techniques; research methodologies; sources you are utilizing; any major problems in your research or writing; how you are addressing those problems. Useful reference tools, guides, resources, methods, and experiences that may help your peers are also to be included in the presentation. Each "keynoter" will have 15 to 20 minutes for their presentation.

Each précis will be reviewed and critiqued orally and in written form by two students. The two reviewers will give the written critiques in oral summation immediately after the keynoter has completed their oral presentation. The comments should concentrate on the strengths and weaknesses of the keynoter's précis, presentation, and research. Rebuttals, clarifications, questions, and general discussion from the keynoter and other students will follow. Feedback from the commentators must be constructive, balanced, helpful, and insightful.

IMPORTANT DATES:

Proposal due January 24, 2002.

Preliminary outline for Research Paper due February 15

Précis due March 7, 2002.

Presentations of Precis Begins March 21st.

Final Paper due Thursday, May 9, 2002.

Your assignments are due on the dates designated above, unless otherwise modified or changed by the instructor.

Grading:

The final grade in this course is based on the three requirements delineated above. Absolute grading is used in this class. In other words, there is no curve for this course, and you are not competing with your fellow students. The advantage to you in using this system is that you know, at any time in the course, exactly what you have to do to get a certain grade. What follows is a summary of the grading scale:

A = 91 - 100

B = 81 - 90

C = 71 - 80

D = 61 - 70

E = 0 - 60

Points for attendance:

80 to 100% = +2 points

60 to 80% = 0 points

40 to 60% = -2 points

20 to 40% = Dropped from course

Attendance points will be added or deducted from the 1/3 of your grade involving assignments, book reviews, discussions, etc.

Grades from assignments and feedback from your instructor will keep you apprized of your progress in the class. Please do not ask me to provide you with progress reports on your grade at any time during the semester. I do not provide information about grades via e-mail. Do not ask me what grade you need to earn on an examination or assignment in order to receive a better final grade in the course. I am a historian, not a prognosticator. Besides, projecting final grades always leads to problems.

I will not assign an incomplete for this course.

All assignments submitted after the due date will be assessed a penalty of five points for each day that it is late. There is no make-up assignment for a missed discussion, or for an assignment that is not turned in within the time specified by the instructor. It is the responsibility of the student to ascertain if any work was assigned during her or his absence.

ATTENDANCE:

Attendance at all discussion sessions and lectures is required. Excessive absenteeism from, or tardiness to, class will result in a lowering of the final grade or being dropped from the course. Points will be lost for poor attendance, and added for good attendance. Refer to the grading information above.

CONDUCT:

Any actions involving cheating or plagiarism will be dealt in accordance with the University of Arizona Code of Academic Integrity. This code prohibits all forms of academic dishonesty, including cheating, plagiarism, and fabrication. Do your own work. Please do not come to class unless you are prepared to listen and to participate. As a courtesy to your fellow students and me, do not eat, drink, read newspapers, make or receive phone calls and pages, converse with others during class time, or engage in any activity that may disrupt the class or distract students. All pagers and phones must be turned off during the class period. Please arrive for class on time, and do not begin packing up your materials before the end of the class. Both actions are disruptive and discourteous to your classmates and me.

If you are having difficulty, please see me immediately. Waiting until the last minute to discuss concerns or seek additional help is detrimental to you, the student. It is your responsibility to approach the instructor about such matters. If you have special needs, please see the instructor within the first week of class. Every effort will be made to accommodate your needs. It is also your responsibility to keep apprized of any assignments, information, or changes to the syllabus that may occur during an absence.

This syllabus and the course requirements are subject to change or revision by the

instructor. Any changes and revisions will be communicated to students orally in class.