Center for Teaching and Learning

HISTORY 420:  SENIOR SEMINAR

FALL 2004

Katharine Kennedy

316 Buttrick

ext. 6239;  e-mail:  kkennedy

Office hours:  MW 2:30-3:30;  TTh 11:30-12:30 and by appointment.

              The senior seminar provides an opportunity for each history major to study in some depth a topic of special interest to her and to communicate what she has learned through a substantial paper and an oral presentation.  While encouraging students to think intentionally about the practice and theory of being a historian, class sessions will support and structure the process of designing your project, conducting your research, developing an argument, writing your paper, and presenting your results.  This culminating experience of the history major should encourage students to apply and reflect on the skills and knowledge they have gained throughout their coursework for the major, and provide a context for sharing research with other students.  Class sessions will be devoted to workshops and small group discussions related to students’ individual projects, discussion of selected readings on a range of historical subjects, and, during the final weeks of the term, to individual student presentations. 

Schedule:

Reading Material

All required readings are available either through JSTOR or in a packet, for which I will collect copying costs.  Although there are no required textbooks for this course, you will find it useful to own a copy of K. Turabian, J. Grossman, and A. Bennett, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. 

Grading: 

Final Paper:  45%

Presentation:  20%

Draft Paper:  10%

Participation:  15%

Other written assignments:  10%

Grading Scale:

Assignments:

1. Seminar Paper.  The final paper should present a well-developed argument, cite appropriate primary and secondary sources, and reflect knowledge of the historiographical context of your topic.  The length should be 20-25 pages.  Documentation using the Chicago style is required.  Please submit 2 hard copies of your paper any time between December 3 and December 8.  I will grade papers in the order that I receive them! I would like to keep a file copy of each paper.  You will have an opportunity to submit a corrected version after the return of your graded paper.

1. Paper Draft.  Please submit 2 copies of a complete draft of your paper on November 18 or 19.  You will exchange drafts with another student in the class and comment on your classmate’s paper.  I will read and comment on all of the drafts.  You will receive a grade on the draft.

1. Other written assignments.  You will be required to complete a series of preliminary assignments related to your research and reading, as indicated above.  Failure to submit these assignments, on time, will result in a sharp reduction in your grade.  You will receive a letter grade on the prospectus and the annotated bibliography, and a check plus plus, check plus, check, or check minus on other assignments.

1. Class participation and reading.  The amount of reading assigned for this course has been limited to allow time for work on your individual project.  Completion, on time, of all assigned reading is essential.  This class is the only opportunity that senior history majors have to work together and learn from each other.  You have a responsibility to participate in discussion and to listen carefully to your classmates.  I trust that you will be respectful and considerate of each other.  Regular attendance is required.  Absences in excess of 3 will generally result in the lowering of your grade.  If serious illness or crisis prevents you from attending class, let me know.

1.  Presentation.  Each student will present the results of her research to the seminar in the form of a 25 to 30-minute “mini-class.”  The presentation should offer a well-organized, well-informed, and interesting introduction to your chosen topic, pitched at a level appropriate for your audience.  A brief discussion will follow each presentation.  In compiling a schedule for presentations, which will take place during the final weeks of the semester, I will attempt to take into account student preferences as well as the grouping of presentations on related topics. 

 Written work is due as indicated above.  An extension will be granted only in the case of serious illness or crisis.  Otherwise, the penalty for late work will be 1/3 letter grade per day. 

It is virtually impossible to reschedule an oral presentation.  Please make every effort to present on the assigned day. 

STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC HONESTY

As a member of this class, you are part of both t the Agnes Scott College community and a larger community of historians.  You have joined two communities that are devoted to sharing and creating knowledge.  This process depends, however, on the intellectual honor and correct scholarly techniques of everyone involved.  Always acknowledge the sources of ideas and information.  Borrowing even a sentence or two from someone else’s work without proper citation is plagiarism, which is a most serious violation of the Agnes Scott Honor Code, one that typically results in suspension or dismissal.  As you conduct your research, be scrupulous in noting and attributing your sources.  The reader of your paper should be able to retrace the footsteps that you took in carrying out your research.  As a student at Agnes Scott and as a history student, you are responsible for learning these techniques and applying them properly.  We will discuss this further in class, but, by all means, see me if you have questions. 

Agnes Scott College Center for Teaching and Learning Buttrick Hall Room 101 141 East College Avenue, Decatur, GA 30030