BACK to History 170 Syllabus

The proposal is meant to serve two main purposes:

First, it should give me enough of an idea of your proposed project to be able to assess whether the project as planned can be completed successfully. The more detailed and well-thought-out the proposal, the more likely I am to approve the final project.

Second, it will make it easier for you to complete the final project on time. By doing this preliminary research early in the semester, we will ensure that you have the sources needed for success, and the time to process them effectively.

Overview of Planned Project: In other words, a description of the topic you intend to explore in your project, and the arguments you expect to make about that topic. For example, it is not enough to tell me that you want to look at the Chumash Indians in Southern California; I want to know what you hope to learn from examining them, and how you intend to go about the task of learning about them and forming your own conclusions about what you discover. You will need to balance focus and detail with the availability of sources. (In other words, the more sources there are on a topic, the sharper the focus and argument; the fewer the sources, the broader the focus.)

Annotated List of Sources: You will need to provide an annotated bibliography of the sources you will use to provide background and support for your project. This means that you must list not only the author, title and publication data; you will also need to write a short paragraph describing each source, its contents, and how you intend to use it. (In other words, you will need to find, read and take notes on your sources before submitting the proposal.) Web-based sources should also include a brief note as to the authorship of the material. Primary and secondary sources should be listed separately. *

Project Medium or Media: A description of the form that the project will take (map, paper, web page, combination, etc.). You must justify your choice: what does this form offer that others do not?

The project may be the work of an individual or a group. If you decide to work as a group, you must include a list of the group members on your proposal. It is up to the group to decide how time, responsibilities, etc. will be allotted among the members. Note that each member of the group will receive the same grade, and that group projects will be held to a higher standard than individual projects.

The project is fairly open in form and topic -- intentionally. Part of your task is choosing and focusing a topic. Here are the basic parameters:
The project must:

• address a topic relevant to the course. That is, it must have an environmental component and a historical component, and look at some aspect of human beings’ relationship within a particular environment.

• focus on a particular place, issue, or group of people. Ideally, it will do all three.

• provide a clear sense of the historical context of the topic under examination. In other words, you will need to locate the subject of inquiry in time. What is the history of the place/issue/group? What was going on during the time being studied?

• include a discussion and analysis of existing arguments (secondary sources) about this place and/or these relationships.

• involve primary research (using primary sources). A minimum of six primary sources is required. No more than two of these can come from the internet.

The finished project may take the form of a paper, a map, a model, a video, a web site, etc. or a combination of media. However, it must be of a size, durability, and shape to facilitate storage and transportation . Note that the same rigorous standards apply regardless of medium. Also note that non-paper media typically take longer to execute than you might think.

Papers should be typed, double-spaced in 12-point font, with 1-inch margins. Videos should be standard VHS format. Web pages should be loaded on a server accessible by outside providers, and should be readable by Netscape Communicator 4.5. Projects that require specialized software to read are discouraged. Models and dioramas should be no larger than 2 feet in any direction. Maps larger than 2x2 feet should be able to be rolled up without damage. Any project that requires more than one person to lift or carry it is too big and too heavy, and will not be accepted.

(Remember that I'm going to have a class' worth of these things to transport!)

All completed projects should be clearly labeled, and the name(s) of the author(s) should be included, along with the date and name of the course. All projects should have a title that gives a clear sense of the contents and purpose of the project. Projects that are messy, or contain errors, or are poorly organized will be marked down.

Time permitting, there may be an opportunity to present and explain your project to the class. If so, this presentation will be considered when calculating the final grade.

*A primary source is one that was written at the time of the historical events being studied. Examples include newspapers, diaries, photographs and first-hand accounts. Secondary sources are sources that analyze the events after the fact. Examples are historical articles, scholarly books, and modern stories based on historical events. A good rule of thumb is to ask “Why should I use this source?” For example, if you want to figure out yourself what people at the time thought or did, then you will probably want to start with a primary source. If you want to see how someone else explained why people did things in the past, you should begin with a secondary source.