DRAFT
HIST 600: 20th Century US History
Instructor: Joe Austin, Associate Professor, History
OFFICE HOURS: email and by appointment (I am available most weekdays))
Office: Holton Hall, 350Office Phone: due to budget cutbacks, I don’t have an office phone
email:
Course Description
This is a senior-level “capstone”course on three decades in the middle of the 20th Century in U.S. History, 1940-1970. The course designed for majors and minors nearing the end of their undergraduate studies in the History department.The course assumes that students have taken a historical methods course that satisfies the degree requirements, have experience locating and interpreting primary source materials, and have written extended analyses based on their research. This version of HIST 600 provides the opportunity for an in-depth investigation ofmid-20th century U.S. history, butthe mainemphasis in the course is on designing and writing aresearch presentation based on primary sources. Students negotiate their research topics with Joe, but have considerable latitude.
This is the highest-level class offered in the History BA, and students are expected to devote a substantial amount of time each week during the semester to its successful completion. Based on national criteria, students should expect to work approximately 10 hours per week on this class as a minimum average throughout the semester, although the variations between individual students may be considerable, based on their skills and preparation.
Required Readings
Mumford, Kevin. Newark: A History of Race, Rights, and Riots in America.ISBN: 9780814795637 (paper)
Littauer, Amanda. Bad Girls: Young Women, Sex, and Rebellion before the SixtiesISBN: 9781469623788
(paper)
All other required readings will be posted on the course D2L site in the Content section or available from the UWM Library databases.
Course Goals
1. Refine and demonstrate advanced primary and secondary research techniques in archivesand databases.
2. Refine and demonstrate advanced analytical and organizational skills, and independent, critical thinkingskills within the disciplinary standards by creating extended historical interpretationsof U.S. based on primary sources.
3. Refine and demonstrate advanced writing and presentation skills in digital environments through blogs and an extended research project on the history of the U.S. during the mid-20th century.
Graded Work
50% of the final gradeis based on an original research presentation, 5000 words minimum, with the major arguments based on primary sources. Bibliographies and notes are not considered in meeting the minimum length. There is a separate sheet describing requirements and offering suggestions in the Content section of the D2L site for this course. The research paper is graded on a 100-point scale.
40% of the final gradeis based on 12original Blogposts + responses to 2 blogs written by other students + 1 email (see week #4), each usually 250-400 words minimum length. Blogtopic, due date, specific requirements, evaluation criteria, and some suggestions are availablein the description to each blog forum [in the Discussion section of D2L]. Blogposts can be saved as a draft or edited and revised until the grade date. If you reasonably meet the basic requirements, you’ll most likely get at least 80/100 of full credit for the blog. The final 20% of my evaluation is based on an assessment of your ability to integrate all the various requirements into a coherent, written whole. Each Blogpost is graded on a 100-point scale.
10% of the final gradeis based on Blog #5, a “process blog,” with short entries required every week
Schedule of Due Dates
The schedule below provides the Reading, Writing, and Research Work expected each week, as well as the Monday at 11:59pm Due Date for any work you are required to submit.
Week 1. Jan 22 -- Readings:“Intro US History Research Online”; “Finding a Viable Topic”; “Tosh-Historical Awareness”; “Historical Subfields”; “Academic Ethics Statement” (“sign,” and return to Joe)
Writing: Blog #1Introduce yourself as a student of history
Research Work:Begin exploring topics for your research project; search for archives and primary sources related to your topics
DUE Monday, Jan 29, 11:59pm: Blog #1(Introduce Yourself as a Historian)
Blog #5: This week’s short entry about your research process
Week 2. Jan 29 -- Readings: Littauer, Bad Girls, p.1-80
Writing: Blog #2
Research Work: Explore topics for your research project; search for archives and primary sources related to your topics
DUE Monday, Feb. 5, 11:59pm: Blog #2
Blog #5: This week’s short entry about your research process
Week 3. Feb 5-- Reading: Littauer, Bad Girls, p.81-184
Writing: Blog #3
Research Work: Explore topics for your research project; search for archives
DUE Monday, Feb. 12, 11:59pm: Blog #3
Blog #5: This week’s short entry about your research process
Week 4. Feb 12 --Reading: Select 2 Primary Sources from the list in the Content Section under “Blog #4”
Writing: Blog #4 + Email to Joe
Research Work: Narrow topics for your research project to 2; search forprimary sources
and archives
DUE Monday, Feb. 19, 11:59pm: Blog #4
Email to Joe (counts same as a Blog): Two (2) possible research topics, and a brief assessment of the archives/primary sources thatyou have located for each of these topics
Blog #5: This week’s short entry about your research process
Week 5. Feb 19 -- Reading: Mumford, Newark, Part 1, 1-122
Writing: Blog #6
Research Work: Extend your search for archives and primary sources related to the 2 topics you emailed to Joelast week
DUE Monday, Feb 26, 11:59pm:Blog #6
Blog #5: This week’s short entry about your research process
Week 6. Feb 26 – Reading: Primary and Secondary Sources on the Integration of Little Rock Schools, 1957 + your own primary and secondary research
Writing: Blog #7
Research Work:Decide which of two topics you will research; Search UWM Library for secondary sources on your topic
DUE Monday, Mar. 5, 11:59pm: Blog #7
Blog #5: This week’s short entry about your research process
Week 7. Mar. 5– Reading: Mumford, Newark, Part 2, p.125-223
Writing: Blog #8
Research Work: Your own primary and secondary research
DUE Monday, Mar. 12, 11:59pm: Blog #8
Blog #5: This week’s short entry about your research process
Week 8. Mar 12– Reading and Research Work: Your own primary and secondary research
Writing: Blog #9
DUE Monday, Mar. 26,11:59pm: Blog #9: Draft of Prospectus and Short literature review of 3
secondary articles
Blog #5: This week’s short entry about your research process
Mar 19 -- SPRING BREAK
Week 9. Mar. 26– Reading and Research Work: Your own primary and secondary research
Writing: Blog #10
DUE Monday, Apr 2, 11:59pm: Blog #10: Description of Major Archive or 3 major primary sources
and a secondary source book review
Blog #5: This week’s short entry about your research process
Week 10. Apr 2– Reading and Research Work: Your own primary and secondary research
Writing: Blog #11
DUE Monday, April 9, 11:59pm: Blog #11: Prospectus
Blog #5: This week’s short entry about your research process
Week 11. Apr 9– Reading and Research Work: Your own primary and secondary research
Writing: 3 Responses to Blog #11 + Draft of Final paper (Blog #12)
DUE Monday, Apr. 16, 11:59pm: 3 Responses to Blog #11
Blog #5: This week’s short entry about your research process
Week 12. Apr 16 – Reading and Research Work: Your own primary and secondary research
Writing: Draft of Final Paper (Blog #12)
Due Monday, April 23, 11:59pm: Blog #5: Final entry about your research process
Week 13. Apr 23– Reading and Research Work: Your own primary and secondary research
Writing: Draft of Final Paper (Blog #12)
DUE Monday, April 30, 11:59pm.: Blog #12: Rough Draft of Research Project
Week 14. May 1– Reading and Research Work: Your own primary and secondary research
Writing: Blog #13 + Revising Your Draft
DUE FRIDAY, May 4, 11:59pm.:Blog #13 is 3 Responses to other students’ rough drafts, using my evaluation sheet
Final Draft of Research Project Dueto Joe via email on Monday May 14 at 11:59pm
Evaluation Survey of the Course (extra credit) Due Wednesday, May 16 at 11:59pm