History 3010

Introduction to Public History

Fall 2014

Section 90 (CRN 80265) Dr. Randall S. Gooden

M 3:35-4:50 p.m. Office Hours: Monday 5:00-6:15 p.m., Wednesday 12:30-2:00 p.m. and

NBS 143 3:30-6:15 p.m. and by appointment

Office: Arts & Sciences G214A

Phone: 678-466-4817

E-Mail:

Web Address:

This course will introduce the student to the discipline of public history in preparation for pursuing advanced studies in the field and to guide in understanding the application of history outside of academia. It will explore various public roles for historians and how those historians are trained, and provide concepts of the type of work performed in public history circles.

1. Prerequisite:History 2111 with a minimum U.S. grade of C or History 2112 with a minimum U.S. grade of C and History 1111 with a minimum U.S. grade of C or History 1112 with a minimum U.S. grade of C.

2. Readings:Gardner, James B. and Peter S. LaPaglia, eds. Public History: Essays from the Field. Rev. ed. Public History Series. Malabar, Fl.: Krieger Publishing Co., 2004.

Assignments from Public History are listed in the class calendar. Students will find these readings important when engaging in class discussions and in completing assigned projects.

3. Notebook Computer Requirement:Each CSU student is required to have ready access throughout the semester to a notebook computer that meets the faculty-approved hardware and software requirements for the student’s academic program. For further information on CSU’s Official Notebook Computer Policy, please go to The computer is essential to communicating with the professor by e-mail. Students always should use their official Clayton State University e-mail accounts when communicating with the professor. He will not reply to messages from other accounts or to unsigned messages. Do not use GeorgiaView for e-mails. Students need a working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Microsoft Outlook, and GeorgiaView Desire2Learn in order to participate in the class.

You can gain access to Desire2Learn, by signing on to the SWAN portal and selecting :”GaVIEW” on the top right side. If you experience any difficulties in Desire2Learn, please email or call The HUB r (678) 466-HELP. You will need to provide the date and time of the problem, your SWAN username, the name of the course that you are attempting to access, and your instructor's name.

4. Reports: The professor will assign five reports dealing with the subjects of archives, historical editing, historic preservation, and museums and historic site interpretation, and oral history. Students will follow written guidelines to resolve mock problems and situations based on scenarios provided by the professor. Use of course knowledge (assigned readings and class discussion), independent research, thorough reasoning, initiative and originality should be reflected in each report. The professor will expect reports to be well-organized and of good quality. This means that they should be typed on letter-sized, printer or copier paper. When students are assigned to work in groups, they should discuss the scenario and cooperate on determining possible solutions or resolutions for the mock problem or situation. However, each student will submit his or her own written report. The report should reflect group discussions in these instances. Reports must be submitted through the Dropbox section of GeorgiaView.

5. Final Exam: Students should keep a journal of their learning during the semester. Journals should include notes about readings, lectures and class discussions, including tours and presentations by class visitors. You should keep your journal in Microsoft Word. During the period assigned for the final exam, students will be given an essay question, which may be answered by submitting their journals to the Dropbox in GeorgiaView.

6. Grading: In this course A=90-100, B=80-89, C=70-79, D=60-69, F=0-59. Each report grade will count as 15% of the grade. The final exam will count as 25% of the grade.

Mid-term grades will be based on the grades for the archives assignment and the historical editing assignment and will account for 30 percent of the grade for the semester. A zero will be assigned for any missing work that has not been excused by October 7 for purposes of calculating the mid-term grade. For missing work that has been excused, no mid-term grade will be reported. Mid-term grades will be posted by October 7. Students should be aware that mid-term grades are merely advisory.

9. Attendance:Students are expected to attend and participate in every class meeting. Instructors establish specific policies relating to absences in their courses and communicate these policies to the students through the course syllabi. Individual instructors, based upon the nature of the course, determine what effect excused and unexcused absences have in determining grades and upon students’ ability to remain enrolled in their courses. The university reserves the right to determine that excessive absences, whether justified or not, are sufficient cause for institutional withdrawals or failing grades. In this class, students must attend class before August 28, or they will be deleted as a No Show.

10. No Show Policy: It is imperative that students have a successful start of each semester by attending class during the first week and no later than the second week of the semester. A registered student who does not attend at least one class session (in person or by electronic equivalent) by the posted deadline on the academic calendar is a “no show.” For students enrolled in an online course, the instructor will provide details on how online attendance will be verified. Registration will be cancelled for any student who is submitted to the Registrar’s Office as a “no show”. The “no show” student will not be charged tuition for the cancelled course. However, there may be serious financial aid consequences for students who are receiving financial aid, since this will reduce the number of enrolled credit hours.

In this course, students must attend class by August 28 in order to avoid deletion. That means that the August 25 class period is the last chance to attend before being deleted.

If students believe their instructor reported them as a “no show” in error, they must contact the instructor immediately to resolve the issue.

Although a student will have the right to appeal the course cancellation, consideration will only be given if the student meets all of the following criteria.

  • A minimum cumulative Clayton State GPA of 3.0 (if previously enrolled)
  • No more than two prior “no show” instances at Clayton State
  • Recommendation of the instructor for reinstatement into the course

Students are eligible to attend class until the appeal outcome is determined. Appeals must be submitted by email to the dean or designee of the college/school no later than the last day of the third week of classes. The email must include reason for not attending during the first two weeks of class, recommendation from the instructor, and Laker ID. The Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and Academic Success has final authority for all appeal decisions.

11.Make-Up Work: A student may make up one assignment without question if he or she contacts the professor by e-mail within three calendar days of the exam date or due date for the assignment. Otherwise, a student may turn in a report late by submitting to the professor a written excuse or official documentation that verifies that the absence or late work was *unavoidable or due to participation in an official Clayton State University activity. Late or missed work will not be accepted except as provided above. A zero will be given for any missing or unaccepted work. A written excuse as defined above will be required to make up the final exam. All work must be made up or submitted no later than December 15, unless an Incomplete has been arranged.

*Unavoidable absences include health issues (including pregnancy or mental health issues) or injuries involving the student or a dependent, death in the student’s immediate family or of a grandparent, disaster, participation in disaster or emergency services or the armed forces, religious observances, car failure, power failures involving the student’s home, participation in a wedding party that was scheduled before the start of the semester, Internet interruption at the time of an online exam, auto accidents (either involving the student or impeding arrival on campus) on the way to an exam, and unexpected work assignments. The following are among the excuses that are NOT considered unavoidable: Weather (unless the university is closed), arrest or incarceration unless the student is judged not guilty, commitments to other classes, regularly scheduled work assignments, extracurricular activities other than University events, and travel/vacations.

12.Disabilities: Individuals with disabilities who need to request accommodations should contact the Disability Resource Center, Room 255 Student Center, 678-466-5445,

13. Academic Dishonesty: Academic dishonesty may include giving or receiving unauthorized assistance, acquiring unauthorized materials or equipment, furnishing unauthorized exam information or materials, and plagiarism and misrepresentation of work in graded coursework. Students who commit academic dishonesty will receive a zero for the work concerned and will be reported to the Office of Student Conduct. The specific policies and procedures related to academic dishonesty are located at

14.Disruption of the Learning Environment:Behavior which disrupts the teaching–learning process during class activities will not be tolerated. This includes but is not limited to belligerent, abusive, profane, distracting and/or threatening behavior. More subtle forms of behavior may also negatively impact the teaching-learning process. Some examples include: inappropriate attire, eating during class time, and unwillingness to participate in educational activities, in some cases, may significantly impact the instructor’s ability to conduct the class. A student who fails to respond to reasonable faculty direction regarding classroom behavior and/or behavior while participating in classroom activities may be dismissed from class.

A student who is dismissed is entitled to due process and will be afforded such rights as soon as possible following dismissal. If found in violation, a student may be administratively withdrawn and may receive a grade of WF.

15. General Policy:Students must abide by policies in the Clayton State University Student Resource Handbook, and the Basic Undergraduate Student Responsibilities.

*Calendar:

-Aug. 18--A Course Is a Course, of Course, of Course

-Aug. 25--History in the Public Context—Gardner: 3-21, 23-40 (LAST DAY TO REPORT TO CLASS TO AVOID NO SHOW DELETION)

-Sept. 1—LABOR DAY—NO CLASS

-Sept. 8--Ministering and Administering History--Gardner: 45-56, 295-306, 325-356. Online discussion with Rob Richards, National Archives at Atlanta, begins.

-Sept. 15--Historians in Archives and Libraries --Gardner: 57-74, 157-167, 169-185. Visit the Georgia Archives in the coming week.

-Sept. 22--The Business of History--Gardner: 75-86, 385-395. Online discussion with Lynn Watson-Powers, LWP Historical Research & Exhibits, begins.

-Sept. 29—Check, Please! Online discussion with Arden Williams, Georgia Humanities Council, begins. (ARCHIVES ASSIGNMENT DUE)

-Oct. 6--Persevering in Preservation--Gardner: 129-139, 233-255. E-mail discussion with Leigh Burns, Georgia Historic Preservation Division, begins.

-Oct. 10—MIDPOINT—LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW AND RECEIVE A ‘W’

-Oct. 13—FALL BREAK—NO CLASS

-Oct. 20--The Many Faces of Historical Editing--Gardner: 87-128; 397-412. Online discussion with Matthew C. Godfrey, Joseph Smith Papers, begins.

-Oct. 27-- The Impact of History. E-mail discussion with Charissa W. Durst, Hardlines Design Company, begins. (HISTORIC PRESERVATION ASSIGNMENT DUE)

-Nov. 3-- Sights and Sites: Bringing History to Life--Gardner: 141-155, 257-294. Take self-guided walking tour of Historic Jonesboro in the coming week.

-Nov. 10-- Musings on Museums--Gardner: 169-201, 307-324. Visit the Delta Flight Museum in the coming week. (HISTORICAL EDITING ASSIGNMENT DUE)

-Nov. 17--The Art of Oral History--Gardner: 203-216. Online discussion with Melissa English-Rias, Martin Luther King National Historic Site, begins.

-Nov. 24-- MUSEUM AND INTERPRETATION PRESENTATIONS (PROJECT DUE)

-Dec. 1--History and Policymaking—Gardner: 217-228. Online discussion with Russ Rodgers, U.S. Army AMCOM Command, begins.

-Dec. 8--Putting Historians in an Institution—Gardner: 357-369, 371-384.

(ORAL HISTORY ASSIGNMENT DUE)

Operation Study: At Clayton State University, we expect and support high motivation and academic achievement. Look for Operation Study activities and programs this semester that are designed to enhance your academic success such as study sessions, study breaks, workshops, and opportunities to earn Study Bucks (for use in the University Bookstore) and other items.

Learning Outcomes: The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia intends for every one of its graduates to become “intellectually and ethically informed individuals with well-defined skills and knowledge who are capable leaders, creative thinkers, and contributing citizens.” Furthermore, the mission of Clayton State University is to ensure that its graduates “communicate effectively, think critically, learn and work collaboratively, demonstrate competence in their chosen field, and possess the capability of adapting to changing circumstances and new challenges.”

With this in mind, History 3010 will give students skills to:

  • Identify and critically evaluate primary and secondary historical sources
  • Perform historical research using primary and secondary sources in libraries, archives, and other repositories of historical records
  • Write in a clear, analytical, and organized manner, demonstrating appropriate professional documentation methods