HIST 106 - 1002
European Civilization 1648 to Present
Fall 2015
Pre-Requisite: There are no pre-requisites for this course*
Times Mon. 4-6:45 Carson Campus
Instructor: Daniel Echebarria
Contact Info:
Required Texts:
A History of Modern Europe: From the Renaissance to the Present Merriman, W.W. Norton & Company, 2009. 3rd Ed ISBN: 978-0393934335
I. Course Details
Course Description: This course is an exploration into the social and political history of Europe from the mid seventeenth century to the present day. Discussion will focus on the progression, trials and tribulations of those people who have helped shape the modern European nation states we encounter in the present. The emphasis will be on two facets of European civilization; how all aspects of the human condition evolved to create individual States and how those aspects helped create the political entity known as the EU.
Number of Credits: 3Transferability of Course within Nevada: Transfers to all NSHE institutions
Prerequisites: No course prerequisites but it is recommended that students taking this course are eligible to enroll in English 101, are currently enrolled, or have completed English 101.
II. Course Objectives and Linkage to General Education Program
The purpose of this course is provide a foundation of knowledge that allows students to further their study of Western Civilizations and European History and/or apply this knowledge to meet their personal and professional needs. The information in the parenthesis after a course objective refers to the specific general education (GE) learning outcome that the objective meets. Objectives without this information are not linked to WNC’s general education program.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will have demonstrated they can:
1. Exhibit factual knowledge of fundamental principles, distinct historical events, ideas and concepts of Western civilizations from 1648 to the present (GE 1).
2. Examine and explain the forces leading to historical change and political, economic, and social transformation through the location and evaluation of information including primary and secondary sources (GE 4).
3. Demonstrate an appreciation of cultural, political, and religious diversity through the examination of various Western Civilizations after 1648 (GE 5).
4. Demonstrate analytical and critical thinking through substantially error-free prose suitable in style and content to the purpose of the document and the audience (GE 2, 9).
5. Draw a conclusion about a contemporary or enduring issue in Western Civilization, such as achievements and/or resilience of peoples, and support the conclusion with appropriate reasoning and evidence (GE 10).
Prepared by: Kim DesRoches, Caleb Karges, Lane Simonian Form Revised 1/15/2015
III. Policies and Procedures
1. Attendance: is mandatory and will be checked every class. Full attendance for the semester is required but we all lead busy lives and emergencies do occur. You are allowed two absences (use them only for emergencies) before you will be withdrawn from the class. After October 29, students who miss more than two classes without contacting me or the school will receive an F. “No call, no shows” do not fly in the real world nor are they acceptable in this class. Since we only meet 14 times during the entire semester, absenteeism severely hampers your ability to: understand lecture material, stay caught up with assignments/notes, participate in class discussions and be prepared for unforeseen challenges of the course.
2. Classroom conduct: This course is designed to encourage a great deal of discussion about a variety of topics and issues including controversial themes and adult material. It is quite possible that there will not be a consensus on these issues; thus, we will work together to create an environment where all participants feel free to express themselves.
Class starts at 4PM so try to be in class by at least 4:05. A fifteen minute break will be provided around 5:15 so take care of your restroom/snack issues then or before class. Repeated leaving and entering the classroom is a major distraction for me and fellow classmates. Please refrain from personal conversations, checking Facebook and Candy Crush during class time. It’s rude. Those wrapped candy combos can wait. Please contact me via email if you are running late or will not make it to class for an emergency. Communication is the key to success.
3. Academic Dishonesty: This category includes: plagiarism, cheating, and /or falsifying medical excuses for absences. This includes the use of “cut and pasted” information from the internet without attributing a source and submitting passages of quoted text without use of quotation marks or proper citation. Any violation will result in a meeting with me, documentation and/or a failing grade on the particular assessment where the infraction occurred. This may result in a failing grade in the course at the instructor’s discretion. The determination to assign a failing grade is subject to the College’s Appeal process. To avoid the issue in the first place, review the following from WNC’s Academic Dishonesty policy at http://www.wnc.edu/policymanual/3-4-5.php. DON’T PLAGIARIZE!
4. Americans with Disabilities Act: This institution and this instructor are committed to accommodating any student who requires additional or optional resources in order to succeed in this course. Disability support services are available to any student requiring accommodations. You can access the Disability Support Services office at (775) 775-445-4459 or by email at http://www.wnc.edu/studentservices/dss/ .
5. Electronics: Use of cell phones, PDA’s, and any audio or video recording devices is prohibited unless prior permission of instructor obtained. To comply with WNC’s Emergency Management plan, cell phones are to be left on but set to vibrate so emergency communications are received.
6. Instructor Communication: I will make every effort to respond to email ASAP. Please consider getting a gmail account if you don’t already have one. Google has simplified the email/document/everything process. It is free to do and takes 2 minutes. When you send me an email, please put HIST 106/Your name-subject in the subject line.
7. Notes: Notes are your friend and besides the reading, will contribute to your success in class. Notes will not be emailed out if you miss class so I suggest asking a friend for theirs. I will not write everything that we discuss on the board but that does not mean that it is not important. As time goes on, you will grow more adept at note taking. Paying attention and discussion are the key elements to worthwhile notes. If you need something repeated, do not be afraid to ask.
8. Turnitin: All written work is to be submitted to Turnitin.com. The class number is 10258936 and the password is Scaramouche. Work not submitted by the posted deadline to Turnitin.com will not be accepted. All submission dates are on the syllabus. Go to the website and log in so you can see the rubric and what is expected.
9. Academic Help: Often students will feel overwhelmed by their workload, the writing level required or are just confused with certain assignments. Please ask for help if you feel that you are falling behind. I cannot help you correct the problem if I do not know that you have one. Once again, communication is key. The Academic Skills Center is an invaluable source for guidance and instruction. All work is graded with correct grammar and spelling in mind so if you have trouble in these areas, ask for assistance.
IV. Assessments
Test and Quiz Overview: There will be a midterm and final test given in this course. The final will focus on material covered after the midterm but written responses will encompass information and knowledge incorporated during the entire semester. Students will be allowed to use typed or handwritten notes for tests but no books. All exams are scheduled and no makeup exams will be allowed except in the case of verifiable medical emergency. Should you anticipate the need to reschedule an exam please contact me (with sufficient time prior) to the scheduled exam date(not the night before) so that we may discuss rescheduling. Several short quizzes will be administered (at my discretion) during the semester. These give me an accurate account of who is coming to class prepared.
Midterm 400 points
Final 400 points
Quizzes 25 points/ea 75
Short Paper Abstract 50 points
Short Paper 200 points
In-class Responses 75 points/ea 750
Figure/Event of Importance Abstract 50 Points
Figure of Importance Presentation 400 Points
Attendance and Participation 50 points midterm/end
Total: 2,425 points (points subject to change based on time
allowance)
Grade Scale
100-94% A
93-90% A-
89-87% B+
86-83% B
82-80% B-
79-77% C+
76-73% C
72-70% C-
69-60% D No plus or minus grades will be earned below 69% achievement.
59-00% F
Withdrawals are the sole responsibility of the student. The last date to withdraw from class is October 29. Students who do not attend for the full semester and do not withdraw will be considered dropped from the course with a failing grade.
V. Written Assignments
Short Paper: You will be researching and writing a short paper (3-4 pages) based on one of the important aspects of European history that interests you up to that point of the class. This short paper will give you the opportunity to practice your researching capabilities and Chicago Style formatting. All research that you use must come from peer reviewed/academic sources. We will go over these requirements later.
Figure/Event of Importance Paper/Presentation (Group work)
This final assignment for the class is split into two sections.
1. As a group (no more than 4), you will write a final, 8+ page paper on a historical figure or event which contributes(ed) to European history in some way. Who/what this person/event is/was is up to you but they must meet certain criteria (discussed at a later date)
2. You will present your research to the class via another medium: YouTube, Powerpoint, etc. This presentation will last 5-8 minutes. As with the short paper, requirements will be discussed later. The presentation aspect is worth 100 points. Have fun with this.
3. The torpedo that sinks most papers is procrastination. I will give you ample time to research and write your papers so please do not wait until the night before to get it done. It is easy to differentiate between those who worked and polished their papers over time and those who drank 3 Rockstars at 11PM.
4. Since these papers/projects require collaboration, make sure that all members of your group are on the same page and are pulling their weight.
Basic Requirements of Short and Figure/Event of Importance Papers
Abstract: Your abstract contains your research topic, guiding questions, and conclusions. Your abstract should be a single paragraph double-spaced. Your abstract should be between 150 and 250 words. It does not count as one of your pages.
Cover Page: Your cover page gives your work a title and your basic information. It does not count as one of your pages.
Chicago Style Citation: Most of you are not destined to be historians but while you’re in this class you are expected to research, write and use your sources as an historian would. Purdue OWL Chicago Style will show you everything you need to properly type up a paper to make an historian drool.
Sources: Your sources must come from peer reviewed/academic sources and can include: books, journals, or articles available through WNC Library http://library.wnc.edu/ or other learning institution sources. NO NON-ACADEMIC INTERNET SOURCES ALLOWED including Wikipedia, Encyclopedia or other .com sites found through Google type searches. Do not use Blogs, Newspaper articles, Trade Journals, or news weeklies. Failure to use acceptable sources will result in the rejection of the project.
Academic sources that are acceptable are online academic journals or articles available in EBSCO, JSTOR, or other library databases (public libraries). All projects must be submitted following Chicago style formatting for cover page, abstract, and reference material. A grade will be based on appropriate choices of reference material, proper use of Chicago style bibliography and proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation of abstract and cover page in Chicago style.
Deadlines: “I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.” –Douglas Adams
Deadlines are a part of life and this class is no exception. As stated, you will be given plenty of time to submit your papers to turnitin.com. After the final bell has sounded, late papers will not be accepted.
TURNITIN Topics
Each week I will submit a topic for discussion on to the TURNITIN message boards. You will have until the night before class to add your responses. Remember, as historians, our jobs are not to add meaningless, emotional opinions as valid discussion. Discussion responses should be well thought out and understood from the week’s reading.
In-class response writings
Each week you will be responsible for reading a primary source(s) which goes deeper into giving you a firsthand understanding of what people were going through during the time period we will be discussing. During the beginning of class each week you will be working with a partner on these response writings. You may fly solo as some people work better that way. These responses will be comprised of a 1 page understanding. Do you know why you read this? What are the important aspects to the primary source? We will go over these in detail during class. These in-class responses give you good notes that you can use during class discussion and on tests.
Participation
Lecture will be an important part of class however in-class discussion keeps the momentum of the class going and helps stimulate understanding and thinking skills. Sections of class time will be devoted to hearing what you have to say about what you (and your partner) have read. It is also a part of your grade for midterm and the end. Hearing me talk for 3 hours makes the class drag. Asking a question and getting silence is embarrassing. Do your reading before class and offer your insight on the topic at hand. You never know when I may call on you…
Chapter and Source Readings
Some of you may be speed readers and that is an admirable thing. For the rest of us, we need to be able to do a close reading yet at a faster pace. Many of these chapters are very long and you will fall behind if you attempt to read each one word for word. Highlighted parts, marginalia and succinct yet specific notes are the way to go. We will discuss this further.