HIST 200-02, The Historian's Craft: Methods and Appraoches to Historical Investigation, Fall 2007

Abstract

This course represents the key introduction to the history major. As such, it focuses on the basics of historical analysis, including research skills, examination and evaluation of primary sources, historical argumentation, good writing and proper citation, historical memory and public presentation skills. Throughout the semester, students will be involved in the process of researching, writing, and presenting an original work of historical scholarship. Each term, History 200 uses primary materials from a different event or era to focus student research and each semester students present their research at a “conference.” This section will use the Memphis Sanitation Workers’ Strike in 1968 as our focal point, but research projects may encompass other aspects of Memphis history. Most of the primary material needed for this course is housed either in the Special Collections department of the McWherter Library, University of Memphis, or the Memphis Room of the main public library on Poplar Ave. Let the instructor know if you do not have transportation so that she can help you focus on materials more readily available. We learn to write well by reading good writers and analyzing how they make convincing arguments. Thus, this course focuses on both research/writing skills and content analysis. The essays you will read in this course relate to race and class issues in civil rights history or are about the decisions historians make as they conduct their professional work. This is probably your first seminar course. A seminar means is that everyone shares in the responsibility of making the class vital and lively. This group represents your history family for the next 14 weeks! My assessment of your accomplishments in this course will depend on how you facilitate the learning of others as well as yourself.