Thursday

January 27

Introduction, Housekeeping, and Blogging

January 31

Tuesday

BLOG URL DUE

Email the URL of your TypePad blog to me by noon 1/12/05. In turn, I’ll create a list of blog addresses for the class; the class list should be added to your blog as a list before class on Thursday.

Thursday

February 3

LAST DAY TO ADD CLASSES

Reading: Childhood in America/Children’s Culture Reader

Discussion: Readings

TypePad Post #1: Using the two texts, select and read one section on a subject that interests you from each of the two texts. For your post, briefly on what you read. Is there a topic or question that might lend itself to a research paper? In addition, comment on another’s post.

Thursday

February 10

Finding a Topic

Reading: Childhood in America/Children’s Culture Reader

Discussion: Readings

TypePad Post #2: For this post, we’ll reprise the previous assignment. Using the two texts, select and read one section on a subject that interests you from each of the two texts. For your post, comment on what you read. Of your readings, which one do you think might furnish the basis for your research paper? In addition, comment on another’s post.

Thursday

February 17

Primary Sources

Discussion: Primary Sources

TypePad Post #3: Childhood in America is a collection of primary sources, so you are familiar with this kind of document. For this post, find three primary sources, duplicate them, and post them to your photo album. (Be sure that you provide a citation and caption for your selections.) You may need to scan your document, download it, or do a “screen grab” to obtain a copy of your source. In your post, discuss how the source might be used in a research project. Because some of your primary sources may be quite long, you may post excerpts. Remember to comment on another’s post.

Thursday

February 24

Secondary Sources

TOPIC STATEMENT DUE

FENWICK LIBRARY CONSULTATION

TypePad Post #4: Post your topic statement your TypePad. The topic statement should be a paragraph or two in length and contain a statement of what you have chosen as the topic for your essay in addition to the larger historical question about the history childhood that your essay seeks to answer. You might begin by asking yourself a question about the material that we have read in the class and proceed to frame an answer to that question—or thesis. It should also contain, insofar as you are able, a discussion of the kind, quantity, and nature of your potential sources. In addition, respond to another student’s post with suggestions, observations, or criticism. Take some time to respond to a classmate’s topic statement via the comment facility.

Friday

February 25

LAST DAY TO DROP CLASSES

Friday

March 4

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS FIELD TRIP 10:30 AM–5:00 PM

TypePad Post #5: For this post, report on your experience at the Library of Congress. What did you find? What problems did you experience? What are your plans for your next visit to the Library of Congress or other repository?

Thursday

March 10

INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCES (Tuesday & Thursday)

TypePad Upload #6: In preparation for your individual consultation, post a discussion of what you have accomplished since the library meeting as well as the questions that you have or problems that you foresee.

Thursday

March 17

NO CLASS (SPRING BREAK)

Thursday

March 24

BIBLIOGRAPHY DUE

TypePad Upload #7: Upload your bibliography to your TypePad. The bibliography for the purposes of this course should contain a minimum of eight books and sixteen articles that you have consulted for your essay. The course requires that you use primary sources. These may take the form of books and articles written during the time period under study or other primary manuscript materials. Secondary materials should reflect the most current books or articles as well as some of the classics in the specialty. Where appropriate, you should also use the Internet, but the bulk of your sources should be traditional, print material.

Thursday

March 31

NO CLASS (Writing)

OUTLINE DUE

Discussion: First Draft

TypePad Upload #8: Upload your outline as a file to your TypePad. An outline can take many forms. It can be written with the aid of the outlining facility on a word processor, with a dedicated outlining software program, or on cocktail napkins. The point of an outline, no matter its form, is to provide the organizational structure for an extended piece of writing. It should list the main topics, subtopics, and references to the sources. It is also a good idea to include what you intend to use as quotations in the outline so that you are assured of their applicability and appropriateness. For the purposes of this course, the outline should take the form of a paragraph-by-paragraph outline of “what” the paragraph will do and “how” the paragraph will accomplish its goal.

Thursday

April 7

1st DRAFT DUE

INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCES (Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday)

Discussion: Content & Line Editing

TypePad Upload #9: In preparation for your meeting, upload a draft of your paper to TypePad at least 24 hours before your conference. The draft should be as complete as possible before your meeting with me because we will be going over the paper. Bring photocopies, printouts, and note cards of research materials to the conference.

Thursday

April 14

2nd DRAFT DUE

Discussion: Content & Line Editing

TypePad Post #10: Upload your paper as a file to your TypePad account. A first draft is not the first version of the essay but the best of successive versions of the essay that you can manage working alone or with the help of another reader. This means that by the first draft, the essay should have gone through several writings and been subject to extensive revisions. It should be in the best form possible with respect to organization, argument, grammar and mechanics, inclusion of quotations, and format. The first draft should include a title and page numbers.

Thursday

April 21

1st CRITIQUES DUE

Revisions & Oral Presentations

TypePad Post #11: Post a response to your writer’s paper in the comments section of the writer’s TypePad blog. Although this critique is not intended to be as extensive as the final one, you will find the “Paper Critique Guidelines” useful.

Thursday

April 28

Thursday

May 5

Thursday

May 12