week by week
date work

Tuesday,

September 1

Discussion: Housekeeping & Introductions

Thursday,

September 2

Asking Questions, Finding Answers

  • Reading: Booth et al., The Craft of Research, Section II

SHORT PROJECT #1: TAKE-AWAY REPORTS DUE

Tuesday,

September 8

Exploring a Topic

  • Hine et al., The American West, Chaps.1–8

Discussion: Selecting a Research Topic

  • Using the text or your own experience, choose three topics in western history that interest you. For your short paper, briefly report on what you read about your topics and list five to six questions (5–6) about your topics that might lend themselves to a research paper. Your paper should be 1–2 pages. Finally, bring 21 copies to class.

SHORT PROJECT #2: PRELIMINARY TOPICS 1 DUE

Wednesday,

September 10

Reading: Exploring a Topic

  • Hine et al., The American West, Chaps.8–16

Discussion: Electronic Databases

  • Once again, choose three topics in western history that interest you. For your short paper, briefly report on what you read and list five to six questions (5–6) about your topics that might lend themselves to a research paper. Your paper should be 1–2 pages. Finally, bring 21 copies to class.

SHORT PROJECT #3: PRELIMINARY TOPICS 2 DUE

Tuesday,

September 15

Electronic Databases & Topics 1

(Meet in Fenwick Instruction Rm 214-A)

LAST DAY TO DROP CLASSES WITH NO TUITION PENALTY

LAST DAY TO ADD CLASSES

Thursday,

September 17

Electronic Databases & Topics 1
(Meet in Fenwick Instruction Rm 214-A)

Tuesday,

September 22

Zotero Demo or Primary Sources

Discussion: Short Project

  • Find three primary sources (a combination of textual and visual) focused on a potential research topic, duplicate them, and bring them to class. (Be sure that you write an annotation for your text selections and a caption for your visual choices and that you've provided your primary materials in the best format. You may need to scan your document, download it, or do a “screen grab,” or turn a text document into a PDF.) In your project paper, discuss how the source might be used in a research project. Because some of your primary sources may be quite long, you may bring excerpts.

SHORT PROJECT #4: PRIMARY SOURCES DUE

Thursday,

September 24

Presentation: Dennis Drabelle
(Meet in Johnson Center, Room 116)

  • A contributing editor at the Washington Post Book World, Drabelle reads from his recent book, Mile-High Fever: Silver Mines, Boom Towns, and High Living on the Comstock Lode, exploring the area that built the fortune of San Francisco, launched the career of Mark Twain, and inspired the television show Bonanza.

Tuesday,

September 29

Zotero Demo or Secondary Sources

Discussion: Short Project

  • Second, using the America: History & Life database or one of the other online databases available from the GMU libraries, select three articles (secondary sources) pertinent to your topic, read them, and write a brief annotation for each to include in your paper. Although you do not need to make copies for everyone, bring your own hard-copy versions of the articles to class.

SHORT PROJECT #5: SECONDARY SOURCES DUE

Thursday,

October 1

Making a Claim & Evidence

Reading: Booth et al., The Craft of Research, Section III

SHORT PROJECT #6: TAKE-AWAY REPORTS DUE

TOPIC & PRELIMINARY THESIS DUE

Friday,

October 2

LAST DAY TO DROP A CLASS

Tuesday,

October 6

NO CLASS (Research)

Thursday,

October 8

NO CLASS (Research)

Tuesday,

October 13

NO CLASS–COLUMBUS DAY SWITCH

Thursday,

October 15

Planning, Drafting, Revising

  • Reading: Booth et al., The Craft of Research, Section IV

SHORT PROJECT #7: TAKE-AWAY REPORTS DUE

Tuesday,

October 20

Individual Conferences–Research Progress
(Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday)

SHORT PROJECT #8: ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY DUE

Wednesday,

October 21

Individual Conferences–Research Progress
(Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday)

SHORT PROJECT #8: ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY DUE

Wednesday,

October 22

Individual Conferences–Research Progress
(Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday)

SHORT PROJECT #8: ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY DUE

Tuesday,

October 27

NO CLASS (Writing)

Thursday,

October 29

NO CLASS (Writing)

Tuesday,

November 3

Individual Conferences–Writing Progress

(Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday)

FIRST HALF OF PAPER & SECOND HALF PLAN DUE

Wednesday,

November 4

Individual Conferences–Writing Progress

(Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday)

FIRST HALF OF PAPER & SECOND HALF PLAN DUE

Thursday,

November 5

Individual Conferences–Writing Progress

(Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday)

FIRST HALF OF PAPER & SECOND HALF PLAN DUE

Tuesday,

November 10

NO CLASS (Writing)

Thursday,

November 12

Discussion: Victories & Defeats

1st DRAFT COMPLETE DUE (VERY IMPORTANT)

Tuesday,

November 17

Discussion: Oral Presentations & Revisions Plans

Thursday,

November 19

NO CLASS (Revisions)

Tuesday,

November 24

NO CLASS (Revisions)

Thursday,

November 26

NO CLASS–THANKSGIVING BREAK

Tuesday,

December 1

Oral Presentations (Group #1)

Thursday,

December 3

Oral Presentations (Group #2)

Tuesday,

December 8

Oral Presentations (Group #3)

Thursday,

December 10

FINAL PAPER DUE

SELF-EVALUATION DUE