Week 7: Style vs. Content

Potential local archives for projects:

Naomi - http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/tf9c6008vp?query=black%20migration%20los%20angeles

http://trio.caamuseum.org/default.asp

contact - (Prof. Wendel Eckford - eckforwv@lacitycollege.edu)

Molly - http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt267nf0c3?query=japanese%20american%20stereotypes

http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/ft9t1nb4jd?query=japanese%20american%20stereotypes

Brendan/Ian - http://www.nyu.edu/library/bobst/research/aia/

http://www.oac.cdlib.org/search?query=irish+convicts&x=0&y=0

(Clark Library - contact collections director Suzanne tatian@humnet.ucla.edu)

Korrine - http://www.oac.cdlib.org/search?query=guam;x=0;y=0;style=oac4;institution=California%20Institute%20of%20Technology

Michelle - http://theautry.org/research/braun-research-library

Melissa - http://www.oac.cdlib.org/search?query=soviet+union+women+work&x=0&y=0

article on good sources:

http://www.historians.org/Perspectives/issues/2010/1010/1010art1.cfm

Primary Source sites

The National Archives are on YouTube! Take a look at the link which may lead you to a treasure trove of sources for your topics:

AHA Today: National Archives on YouTube

Week 2: On Objectivity

We discussed the promise and peril of identifying "objective" sources and the some of the differences between collaborative and individual research. Take a look at this link about the inherent shortcomings of collaborative history:

Limbaugh Taken In by Federal Judge Hoax - NYTimes.com

On Monday 9/20, Prof. Chavez-Garcia will be talking about her research and some of the methodological challenges in Platner 201 from 3-4PM. Some of the issues she encountered included:

1. Record keeping for the girls in the state reformatory was poor at best and non-existent at worst.

2. Incarcerated youth had little, if any, social power in or outside the state and larger society, giving them few opportunities to voice their motivations and aspirations as well as their fears and desires.

3. The youths’ limited literacy and ability to write or read in English or Spanish is a fifth challenge in finding sources detailing their experiences, for few left written records.

4. Finally, while reform school and state hospital records and other similar state-generated sources do exist, the institution’s (and state’s) interests--and not the individual’s or collective community’s—are best represented, reflecting the values and ideologies of the state. The sources, therefore, reflect the larger inequalities shaping the imbalanced power relations between the youths and state representatives.

What do you think some of the potential challenges you will have in gathering your research? Bring these questions to the discussion with Prof. Chavez-Garcia!

reading primary and secondary sources

Writing extensive research papers also includes reading multiple sources efficiently and effectively. Before tackling your research topic, take a look at this link with suggested active reading strategies:

http://www.mindtools.com/rdstratg.html


You will learn about and employ various types of primary sources. Here's a helpful link summarizing the different types of primary material:

http://www.yale.edu/collections_collaborative/primarysources/primarysources.html

This link discusses the relationship between google and primary sources:



http://www.dailycamera.com/cu-news/ci_15679092

On Plagiarism

Plagiarism is a growing problem throughout higher education. Many times, students inadvertently commit plagiarism without being fully aware of their transgression. Below is a link which will ensure that you avoid such pitfalls.

http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/mla/plagiarism.shtml

We will also address the topic of plagiarism over the course of the semester. Below is another link discussing the recent trends and issues involved when using digital sources:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/02/education/02cheat.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1&th&emc=th

Public History Venues and Archives

List of Potential Public History Venues and Archives

This course includes weekly "history labs" where we will apply methodology. Most of the lab time will be held in the Wardman Library and focus on research and writing. However, we will also explore other historical methods, including analyzing and presenting material culture. We will also learn how public historians apply their craft. A few of our labs will include a group field trip to the Whittier Historical Society Museum and an individual excursion to find and analyze examples of material culture. You will present your findings in class on 10/13 and 11/8.

I have provided a list of potential sites for you to visit below, but these are by no means the only places you may choose. Since we are blessed with a plethora of venues here in Southern California, you have a wide variety of places to act as your point of entry (see http://www.museumspot.com/cities/losangeles.htm for list of other potential sites). Please feel free to discuss your choice with me beforehand.

This course also requires that you utilize at least two physical (in addition to digital) archives for your primary research. Once again, Southern California is filled with archives that will provide ample opportunities to collect material. Whittier College's Wardman Library also has several archival treasures that I encourage you to explore. Below I have also provided a selected list of archives (again, this is just a brief list and you may consult other archives after checking with me).

List of public history venues:

Whittier Museum

http://www.whittiermuseum.org/

Homestead Museum

http://www.homesteadmuseum.org/

El Pueblo (downtown)

http://www.lasangelitas.org/

Whittier Historic Neighborhood Association

http://www.whittierhistoric.org/history.html

Pio Pico Casa

http://www.piopico.org/

Other historic sites in Whittier

http://www.goby.com/historic-sites--near--whittier-ca

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List of archives:


http://www.socalhistory.org/resources.html

Paper Grading Rubric and Research Guidelines

Writing is an art and sometimes difficult to grade. At the same time, writing is also a craft. This is particularly true in the field of History, where the distinction between "good" and "bad" history can be reasonably assessed. In addition to the research paper guidelines below, I also follow a grading rubric for your drafts and final paper (click on link below):

http://history300earlyamerica.blogspot.com/2010/08/paper-grading-rubric.html



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History 380 Paper guidelines

Your final research paper must include the following:
- 20-25 pp. (12-pt font, double-spaced, 1” margins)
- at least 3 different types of primary sources
- between 5-10 (or more) primary sources
- at least 20 secondary sources
- sources from at least two different archives (this EXCLUDES online archives--at least two sources that you physically visited!)
- abstract w/bibliography

You Final Presentation must include the following:
- at least 15-minutes of presentation
- discussion of research process and content
- presentation can be conference style or informal discussion

Week 1: Introduction

Hello students and fellow travelers on the path(s) through historical methodology! This blog serves as a companion to our weekly class time. Discussions will include further explorations into the assigned readings, suggested related websites and links, and questions about assignments and/or historical issues related to our course. It is also a tool for you to share questions and thoughts with each other.

A couple of brief ground rules:

This blog is meant for academic discussions directly related to the course only! No private information or inappropriate discussions please.

Discussions should be respectful, cooperative, and articulate. By all means, feel free to use this blog to debate but remember to do so with respect and keep in mind that you're all on the same journey and will be working together in class as well.

History is as much a synthesis of analytical frameworks and scholarly debates as “just the facts.” Thus, throughout this course we will tackle historical topics as historians frequently do—through spirited conversation.

I look forward to your comments, questions, and discussions!