Department of History

HISTORY 499, FALL 1999

SENIOR THESIS

Prof. Harlow Sheidley Office

The purpose of this course is to familiarize you with the process of historical research and to help you write the capstone project required of all history majors. You will be required to write an original thesis of approximately 25 pages, based on relevant primary and secondary sources. You are to pick a topic that interests you dealing with some aspect of U.S. history, 1763-1877. Your final grade will be based both on the quality of the senior thesis (roughly 80%) and on class attendance and participation (roughly 20%). Attendance is mandatory, and you are expected to complete all assignments on time. You should not expect a grade of "incomplete."

Each of you will have, in addition to the professor, a student referee who will critique your written work throughout the semester. You, in turn, will be a referee for one of your colleagues. You must provide a copy of your work for your referee and for me by 5 p.m. Tuesday evening. I will put a box on the bookshelf down the hall from my office for this purpose.

Required Texts:

COURSE OUTLINE

Aug. 26: Administrative details and library visit.
Students will declare their general research topics (see the attached list for suggestions).

Sep. 2: Discussion of assigned reading, assignment of referees, and dividing class into Group I and Group II.

Due: Marius, Short Guide, entire. Each student will bring in his or her bibliography gathered to date and be prepared to explain how he or she has approached building a bibliography.

Note: On Sep. 9 you will bring to class a primary document that is central to your research. A 1-2-page paper, answering the following questions, must be turned in to me and to your referee by 8 a.m. Wed., Sep 8. (due to Labor Day holiday).

QUESTIONS:

  1. What is the main theme of your document?
  2. What is a secondary theme?
  3. What is the historical context of your document?
  4. What is the main problem or question that arises from your document? For example, who or what influenced its author(s)? Did other author(s) state similar ideas? To whom is the document directed? What was the author's purpose in writing this document? 
  5. What is the title of another primary document that would help you to answer question #4?
  6. Name two secondary sources, one general and one specific, that will help you to answer your question.

Sep. 9: Group I will provide oral answers to the above six questions, and your referees and I will respond to your answers.

Due: You must provide me with a written description of your specific thesis topic; your choice is now irrevocable.

Sep. 16: Group II, the same.

Note: You must have a 1-2-page preliminary project statement to me and to your referee by 5 p.m. Tuesday, September 28.

Sep. 23: Group I students will present their preliminary project statements orally (3-5 min.). Your referees and I will respond (briefly). We will focus upon the project's coherence, feasibility, and possibilities for enlarging or narrowing the focus.

Sep. 30: Group II, the same.

Oct. 7: No meeting. Students are to work on their annotated bibliographies.

Note: You are to have your annotated bibliography, divided into primary and secondary sources, to me and to your student referee by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 19.

Oct. 14: Referees and I will respond to the annotated bibliographies of both Groups I and II (3 minutes maximum). We will try to determine if the bibliography will enable the student to answer the questions raised in his or her preliminary project statement and if the items on the bibliography are available.

Oct. 21: No class. You should be reading materials and giving structure to your project.

Note: You must give to me and your referee a detailed outline, indicating your introduction, the arguments you will make in the body of your text, and your conclusion by 5 p.m. Tuesday, October 26.

Oct. 28: Referees and I will respond to the outlines of both Groups I and II.

Nov. 4: No class. Time out for writing.

Nov. 11: No class. Time out for writing.

Note: You must have copies of your rough draft to me and to your referee by 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 12 (tomorrow).

Nov. 18: Referees and I will respond to rough drafts of both Groups I and II.

Nov. 25: Thanksgiving holiday.

Dec. 2: No class. Time out for revising.

Dec. 6: You must turn in the final version of your senior thesis by noon today (Monday).

Dec. 9: Final meeting. We will evaluate the process of writing a senior thesis.

SUGGESTIONS FOR GENERAL TOPICS