Office hours
Tuesdays, 11:00 a.m.-noon
Wednesdays, 1:00-2:30 p.m.
By appointment

University mission statement: To educate individuals to think and act as ethical leaders and responsible citizens in the global community.

College mission statement: The AddRan mission is to foster an intellectual community that explores the human condition in its varied expressions and educates students for a meaningful life.

Department mission statement: To educate students in the development of world cultures and to understand historical and geographical inquiry so they can think and act as informed and ethical leaders and responsible citizens in a global community.

Instructor mission statement: To enjoy life responsibly.

Acknowledgments: I would like to thank Professors Rebecca Sharpless and Jodi Campbell of TCU's History Department and Professor Renee Laegreid of the History Department at Hastings College for their expertise and advice in developing this syllabus.

Course description: The history major requires History 49963. This course emphasizes research and writing as the culmination of historical study. Students, in consultation with the professor, will design a U.S. history project to meet standards of scholarly publication. Students will learn rudiments of bibliography and historiography and conduct research in primary and secondary sources. Students will produce a 20- to 30-page research paper that relies heavily upon primary sources and offers an innovative interpretation. Students will present their research to the class and learn and practice basics of academic criticism by critiquing a classmate’s work. Students are encouraged to begin considering topics before the semester begins and to consult the rich archival collections available locally at TCU, the Amon Carter Museum, the Fort Worth Public Library, the North Fort Worth Historical Association, and the National Archives and Records Administration Southwest Region facility.

Course objectives:
Students in this class will learn and apply skills required for the professional study of history, the disciplined interpretation of the past. Students will practice two skills critical to this pursuit: conducting in-depth research and presenting findings in clear, documented prose. At the course's conclusion, students will be able to:
1. conduct research in primary and secondary sources;
2. critically evaluate primary and secondary sources;
3. use historical evidence to draw conclusions about the past;
4. write clear, correct, organized prose;
5. document sources accurately; and,
6. develop and demonstrate in-depth knowledge of a topic in U.S. history.

Textbooks and supplies:
* Richard Marius and Melvin Page, A Short Guide to Writing About History, 6th ed.; and,
* Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations: Chicago Style for Students and Researchers, 7th ed.

Assessment:
Reflections on U.S. History essay.............Evaluated, but not graded
Primary source essay 1............................50 points
Primary source essay 2............................50 points
Prospectus..............................................50 points.
Annotated bibliography.........................100 points
Presentation..........................................100 points
Peer review essay.................................100 points
First draft..............................................150 points
Second draft.........................................100 points (replaced with final draft grade)
Final draft.............................................300 points

Total...................................................1000 points

Course policies:
Grading
A+: 98-100%
A : 93-97%
A-: 90-92%
B+: 88-89%
B : 83-87%
B-: 80-82%
C+: 78-79%
C : 73-77%
C-: 70-72%
D+: 68-69%
D : 63-67%
D-: 60-62%
F : 0-59%

Attendance
Come to class. Come to class on time. Unexcused absences will reduce your semester grade.

Late assignments
Late assignments incur a 10-percent penalty for every 24-hour period or portion thereof that passes from the deadline until the instructor receives the assignment.

Conduct
Please do not talk out of turn. Disable or mute electronic devices before class starts. Read newspapers, work crossword puzzles, or engage in other distracting activities at your peril.

Students with disabilities
Texas Christian University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 regarding students with disabilities. If you require accommodations for a disability, please contact the Coordinator for Students with Disabilities in the Center for Academic Services, located in Sadler Hall 11. Further information can be obtained from the Center for Academic Services, TCU Box 297710, Fort Worth, TX 76129, or at 817-257-7486.

Adequate time must be allowed to arrange accommodations and accommodations are not retroactive; therefore, students should contact the Coordinator as soon as possible in the academic term for which they are seeking accommodations. Each eligible student is responsible for presenting relevant, verifiable, professional documentation and/or assessment reports to the Coordinator. Guidelines for documentation may be found at www.acs.tcu.edu/DISABILITY.HTM.

Students with emergency medical information or needing special arrangements in case a building must be evacuated should discuss this information with their instructor/professor as soon as possible.

Academic misconduct
Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Examples of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, the following:
* plagiarism (stealing and using another's ideas or writings as one's own);
* copying from another person during an examination;
* assisting another person to cheat by providing information; and,
* changing a grade, notations, or answer on a paper or exam that has already been submitted, graded, and returned.
Students found guilty of academic dishonesty will be penalized to the fullest extent possible, which may include failing the course. Each student has the responsibility to know and understand University and College rules and regulations. See TCU Student Handbook, 2008-2009, section 3.4, for a complete discussion.

Helpful links
TCU History Department Undergraduate Web Page

What are primary sources and why are they important? See what the National Archives and Records Administration says.

These National Archives and Records Administration document analysis worksheets offer helpful suggestions for studying primary (and other) sources.

The TCU Library's Special Collections Department contains excellent resources that could support numerous research papers.

The National Archives Southwest Region, located here in Fort Worth, contains remarkable collections.

The Fort Worth Public Library Genealogy, Local History, and Archives contains several collections and a number of useful resources.

Looking for quick online writing guidance? Care to consult with an experienced, neutral writer about your project? Feel free to use TCU's William L. Adams Center for Writing.

Schedule (subject to change):