Instructor: Dr. Steven E. Woodworth
Class Meeting: 2:00-4:40 W—RH 303
Office Hours: TR 9:00-12:00; W 9:30-11:30
Office:  RH 310 257-6293
e-mail: s.woodworth@tcu.edu

Description
This course will offer graduate students direction in researching secondary and primary sources and communicating their findings in published form.

Objectives
By the conclusion of this course the student should 1) possess a knowledge of important secondary works in his area of interest in this period of U.S. history; 2) be able to do significant primary research in that area; 3) present the findings of that research clearly and cogently in a form that will be submitted for publication.

Grading
Grades will be based on class-participation, 1/3, and a major research project, 2/3. Credit for the major research project will be allocated 2/3 to first finished draft and 1/3 to final submission.

Attendance
It is, of course, impossible to gain credit for class-participation without being present.

Structure of the Course
Part I: Secondary Readings
During this segment of the semester each student will fulfill a weekly reading assignment and report on his reading at weekly meetings of the seminar. A typical week’s reading assignment will consist of two books or a book and two or three scholarly articles. Each student will meet with the professor individually (during his office hours) to agree upon a reading assignment for the week, tailored to that student’s research interest. At the meetings of the seminar the students will share and discuss their readings. By the end of this period, each student should have a clear idea of the topic on which he will write his research project as well as an understanding of the body secondary literature that already bears on that topic. This should prepare the student to write a project that is significant and innovative. The students will also have determined the venues to which they will submit their finished projects for publication.

Part II: Primary Research and Writing
During this segment of the semester each student will pursue his research topic in published and (it is to be hoped) unpublished primary sources and will prepare the first draft of his written project. Each student should consult frequently with the professor about the progress of his research.

Part III: Revision and Submission for Publication
During this segment of the semester each student will submit two copies of his project to the professor. The professor will review one copy and give the other copy to another student in the class for review. In response to these two reviews, each student will revise his project and then will submit the finished copy, in a form suitable for submission to the chosen publisher, together with an envelope, with sufficient postage affixed, addressed to that publisher.

Tentative Schedule

The seminar will meet on the following dates:

January 16 Introduction

January 23 1st week of reading discussion. By this class meeting, each student will have identified his area of interest, identified  3 potential publishing outlets for his finished project, and (if those outlets are journals) will have read 1 article from each.

January 30 2nd week of reading discussion

February 6 3rd week of reading discussion. By this class meeting, each student will have identified the publishing outlet to which he will submit his finished research project, will have e-mailed that publisher requesting guidelines for submissions, and will submit a copy of those guidelines to the seminar for discussion.

February 13 4th week of reading discussion. At this class meeting each student will give a brief synopsis of the research project he intends to produce.

March 6 Seminar meets to discuss the progress of research

April 17 Students submit their first finished drafts and give oral synopses of their research.

April 24 Students receive marked up drafts & discuss final revisions

May 1 Research projects due in final form, ready for submission, together with addressed envelope & postage.

The schedule is tentative and subject to change as announced by the professor at meetings or by e-mail.