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Welcome to HIST 1302 ONL (History
2 Online) –Independent Study Using Computer Information & Orientation – Spring 2012 Sections/Synonyms: 43487-087 45896-073 43372-067 45898-079 Dr. T. Thomas, |
This course is designed
for students who can work independently, from home or other remote location,
accessing course materials via the Internet. This course will acquaint students
with the basic processes of United States History, from the 1877 to the
present, using a textbook and study guide, with
opportunities for historical research. The course fulfills the
Instructions: This is the orientation for my HIST 1302
online courses. Read through this entire
orientation. It takes about 20 minutes. At the end is a Student Information
Form that you are REQUIRED to fill out and email to Dr. Thomas by January 21st.
Link to ACC’s Student Success
Resources for Distance-Learning Students
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BLACKBOARD |
PLEASE NOTE: I
don’t post grades on Blackboard. Keep
track of your test grades.
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COURSE HIGHLIGHTS |
v
independent-study from home – HOWEVER, students
who need in-person assistance MUST be able to meet in my office, at PIN Campus.
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no classes to attend – you work on your own and seek
assistance when needed.
v
5
exams, each exam 30 questions, multiple choice (no
essay exams).
v
exam deadlines about every 20 to 30 days.
v
exams
must be taken in one of the ACC Testing Centers
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study questions for each exam (available to download from this
website)
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one
textbook (James Roark et al, The American Promise, Volume 2, Fourth
edition – see Textbook section below for ISBN numbers)
v
research
paper required for an
"A" – due MONDAY, May 7th, 11:59 pm (TOPIC approval deadline is April
23rd)
v
book
analysis required for some
students for a "B" (see “Grades” section below for details) – due
MONDAY, May 7th, 11:59 pm
v
communicate
with Dr. Thomas via email, by phone, or in person
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§ You can register for this course online. See instructions at http://www.austincc.edu/register/ § To check on the availability of this course, see the Course Schedule. § If you are already registered for this course, please continue with this ORIENTATION |
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To successfully complete orientation, you must: |
v
first,
make SURE you are registered for one of these courses, #43487-087,
45896-073, 43372-067, or 45898-079
v
It
is YOUR responsibility to make SURE you are registered for the course BEFORE you
begin the orientation
v
read
this orientation/syllabus syllabus
v
fill out and return the Student Information Form
(located on the last page of the syllabus). Return the Form by email to Dr.
Thomas at tmthomas@austincc.edu
v
download the study questions.
You will need the Study Guide to pass this
course
v
contact
Dr. Thomas with any questions you might have
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YOUR PROFESSOR |
NOTE: After you have taken an exam, you are
ALWAYS welcome to come in and look over your exam to see what you got wrong and
to see the correct answers. In fact, I recommend you do this BEFORE you take
the retest. Contact me to set up an appointment.
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Mailing
Address: Dr. T. Thomas ACC – History 7748 Hwy 290 West Office
Hours: Mondays & Wednesdays, 10:30 – 11:45 am and again 1:30 – 2:30 pm. My office is at Pinnacle Campus (PIN) Room 815. (Driving instructions at bottom of my homepage: www.austincc.edu/tmthomas) |
Email: (the fastest way to communicate with me) Phone & voicemail: (512) 223-8164 Urgent message: call History Dept Chair, Dr. Al Purcell, at 223-3398. FAX: (512) 223-8900 (make sure my name is on cover page as the recipient) Website: www.austincc.edu/tmthomas |
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A NOTE ABOUT EMAIL |
I
will reply to ALL emails, usually within 24 hours.
If
you send me an email, please type something in the "Subject" space,
such as "History course". If you leave the Subject blank, the message
will go into the “spam” file and it will be deleted.
Also,
in your email message, please give your name.
I
answer EVERY email. If you do NOT get a reply, please assume I never got your
email and - either email me again - or CALL me. You can leave a voice message
at 223-8164. For URGENT messages, call
the History Dept Chair, Dr. Purcell at 223-3398.
If
there are any important announcements (such as a test deadline change), I’ll
email you at your ACC gmail address – so check it
once a week or so.
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THIS COURSE |
This course is an
independent study version of the U.S. History survey course offered in the
classroom. You will be required to do the same amount of work and the same
quality of work as students in the classroom equivalent of this course. This
independent study course is designed for mature and capable students with
self-discipline, the ability to work independently, and self-motivation.
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This is a very challenging and time-consuming, “independent-study”
course. Your success in this course does require time, maturity,
ability, self-discipline, and good time management skills. It MAY also require that you are able to travel to the PIN
campus to meet with Dr. Thomas if you need assistance in this course. So you
may need transportation. |
If you have ANY
problems with the course and would like help with additional study tips and
methods, please contact Dr. Thomas as soon as possible. Don't wait until
the semester is almost over.
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PREREQUISITES |
You must be able to
read, comprehend, and write at the college level. This is a very
reading-intensive course. If you can’t
read well, you won’t do well in this course.
In order to
enroll in this course, you MUST have scored at least 5 on the reading and at
least 5 on the writing portion of your TSI (Texas State
Initiatives)-approved standardized test – unless you are exempt from the
TSI testing. (If you are TSI-exempt, you do not have to fulfill the requirement
of scoring 5 or above on the test.) If
you took a TSI-approved standardized test and scored BELOW 5 on the reading or
writing portion, then you will have to successfully complete developmental
reading (and/or developmental writing) courses FIRST, before you take
History.
OTHER
PREREQUISITES: In order to achieve success in this course, you must:
v
have
a desire to learn
v
have
a desire to achieve
v
read
and understand English at the college-level
v
have
an understanding of basic geography concepts (e.g., hemispheres, longitude,
latitude, & difference between continents, countries, & cities)
v
have
a basic knowledge of world geography (e.g., the location of the continents,
major bodies of water, mountain ranges)
v
have
a knowledge of basic political science concepts (e.g., legislative, executive,
judicial, monarchy, imperialism, impeachment, nationalism, suffrage, veto)
Please note that
you can take History 1 and History 2 in ANY order. You can take both
history courses at the same time, BUT it is a
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TEXTBOOK |
REQUIRED: James
Roark et al, The American Promise, Volume 2, Fourth edition.
It is
your responsibility to locate and purchase a copy of the textbook. I recommend you purchase the textbook BEFORE
the course begins so that you will have it on
the first day of the semester.
There
are THREE VERSIONS of the textbook. Use
the ISBN number (below) to insure that you are ordering the correct version.
If
you can’t afford to purchase a textbook, there is a copy on reserve in the PIN
Campus Library – for 2-hour use only in the library.
You
may choose to purchase ANY one of these:
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ISBN
# 0-312-45293-4 Full color paperback
for about $90 new (used versions for less $ are also available) Available
at ACC bookstores |
Full
color paperback. Available at ACC bookstores and other |
ISBN # 0-312-48947-1 Black and white paperback for about $35 new. It is called the “value edition”.NOT available at ACC bookstores |
Paperback, with
black and white photos. Available at various bookstores, including online.
Also available directly from the publisher for $34.95 at http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/newcatalog.aspx?search=american+promise&isbn=0312487347 (Click on “Buy this
book”) NOT available at ACC
bookstores. This is a less expensive version, since the photos are black and
white. |
ISBN # 0-312-62092-6 “Loose-leaf” edition for about $48. Note: the Bookstore will NOT buy back this version NOT available at ACC
bookstores |
Full color version in loose-leaf format so you can bring to class only the pages you need for that day. Available at various online retailers. Also available directly from the publisher for about $48 at http://bfwpub.com/newcatalog.aspx?search=roark&isbn=0312452918 (Click on “Buy this book”) NOT available at ACC bookstores. This is a less expensive than the Full Color paperback (above) because bookstores will NOT BUY BACK this book at the end of the semester. You might, however, be able to sell it on your own to another student. |
OPTIONAL: John Trimble, Writing
with Style: Conversations on the Art of Writing. ISBN # 013025713. This
small, inexpensive book is especially helpful for those who plan to write a
research paper. You are not required to purchase this reference book.
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ORIENTATION AND CONTACT
REQUIREMENTS |
You are required
to complete this online orientation and to email me your Student Information
Form (at the end).
You are required
to contact me after you have completed your third and your fifth
exams, for the purposes of verifying your exam grades. You may contact me by
email, by phone or in person.
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When you send
the email or leave the phone message, please include
the following information: Your
name, which class you are in, and the
grades you have received thus far. |
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WITHDRAWAL FROM THE COURSE –
Deadline is April 23rd. |
If you find that
you are unable to meet course requirements, you should withdraw from the course
to avoid any possibility of being assigned a failing grade. Withdrawal is
accomplished by completing a withdrawal form available at the Admissions and
Records Office on any ACC campus. It
is your responsibility to obtain and complete the withdrawal form. If you DO withdraw from the course, you will be given a receipt.
Keep it. It is your ONLY proof that you withdrew from this course.
The deadline for
withdrawing is April 23rd. You may withdraw ON April
23rd.
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IMPORTANT: I don’t withdraw students
from my courses - Withdrawing from the course is YOUR responsibility and it
MUST be done by the withdrawal deadline, April 23rd. |
Before you decide
to withdraw, I recommend you talk to an ACC counselor (on any ACC campus). There are consequences if you have too
many withdrawals in your college career – a counselor can explain these to
you.
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STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES |
I, and the
College, are committed to providing students who have a
disability an equal opportunity to access benefits, rights, and privileges of
college services, programs, and activities in compliance with state and federal
law. Students with disabilities must request reasonable accommodations through ACC's Office of Students with Disabilities. Offices are located on
each of the ACC campuses. Students are encouraged to do this before the
semester begins. If you need special
testing accommodations, please let me know what you need AND send me a copy of
your OSD Accommodations Form. For
example, if you have a sight impairment and need
large-print exams, I can provide those.
Link to all Student Services at ACC
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YOUR RIGHT TO PRIVACY |
In compliance
with the Family Education Rights
and Privacy Act of 1974, I will not give information concerning your
grades, academic progress, attendance, address, phone, or email address to
anyone (including your parents) unless you give your written permission. In
addition, I will not give grade information over the phone.
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FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION |
The free exchange
of ideas is vital to learning. Your comments and ideas, if expressed
respectfully, will be met with respect from your professor.
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HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TAKING
THIS COURSE |
This is a college
course and all students enrolled in this course will be treated as college
students. If you are taking this course, you are considered a college student.
Unless there is an emergency, I will not speak to, nor will I correspond with
your parents. If there are any absences, problems or issues, you need to speak with me or correspond with
me yourself.
All sections of
this syllabus and orientation pertain equally to all students in this course,
regardless of age or educational status. Regardless of their age, high school
students who are enrolled in a college course are protected by Family Education Rights
and Privacy Act of 1974, In compliance with this Act, I will not discuss
your grades or your academic progress with your parent(s).
Please note:
During the semester, if the need arises, you MAY need transportation to the PIN
Campus to meet with me in person.
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ACADEMIC INTEGRITY |
Any act of
academic dishonesty, including plagiarism, will result in you receiving the
grade of "F" for the course.
Academic dishonesty – cheating - is defined as fraud,
deceit, or dishonesty in an academic assignment. It includes:
Plagiarism is defined as using
another's work (whether printed, electronic, or spoken) without crediting him
or her. All of the following are considered plagiarism:
- above definitions
copied &/or adapted from http://www.laspositascollege.edu/facultystaff/honesty.php
and
from http://www.plagiarism.org/learning_center/what_is_plagiarism.html)
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NOTE: Any type of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Any act of plagiarism or other type of academic dishonesty will result in you receiving the grade of "F" for the course. |
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YOUR GRADE |
The quality and
quantity of the work done by YOU determines YOUR final grade. You decide which grade
you want to earn and then devote the time and effort necessary to attain that
grade. Every student must complete all 5 exams.
For the grade
of "A",
v
you
must have an overall average on the five unit exams of 80%
or above AND you must submit an acceptable Research Paper (see instructions below)
v
paper
deadline is Monday, May 7th at 11:59 pm. (topic approval deadline is
April 23rd)
v
you cannot make an A in this course unless you submit
an acceptable Research Paper.
v
You
do not do a Book Analysis for an A.
For the
grade of "B", there are two options:
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OPTION 1 - you must have an overall average on the five unit
exams of 80% or above AND submit an acceptable Book Analysis (see instructions below)
v
Book
Analysis deadline is Monday, May 7th at 11:59 pm.
v
OPTION 2 - you must score at least 80% or above on all five exams.
If you score 80% or above on ALL five exams,
then you do NOT have to do the Book Analysis. An
80% is 24 correct answers out of 30, so you must score at least 24 on EACH exam
to fulfill this option. (Scoring a 24 on a retest does NOT count towards
an automatic B. You must score 24 or above the FIRST TIME you take the exam.)
v
If
you score 80% or above on all 5 exams, you have earned an “automatic”
B. You can keep the B or
you can do a Research Paper for an A.
For the grade
of "C",
you will have an overall average on the five unit exams of 70% or above. There are no writing assignments for a "C".
For the grade
of "D",
you will have an overall average on the five unit exams of 60% - 69.9%.
For the grade
of "F",
you will have an overall average on the five unit exams less than 60%.
For the grade
of "I" ("Incomplete"), the student
1. must have a
medical excuse certified by a physician, sent to Dr. Thomas no later than
Monday, May 7th.
2. must have completed
and passed at least 3 exams before being eligible for an
"Incomplete".
IMPORTANT:
If an "incomplete" is not completed by July 15, 2012, the
"I" will automatically become an "F" on your transcript. It
is YOUR responsibility to complete the course in time to avoid the
"F". You must complete the course in the Summer
2012 semester to avoid the "I" converting to an "F".
Any act of scholastic dishonesty will result in you receiving the grade
of "F" for the course.
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THE EXAMS |
There are 5 exams
in this course. The first exam is a Map
Test (see page 2 of the Study Guide for details). The
other 4 exams are taken from the textbook, and usually cover 4 chapters. The Study Guide
will tell you what you need to know for each exam.
Exams are
available in ALL ACC Testing Centers beginning January 17, 2012. You can begin
taking the exams as soon as you’re ready, but make sure you take them by the
deadlines listed below.
You can take ANY
exam at ANY ACC Testing Center. You can
take an exam BEFORE the deadline. That is, you don’t
have to wait until the deadline to take an exam.
There are five
exams, each consisting of 30 multiple choice questions. There are no essay
questions.
v
Each
exam must be taken at one of the ACC Testing Centers
v
You
can take ANY exam at ANY
v
You
may begin taking exams as soon as you are ready - you do NOT have to
wait until the deadline
v
You
may take several exams on one day
v
You
can take the exams in any order, although I recommend you take them
consecutively, starting with Unit 1
When you finish
the exam, the testing center staff will score it for you and give you a yellow
receipt that shows your score in the bottom left. The score will be written as the number you
got correct, out of 30 questions. It’ll
probably look like this: “28/30” This means you scored 28 correct out
of 30, or a 93%. (Multiply the number
correct times 3.33, to get your percent score.)
After you have
taken an exam, you are ALWAYS welcome to come in to my office and look over
your exam to see what you got wrong and to see the correct answers. In fact, I
recommend that you do this if you failed and plan to re-test. Contact me to set up a time to review your
exam.
See the section
below "When to Take Your Exams" for more information about test
deadlines.
See the section
below "Where to Take Your Exams" for more information about the
Testing Centers.
Link to Testing Centers (locations, hours of
operation)
The exam
questions are taken from the HIST 1302 Study Guide
available to download from this website. The Study Guide
is for your use, to help you prepare for the exams - and is not to be turned in
to Dr. Thomas. I don’t review your study
questions, but I’m happy to help if you’re having trouble with them.
§
21
correct out of 30 questions equals a 70% (minimum passing grade).
§
24
correct out of 30 equals 80% (a B)
§
27
correct out of 30 equals 90% (an A)
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RE-TESTS |
If you fail the
exam the first time, you can take it again.
It’s called a “re-test”. There is a restriction on the retest,
however. The highest grade possible on
the re-test is 70% (a 21). You also must
take the re-test by the re-test deadline (deadlines listed below).
If you need to
re-test, go to any
If you score
LOWER on the retest than you did on the original exam, then I will use the
HIGHER of the two exam grades as your grade for that unit exam.
You may not test
AND retest for the same exam ON THE SAME DAY. You must wait 24 hours to
retest.
When you go to
the
Here
are four Examples of how retesting works:
1.
You score a 16 on Unit Exam 2. You take a retest and score 24. The grade that
will be recorded for you for Unit 2 exam will be 21 (since the highest grade
possible on a retest is a 21).
2.
You score 24 on the Unit 3 exam. You should NOT take a retest! Why? Because the
highest grade possible on a retest is a 21 - and you already scored
higher than that (a 24) on your exam. Do NOT retest if you scored 21 or above
the first time you took your exam.
3.
You score 17 on your Unit 4 exam. You score 16 on your Unit 4 retest.
The grade that will be recorded for you for Unit 4 is the 17 (the higher of the
two grades).
4.
You scored 11 on your Unit 2 exam. You scored 26 on the retest. The grade that
will be recorded for you for Unit 2 is 21 (since 21 is the highest possible
grade on a retest).
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FIGURING OUT YOUR EXAM
AVERAGE |
All five exams
will be averaged at the end of the semester, to determine your final
course grade.
How to calculate
an average:
v
add up your exam grades and divide by 5. That number is
your exam average. To pass this course, you need an exam AVERAGE of 21 or
above.
Reminder: You must score 24 (80%)
or above on ALL FIVE EXAMS in order to get an "automatic" B for the
course. You must complete an acceptable research paper for an A.
A
few Examples – how to calculate your average:
1.
You earn the following grades on your 5 exams:
Exam
1 = 30
Exam
2 = 20
Exam
3 = 21
Exam
4=26
Exam
5 =19
Add
these grades together. The total is 116. Now, divide by 5.
116
divided by 5 = 23.2.
So,
your exam average is 23.2 (a C).
2.
You earn the following grades on your five exams:
Exam
1 = 29
Exam
2 = 17 (retest = 22) (but the highest possible on the retest is 21, so your
grade is 21)
Exam
3 = 12 (retest = 20)
Exam
4 = 23
Exam
5 = 24
You
will add together 29, 21, 20, 23, and 24. The total is 117. Now, divide by 5.
117
divided by 5 = 23.4.
So,
your exam average is 23.4 (a C).
3.
You earn the following grades on your five exams:
Exam
1 = 29
Exam
2 = 27
Exam
3 = 24
Exam
4 = 26
Exam
5 = 24
First
of all, congratulations! You scored 24 or better on EACH exam. This gives you
an automatic B for the course. If you're happy with a B, then you are
done - no other requirements necessary for a B.
However,
these grades also give you a 24 or better AVERAGE - which makes you ELIGIBLE
for an A. If you want to go for the A, then you will need to write an
ACCEPTABLE research paper (read the research paper requirements later in this
syllabus)
So,
it is your choice. You can keep the automatic B you have, or you can go for the
A by writing the research paper.
4.
You earn the following grades on your five exams:
Exam
1 = 29
Exam
2 = 22
Exam
3 = 24
Exam
4 = 21
Exam
5 = 26
You
will add together 29, 22, 24, 21, and 26. The total is 122. Now, divide by 5.
122
divided by 5 = 24.4.
So,
your exam average is 24.4.
Because
your average is 24 or better, you are eligible for an A or a B. Now you
have to decide WHICH grade YOU want to work towards.
If
you want an A, you must now do an acceptable research paper (requirements
discussed later in this syllabus).
If
you want a B, you must now do an acceptable book analysis (requirements
discussed later in this syllabus). (You do NOT have to write the book analysis
for an A - it is ONLY for the B)
If
you want a C, then you do NOTHING. In fact, if you do NOT write the research
paper, you will have a C. If you do NOT write the book analysis, you will have
a C.
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WHERE TO TAKE YOUR EXAMS –
TESTING CENTERS |
All tests and
retests must be taken at ACC Testing Centers.
Please read the Guide to Student Use of
Testing Centers
for rules and regulations concerning the testing centers. In order to test, you
will need to bring an ACC ID to the
To request a test you
must have:
·
Course Abbreviation (HIST)
·
Course Number (1302)
·
Course Synonym (five
digits)
·
Course Section (three
digits)
·
Instructor's Name (T. Thomas)
When you get to
the
If you need an
English language dictionary, the
|
Here's
what you'll fill in on the Test Request Form: ü
YOUR NAME and ID number ü
YOUR PHONE NUMBER (in case we need to reach you) ü
The course: HIST 1302 ONL ü
SECTION/SYNONYM: ü
Instructor: DR. T. THOMAS ü
Instructor's Campus: PINNACLE campus (abbreviated as PIN) ü
The TEST NUMBER of the test you are taking that day (test #
1, 2, 3, 4, or 5) |
|
Do you have an ACC Student
ID? You MUST have one in order to use
the |
You must obtain your ACC Student ID cards at the Admissions & Records Office on any ACC campus. They will not be sent to you in the mail.The ACC photo Student ID card is permanent; it does not expire at the end of each semester, so you only need to visit campus one time. You can come to any campus Admissions & Records Office as early as one day after registering for classes to obtain a Student ID card. A valid state or federally issued photo ID, such as a Driver's License or passport, must be presented.More information about the Student ID card:http://www.austincc.edu/support/admissions/student_id.php |
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WHEN TO TAKE YOUR
EXAMS (Test and Re-test deadlines) |
This course is
very challenging and time-consuming. In
order to be successful, you MUST plan and manage your time wisely.
Follow the
deadline schedule below. Remember that
you can take an exam anytime ON or BEFORE the deadline date.
It is YOUR
responsibility to check when the
Please
note that some testing centers are VERY crowded at the end of the semester and
you may NOT be able to get in on the day you show up. So, I recommend you
either show up to take the exam a day or two EARLY or you try to take the exam
at one of the smaller, less-crowded testing centers. Remember, you CAN take exams EARLY – you
don’t have to wait until the “deadline” date.
|
Exam Number |
Text Chapters |
Deadline |
|
|
Exam 1 |
none (Map test) |
Jan 23rd (Monday) |
|
|
Exam 1 RETEST |
none (Map test) |
Jan 30th (Monday) |
|
|
Exam 2 Exam 2 RETEST Exam 3 |
Chs. 17 – 20 ** Chs. 17 - 20 Chs. 21 - 24 |
Feb 20th
(Monday) Feb 27th
(Monday) March 19th (Monday) |
|
|
Exam 3 RETEST Exam 4 Exam 4 RETEST |
Chs. 21 - 24 Chs. 25 - 27 Chs. 25 - 27 |
March 26th
(Monday) April 16th
(Monday) April 23rd
(Monday) |
|
|
Exam 5 Exam 5 RETEST |
Chs. 28 - 31 Chs. 28 – 31 ** NOTE: CHAPTER 16 is NOT covered in
this course. It is covered in History
1. |
May 4th
(Friday) May 7th
(Monday) |
|
After you have
taken your exam, the
If you want to review the questions that you got wrong, please contact
Dr. Thomas. Testing Center staff CANNOT
allow you to review your exam, or even tell you which questions you missed - so
please do not ask them. Contact Dr.
Thomas for that information.
|
TESTING STRATEGY |
You will take the
Map Test (test #1) within the first few days of the semester, then spend the rest of the time studying for the other 4
exams. The Map Test is somewhat easy; but the other
four exams are much harder - so spend MOST of your time on the LAST FOUR exams.
IMPORTANT: After you test or re-test,
the
If you want to review the exam questions that you got wrong, please
contact Dr. Thomas. Testing Center staff
CANNOT allow you to review your exam, or even tell you which questions you
missed - so please do not ask them.
Contact Dr. Thomas for that information.
|
WRITING
ASSIGNMENTS (RESEARCH PAPER & BOOK ANALYSIS) INFORMATION |
Objectives: The writing assignments
are designed to:
1. acquaint you with historical scholarship addressing some
aspect of
2. provide an opportunity for you to acquire in-depth knowledge
of a specific historical topic;
3. provide you with tools to develop analytical thinking
abilities;
4. enhance your ability to synthesize large amounts of written
material, in order to critically examine a historical topic;
5. develop your knowledge of library resources (specifically:
card catalog, computer search, reference materials, reference personnel, style manuals);
6. assess your ability to follow directions and meet deadlines.
|
WARNING: Scholastic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Any act of scholastic dishonesty will result in you receiving the grade of "F" for the course. READ above section, “ACADEMIC INTEGRITY” for further definitions. |
Writing
assignments must be written by YOU. Purchasing or otherwise acquiring writing
that is not your own will result in you receiving the grade of "F" in
this course.
If you copy from
a book or other publication, use quotation marks to indicate the passage that
you copied and a footnote to cite the source of the text. If you copy from
someone else without acknowledging the source, you are plagiarizing.
As with other
types of scholastic dishonesty, plagiarism will result in the student receiving
the grade of "F" for the course.
DUE DATE
The Writing Assignments (Research Papers and Book Analyses) are due on
or before 11:59 pm, Monday, May 7th and will not be accepted late. You may turn in your paper
early (by May 1st). If there are any problems with it, I will give/send it back
to you to correct.
I
will also be happy to look over DRAFTS of your outline, thesis statement,
bibliography, etc. and send you comments and corrections at any time
during the semester.
Please
submit your Writing Assignment as an email attachment (Microsoft Word for
Windows document – do NOT send “Wordperfect” format).
I will send you a reply, acknowledging that I have received your paper. After
I've read your paper, I WILL email you to let you know if the paper was or was
not acceptable.
|
RESEARCH PAPER INSTRUCTIONS (email to Dr. Thomas by 11:59 pm Monday, May 7th) |
|
Do the Research
Paper ONLY if: v
you hope to earn an "A" for the course AND v
you have an overall exam average of 80% or above |
ASSIGNMENT:
Prepare a 7 to 10 page, type-written research
paper on an approved topic, following the guidelines below.
- Online guide to Writing a
Research Paper.
- Grammar &
Punctuation Guide.
TOPIC:
You
MUST get Dr. Thomas' approval on a research topic BEFORE you
begin, but NO LATER THAN April 23rd. Choose a topic that
interests you, covering some aspect of
If
you are not sure which topic you'd like to work on, thumb through the textbook
and see which subject inspires you.
Additional help
choosing a topic.
THESIS:
Your
paper must argue a thesis -that is, something you are trying to prove
about your topic. it is not enough to say what happened and when - you must
argue the historical significance of your topic. For example, if you are
writing about Women on the Homefront during the Civil
War, you could argue that women played roles critical to success, such as
working in government offices, growing crops, running businesses, and providing
critical nursing care for soldiers. Your paper would then discuss and support
this argument by giving evidence (examples) from historical sources. State your
thesis on the OUTLINE page. Example of a thesis statement:
"This
paper will prove that women on the homefront played a
critical support role during World War II, by working in wartime industries,
raising money selling war bonds, rationing critical supplies, and participating
in recycling campaigns."
SOURCES:
v
The
paper must include at least three PRIMARY and four SECONDARY sources.
v
A
primary source is something written (or left) by someone who lived at
that time in history and took part in the events that you are writing
about. Examples of primary sources are: diaries, letters, legislation, tax
records; property deeds; business ledgers; newspapers, government documents,
autobiographies. The following are good starting points for primary sources:
- My homepage with Links to Other Primary Sources
- Further help understanding "Primary"
Sources
v
Secondary sources are accounts of the event that take place
sometime after the event has been completed. These are often books or
articles, written by scholars, to analyze the importance of some historical
event. DO NOT USE ENCYCLOPEDIAS. A good starting place for secondary sources is
the bibliography at the end of each chapter in your textbook.
FORMAT: Research papers must
include:
v
an outline - 1 page or less, with a
thesis statement (saying what your paper will show or what it will prove about
your topic). An outline showing how you plan to develop your topic is
required and should be placed at the beginning of your paper. The outline
shows, in abbreviated form, how your paper will be organized. It should be a
page or less. SAMPLE OUTLINE.
v
7 to 10 page research paper (typed, double-spaced). Do not
submit less than 7 pages. You must have at least 7 full pages of TEXT. SAMPLE PAPER with
endnotes.
v
footnotes or endnotes (no
"parenthetical" citations). You MUST cite the source for any
material that is not your own. This is done using a footnote ("endnotes"
are also acceptable). Use the footnote form in either the Chicago Manual of
Style or Kate Turabian's A Guide for Writers of Term
Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. Do not use parenthetical
citations (that is, an author's name and a page number in parentheses at the end
of a sentence). Ask your instructor or a reference librarian for assistance. Do
not use encyclopedias. Do not use online encyclopedias, such as Encarta or
Wikipedia.
Help with writing
footnotes. (do not use parenthetical footnotes).
v
a bibliography. List Primary and
Secondary sources separately. Follow the
bibliographic form found in either the Chicago Manual of
Style or Kate Turabian's A Guide for Writers of Term
Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. Ask your instructor or a reference
librarian if you need assistance.
- Help with writing
a bibliography (also called “works cited”).
- SAMPLE BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Scroll down ½ page)
v
Writing
assignments must be typed and double-spaced. ACC Libraries have computers available
to students.
GRADING:
Your research paper will be graded
"ACCEPTABLE" or "NOT ACCEPTABLE". Only
"ACCEPTABLE" papers will be counted towards the grade of
"A".
You will be graded on:
§
the
thoroughness with which you cover your chosen topic;
§
your
ability to present your topic and supporting evidence logically and clearly;
and
§
your ability to follow directions.
You may turn in a draft of your paper early (by May
1st). If there are any problems with it, I will give/send it back to you to
correct.
SUGGESTIONS:
For
your research, you must use college or university libraries, as
opposed to public libraries. The college/university libraries will have a
greater selection of scholarly (non-fiction), research-oriented sources on a
particular topic. Perhaps the best way to start is to jot down some questions
about your topic that you would like to answer in your paper. This will help you
to develop an outline. Your outline should be a logical progression of ideas
that explains your topic. Next, compile a bibliography of possible sources,
then consult your sources to see if they are suitable for your paper. After you
have written your paper, be sure to proofread for typos, misspellings,
grammatical errors, etc., as these will seriously detract from the quality of
your paper.
I
also recommend you consult the “Research
Assistance” section on my website homepage.
Links
to:
University of Texas
Libraries
(including on-line catalogs)
Texas State University Library
Help with footnote and bibliography format
My homepage with special section on RESEARCH INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE.
|
BOOK
ANALYSIS INSTRUCTIONS (due 11:59 pm Monday, May 7th) |
|
Do the
Book Analysis ONLY if: v
you hope to earn a "B" for the course AND v
you have an overall exam average of 80% or above, AND v
you scored below 80 on any of your exams v
(If you scored 80% or above on ALL FIVE exams, you do
NOT have to complete this assignment for a B. You have an
"automatic" B.) NOTE: You do NOT have to do this assignment for
an A. |
ASSIGNMENT: Read a book
from the approved list and answer the questions from the Book Analysis
Questions Form, found below. Your finished product will be a series of typewritten
questions and answers. Your assignment will probably be about 7 to
10 pages in length.
I recommend you COPY and PASTE the questions below into a Word document –
then type your answers just below each question.
APPROVED
BOOKS
Link to LIST OF APPROVED
BOOKS
FORMAT:
Your Book Analysis must
v
be
typed and double-spaced
v
be in Question/Answer format (that is, make sure you
type EACH question, then your answer immediately following). The best way Copy and paste the questions
(below) into a Word document.
IMPORTANT: If you quote from your book, please put quotation marks around
the quote and put the page number in parentheses after the quote.
GRADING: The Book Analysis will be graded "ACCEPTABLE" or
"NOT ACCEPTABLE". Only "ACCEPTABLE" writing assignments
will be counted towards the grade of "B".
You will be graded on
v
the
thoughtfulness and thoroughness of your answers; and
v
your
ability to follow directions. Please contact Dr. Thomas if you have any
questions concerning the assignment.
The assignment is
due 11:59 pm, Monday, May 7th
(email as a Word attachment to Dr. Thomas). You may turn in a draft of your Book
Analysis early (by May 1st). If there are any problems with it, I will give it
back to you to correct. At any time during the semester, you can email a DRAFT
or partial draft of your assignment to Dr. Thomas for review.
|
BOOK
ANALYSIS QUESTIONS |
Read the
questions carefully then give complete answers to each of
the following. Briefly TYPE the QUESTION, then your answer.
|
1. General Information – give the
following information: |
v the full book title (NOTE that book titles are italicized or underlined)
Examples:
Reconstruction:
or
Reconstruction:
v author
v publisher & year first published
v in general, what is the book about (3 - 5 sentences giving basic information such as who, what, when, where)?
|
2. PREFACE |
|
|
|
What does the author say in the “Preface” (in a few sentences, summarize the Preface)? If the book has no “Preface”, then use the "Introduction". If the book has neither, then just say “the book has no Preface and no Introduction”. |
|
3. THESIS |
|
|
|
In the
Introduction or the first chapter, the author usually says what he/she will
be trying to prove in the book; that is, what the book will prove to the reader
about a particular topic. List and
Discuss
each of the points that the author will try to prove in the book (major and
minor points. These are usually stated either in the Introduction or in
the first chapter; but sometimes they are discussed throughout the book). Your answer may begin with "In this book, the author hopes to prove that......." and then discuss the several points that the author hopes to prove about the subject of the book. |
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|
|
|
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4. INDIVIDUAL CHAPTERS ANALYSIS – in depth analysis for ANY 3 chapters in the book |
Give the following information for any THREE chapters from the book:
v
Chapter
NUMBER and TITLE.
Type chapter titles in quotation marks.
Example:
Chapter 1: "
v
Chapter
SUMMARY
In one short paragraph, summarize the
chapter (a good summary gives the reader basic information, such as WHO, WHAT,
WHEN, WHERE, WHY. Think of how you would summarize the plot of a movie to a
friend who has not seen the movie )
v
Chapter
THESIS
In a couple of sentences, explain the main
idea that the author was trying to get across in this chapter. That is, what
does the author hope to PROVE in this chapter. (Hint:
Look at the chapter title. It often is related to the main idea of the chapter)
Your answer may begin "In this chapter, the
author hopes to prove that......"
Example: "In this chapter, the author asserts
that Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves (with the Emancipation Proclamation)
because of political, not humanitarian, reasons."
v
Chapter
ARGUMENT. In a couple of sentences,
restate the argument that the author used to prove the main idea
(what did the author argue, in order to convince you that his/her main
idea was correct)
Example:
“The author states that
because he wanted the support of
the English government. Freeing the
slaves accomplished both of those political goals.”
v
Chapter
CONCLUSION. I a few sentences, discuss
the conclusions at which the author arrives at the end of the
chapter. (Hint: the conclusions usually are related to the Main Points.) I
don't want to know what HAPPENED; I want to know what the author CONCLUDES ABOUT
what happened.
Example: "The author concludes that the
accusations of witchcraft in
v
Chapter
SOURCES/EVIDENCE. Look in the chapter’s
footnotes (sometimes these are listed on the bottom of each page; sometimes
they are listed at the back of the book).
If there are no footnotes, look in the Bibliography or “works Cited”
section at the back of the book.
ü
cite
one primary source footnote from this chapter (a Primary Source
is something written by someone at that time in history; such as a
diary, a letter, a piece of legislation, a tax record; a deed; a business
ledger; newspapers) Cite the source.
For example, your citation might look like this:
"Custer Defeated at Little Big Horn," The
New York Times, April 14, 1876.
or, like this:
Jennifer Jones, ed., Diary of Anne Frank, 4th
edition (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1977).
ü
cite
one secondary source footnote from this chapter (a secondary
source is one written by someone at a later date; usually a book or article by
a historian about that historical event) Cite the secondary source; that is,
make it look like a footnote (i.e., author, title, publisher, place and date of
publication).
Your citation should look something like this:
Michael Smith, Witchcraft in the Later Middle Ages (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1980).
or
Julia Juarez, "Mayan Hieroglyphs
Decoded," Journal of Latin American History (June 1994), pp.
366-396.
ü
What
TYPE of source or what type of evidence would have made the author's
argument/main idea more convincing? (Don't say "the argument was convincing
enough".)
On a book about slave life, an example might be
"If the author used letters or diaries written by slaves, his argument
about the hardships of slave life would have been stronger."
Remember
to answer the above questions for any THREE chapters in your book.
|
Now that you have completed answering questions for three individual
chapters, please answer the following questions regarding the book, as a
whole: |
|
5. Overall Conclusions |
|
|
List and discuss
at least 3 conclusions at which the author arrives. These are usually found
in the concluding chapter, and are usually related to the points the author
sought to prove throughout the book. Example: “The
author concludes that the witchcraft hysteria in Give 3
conclusions for your book. |
|
6. Sources – to answer
these questions, look at the authors footnotes
and/or Bibliography. |
v
PERIODICALS.
List 5 periodicals that the author cites in
his/her Bibliography or in the Footnotes. (Periodicals are newspapers,
magazines, & professional journals). Just list the periodical by name - you
do not have to cite the entire article. How do you know which items are periodicals?
Hint: Periodical titles are italicized, so look
in the footnotes and bibliography for items that are italicized and find the
items that are newspaper titles or professional journal titles.*
Here are some examples (note that the titles are
italicized):
Journal of Early American History
American Historical Review
Latin American Research Review
William & Mary Quarterly
The New York Times
Austin American-Statesman
Ladies' Home Journal
Psychology Today
*
Remember that book titles are also
italicized - so learn to distinguish between books and periodicals. Periodicals
will usually have a volume number or date, but not a publisher's name. Books
will have a publisher, publication place and publication date.
v
PRIMARY
SOURCES. List three types
of primary sources the author uses (e.g., letters, diaries, journals,
interviews, legislation).
v
BENEFITS
OF PRIMARY SOURCES. In a sentence or
two, tell why, if you were writing a history book about some subject in the
past, WHY would it benefit from using PRIMARY sources (letters, diaries, etc.
from that time period)?
v
PROBLEMS
OF PRIMARY SOURCES. In a sentence, tell, if you were writing a history book,
what might be a problem in using primary sources?
v
BOOKS
ON SAME SUBJECT. List 3 books
that deal with the same subject matter as your book. Give author, title,
place of publication, publisher, and date of publication - just as this
information would appear in a footnote.
Hint: use the "subject search" feature
of the library's computerized card catalog to find these books. Consult with a librarian if you need help.
v
ARTICLES
ON SAME SUBJECT. List 3 articles (from scholarly publications or newspapers)
that deal with the same subject matter as your book. Give author, title
of article, publication in which article appears, date of publication, and page
numbers - just as this information would appear in a footnote.
Hint: do a subject search in an on-line
"periodicals index" to find articles. On ACC's
library webpage, there is a link to various periodicals indexes. Choose
"social and behavioral sciences" category and then do a subject
search. For example, if your book was about the
|
7. YOUR IMPRESSIONS and
OPINIONS – answer these questions thoughtfully and thoroughly: |
v
what did you like best about the book? what did you like least about the book?
v
did you feel that the author was biased in
presenting the subject matter? How so?
v
List
3 facts that you learned from the book. (List 3 FACTS, not "impressions"
or interpretations.)
An example of a FACT is:
"George Washington was the only president
unanimously elected".
An example of an IMPRESSION (or INTERPRETATION)
is:
"George Washington was the best military
commander of all time."
List 3 FACTS.
v
how does our textbook’s treatment of the topic
compare with the author’s treatment of the topic (list and discuss at least 3 similarities and 3 differences)?
Discuss content, not form or format.
DON'T say: "The book gave a more in-depth
view of
DO say: "My book discussed
v
would you recommend the book to someone else? Why or
why not?
v
if you could write a book on some historical topic,
what topic would you choose, and why?
|
OK,
Congratulations - You are DONE with the Book Analysis!! |
|
HINTS, TIPS AND
ADVICE FOR SUCCESS IN THIS COURSE: (You are almost done with orientation!) |
These suggestions
have worked for other students and may help YOU to achieve success in this
course.
TEST-TAKING: Read each question very
carefully and completely; know what the question is asking. Read each
response. Eliminate responses that you know are wrong. When you have
completed the exam, go over it again and verify your answers. Answer the
questions you know first, then go back and answer the rest. Take your time – don’t rush.
WRITING
ASSIGNMENTS:
For those students who complete the Writing Assignments, have someone proofread
your typed assignment for typos, misspellings, incorrect grammar, etc. These
types of errors seriously detract from the quality of your writing assignment.
Read over the Book Review Analysis questions before you read your chosen
book. It will help you to focus your reading efforts. ACC has Writing Labs on each campus that can
also help you.
STUDY
QUESTIONS:
Read over the Chapter, then re-read the chapter
and complete the Study Questions. Work on the study questions gradually;
that is, work on several each day. Don't wait until the night before the exam
to complete all the questions. "Cramming" is not an effective study
method.
YOUR
PROFESSOR: Do not hesitate to consult with Dr. Thomas if you have any
problems, questions, doubts or uncertainties. Seek help early in the
semester. Emailing is perfectly
acceptable.
|
HIST 1302 ONL Dr. T. Thomas |
STUDENT
INFORMATION FORM (copy and paste this
form and email it to Dr Thomas) |
SPRING 2012 |
Please fill out (copy & paste into an email message, or send as an attachment) this form and send it to Dr. Thomas by email. Email to tmthomas@austincc.edu
Please PRINT the
following information. This information is for the instructor's use only, is
kept confidential and is not given out to anyone without your written
permission.
|
HIST 1302 ONL |
SPRING 2012 |
|
Name: ____________________________________________ |
ACC Student ID (leave blank if you do not know it): __________________ |
|
School/College you most
recently attended: _____________________________________ |
|
I prefer to be contacted
via (check one and provide info):
|
_____ |
Email: |
___________________________________________ |
|
_____ |
Home Phone: |
___________________________________________ |
|
_____ |
Work Phone |
___________________________________________ |
In this space, please write
any special information about you that I should know, that may affect your
performance in this course:
My
signature below indicates that:
|
1. |
I have
confirmed that I AM registered for one of these courses (Sections/Synonyms:43487-087,
45896-073, 43372-067, or 45898-079); |
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|
|
2. |
I have
completed orientation for this course by reading through the material on this
webpage; |
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|
|
3. |
I have
read this orientation/syllabus and fully understand its contents; |
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4. |
I have
read the section in this syllabus entitled “ACADEMIC INTEGRITY”, and fully
understand its contents; |
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5. |
I
understand that if I engage in ANY form of academic dishonesty, including
plagiarism, I WILL receive the grade of "F" for the course; |
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6. |
I
understand that a "D" or "F" grade will NOT fulfill the
Texas Legislative requirement for a semester of U.S. History credit. |
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7. |
I
understand that the deadline to withdraw from this course is April 23rd
and that it is MY responsibility to withdraw myself from the class by this
deadline. |
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8. |
I
understand that the deadline for the last exam is May 4th and
that I will NOT be given permission to take the exam after this date. |
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9. |
I
understand that the deadline for research paper and book analysis
assignments is May 7, 2012 at 11:59 pm. |
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|
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Student's Signature: electronic signature (type your name) is OK |
Date: ________________ |
||
|
Link to STUDY GUIDE Please open the study guide and print it or copy it to your computer. Exam questions are taken from this study guide. |
|
Congratulations! You have now completed
Orientation. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Thomas by phone at 223-8164 or by email at: |
Thank you and
have a great semester!
Some important dates – WRITE THESE ON YOUR CALENDAR:
|
Jan
21st |
Saturday |
Student Information
Form must be emailed to Dr. Thomas by this date. |
|
Jan
23rd |
Monday |
EXAM 1 (Map
Test) deadline |
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Jan
30th |
Monday |
EXAM 1 (Map
Test) RE-TEST deadline |
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Feb
20th |
Monday |
EXAM 2 deadline |
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Feb
27th |
Monday |
EXAM 2 RE-TEST deadline |
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Mar
12th – Mar 16th |
Mon
- Sun |
SPRING BREAK –
College is closed. (Testing Centers & Libraries are closed) |
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Mar
19th |
Monday |
EXAM 3 deadline |
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Mar
26th |
Monday |
EXAM 3 RE-TEST deadline |
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Apr
16th |
Monday |
EXAM 4 deadline |
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Apr
23rd |
Monday |
EXAM 4 RE-TEST deadline |
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Apr
23rd |
Monday |
Deadline to
WITHDRAW from the class. |
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May
4th |
Friday |
EXAM 5 deadline |
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May
7th |
Monday |
EXAM 5 RE-TEST deadline |
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May
7th |
Monday |
Research Paper
and Book Analysis deadline (11:59 pm). |