Welcome to HIST 1302 ONL – History 2

Independent Study Using Computer

Section/Synonym

31336-003

 

Orientation & Course Syllabus – Summer 2015

8-week Session

Begins June 17th **

 

Dr. T. Thomas, Professor

Austin Community College

© Copyright T. Thomas 2015

 

** Even though this course officially begins June 17th, you MAY start early – you may begin taking exams as early as June 1st

 

Ø  This course is designed for students who can work independently, from home or other location, accessing course materials via the Internet.

Ø  This course will acquaint students with the basic processes of United States History, from 1877 to the present, using a textbook and study guide, with opportunities for historical research.

Ø  The course fulfills the Texas legislative requirement for one semester of U.S. history.

 

Instructions: This is the orientation for my HIST 1302 online course.  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 June 19th.  If you fail to send this form, your Financial Aid may be in jeopardy.

 

Link to ACC’s Student Success Resources for Distance-Learning Students

 

BLACKBOARD

This course does not use Blackboard.

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.

v  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 every 10 days.

v  exams must be taken in one of the ACC Testing Centers

v  study questions for each exam (available to download from this website)

v  one textbook (James Roark et al, The American Promise, Volume 2, Fifth edition – see Textbook section below for ISBN numbers)

v  research paper required for an "A" – due MONDAY, August 10th at noon (TOPIC approval deadline is August 1st)

v  book analysis required for some students for a "B" (see “Grades” section below for details) – due MONDAY, August 10th at noon.

v  communicate with Dr. Thomas via email, by phone, or in person.

§  You can register for this course online. 

§  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

 

TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE ORIENTATION, YOU MUST:

 

v  first, make SURE you are registered for this course (see top of page for section number).

v  read this orientation/syllabus

v  fill out and return the Student Information Form (located on the last page of the syllabus).

v  Return the Student Information Form by email to Dr. Thomas at tmthomas@austincc.edu by June 19th.

v  download the study questions. You will need this Study Guide to pass this course

v  contact Dr. Thomas with any questions you might have.

 

 

 

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.

 

Mailing Address:

Dr. T. Thomas

ACC – History

7748 Hwy 290 West

Austin, TX 78736

Office Hours:

By appointment - for appointment, email: tmthomas@austincc.edu

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)

tmthomas@austincc.edu

 

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

 

A NOTE ABOUT EMAIL

 

Any “official” ACC notification will be sent to you using your ACC email ID - so, DO check your ACC email on a regular basis.

I reply to ALL emails, usually within 24 hours.

 

Ø  If you send me an email, please type something in the "Subject" space, such as "History course". If you leave the Subject blank, your email will automatically be deleted as spam ("junk" email).

Ø  In your email message, please give your first AND last name - as I cannot always tell by your email address what your NAME is.

Ø  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 (512) 223-8164.

 

For URGENT messages, call the History Dept Chair, Dr. Purcell at (512) 223-3398.

 

THIS COURSE

This section 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 self-paced course is designed for mature and capable students with self-discipline, the ability to work independently, and self-motivation.

v  This is a very challenging and time-consuming, “independent-study” course.

v  Your success in this course does require TIME, maturity, ability, self-discipline & time management skills. 

v  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 should have access to transportation.

v  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.

 

PREREQUISITES

You must be able to read, comprehend, and write in English 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.

Ø  In order to enroll in this course, you MUST have passed the reading and the writing portion of your TSI (Texas State Initiatives)-approved standardized test – unless you are exempt from the TSI testing.

Ø  If you took a TSI-approved standardized test and scored BELOW passing 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.

Ø  Check with an ACC Counselor if you are unsure of your TSI status.

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  be willing to accept personal responsibility for your success in this course

v  make a commitment to fulfilling the requirements of the course

v  read and understand English at the college-level

v  have a college-level reading comprehension and vocabulary. If you cannot yet read at this level, it’s not likely that you’ll pass this course; and so I recommend you first take developmental reading courses to improve your reading skills, THEN come back and take this course

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

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 LOT of work – so don’t attempt to do this unless you have 8 hours a day to devote to reading and studying.

TEXTBOOK

 

REQUIRED: James Roark et al, The American Promise, Volume 2, Fifth edition.

 

Ø  It is your responsibility to locate and purchase a copy of the textbook. 

Ø  I recommend you purchase the textbook BEFORE the course begins so that you will have it on the first day of the semester.

Ø  There are THREE VERSIONS of the textbook. You may choose to purchase ANY one of these three.

Ø  WHEN ORDERING ONLINE, USE THE ISBN NUMBER (below) to make sure you have the right textbook.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VERSION

WHERE TO PURCHASE

ISBN-10: 0-312-66314-5
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-66314-8

Full color paperback for about $101 new (used versions for less $ are also available)

 

Full color paperback. Available at ACC bookstores and other Austin and online booksellers. Also available directly from the publisher at

http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/Catalog/Product.aspx?isbn=9780312663148

When purchased NEW, it is the most expensive version (about $101). It includes full color maps and pictures. You might be able to locate a USED copy for less money, at ACC Bookstores and elsewhere.

ISBN-10: 1-4576-1347-6
ISBN-13: 978-1-4576-1347-0

Black and white paperback for about $42 new.  It is called the “value edition”.

“Value Edition” Paperback, with black and white photos. Available at various bookstores, including online. Also available directly from the publisher for about $42 at: http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/Catalog/Product.aspx?isbn=9781457613470

NOT available at ACC bookstores, but it may be available at OTHER local bookstores or online. This is a less expensive version, since the photos are black and white.

ISBN-10: 1-4576-0831-6
ISBN-13:978-1-4576-0831-5

Electronic book (E-book) – same as the paper copy of the textbook, but accessible ONLY online for about $53.

Interactive ELECTRONIC book, available ONLINE from the publisher at:

http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/Catalog/Product.aspx?isbn=9781457608315

About $53 for a one year subscription (one year access from date of purchase).

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.

ORIENTATION AND REQUIRED CONTACTS

 

v  You are required to complete this online orientation and to email me your Student Information Form (at the end) by June 19th.

v  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.

 

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 so far.

 

 

 

WITHDRAWAL FROM THE COURSE – Deadline is August 4th

 

If you find that you are unable to meet course requirements, you should consider withdrawing from the course to avoid any possibility of being assigned a failing grade.

 

Ø  BEFORE you consider withdrawing, see a counselor or read the state law (“Six-withdrawal Limit”) on withdrawals from Texas public colleges/universities, located in the ACC Student “Need to Know” section, online at: http://www.austincc.edu/current/needtoknow/

Ø  Withdrawal is accomplished by completing a withdrawal form online at the “Online Services” web page (http://www.austincc.edu/onlineservices/)

Ø   It is your responsibility to complete the withdrawal process.

Ø  The deadline for withdrawing is August 4th. You can withdraw ON August 4th.

 

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, August 4th. If you enroll in the course and fail to take the exams or fail to otherwise complete the course, you will receive the grade of F for the course.

 

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

 

For students with disabilities, ACC is committed to providing an equal opportunity to access benefits, rights, and privileges of college services, programs, and activities in compliance with state and federal law.

 

Ø  Students with disabilities who need accommodations must request reasonable accommodations through ACC's Student Accessibility Services (SAS) offices are located on each of the ACC campuses.

Ø  Students are encouraged to do this before the semester begins.

Ø  Please let me know as soon as possible how I can accommodate your special needs in this class.

 

Link to all student services at ACC

 

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.

 

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. 

 

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.

Ø  Unless there is an emergency, I will not speak to, nor will I correspond with, your parents or guardians.

Ø  If there are any absences, problems or issues, you need to speak with me or correspond with me yourself. 

Ø  All sections of this syllabus and orientation pertain equally to all students in this course, regardless of age or educational status.

Ø  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,

Ø  In compliance with this Act, I will not discuss your grades or your academic progress with your parents or guardians.

 

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

 

WARNING: Any type of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Any act of plagiarism and/or other type of academic dishonesty 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:

v  Copying or attempting to copy from others during an examination;

v  Copying or attempting to copy from others an assignment;

v  Communicating examination information to, or receiving such information from, another person;

v  Violating ACC Testing Center policies;

v  Using, attempting to use, or assisting others in using materials that are prohibited during examination in question, such as: books, Web sites, prepared answers, written notes, or concealed information;

v  Allowing others to do one's assignment or a portion of one's assignment;

v  Using a commercial term paper service or otherwise acquiring a term paper and submitting it as your own;

v  Purchasing or otherwise acquiring written work that is not your own

 

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:

v  turning in someone else's work as your own;

v  copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit;

v  failing to put a quotation in quotation marks;

v  giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation;

v  changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit;

v  copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your work, whether you give credit or not;

v  copying from a website without giving credit

 

“Giving credit” means citing the source of your information.  This is usually done using a footnote.  If you use material from a website, book or other source, you must give credit to that author by citing the source in a footnote.  See Dr. Thomas for assistance with footnotes.

 

Any act of plagiarism or other type of academic dishonesty will result in you receiving the grade of "F" for the course.

 

(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)

 

 

YOUR GRADE AND HOW YOU EARN IT

The quality and quantity of the work done by YOU determines YOUR final grade.

 

For the grade of "A",

v  you must have an overall average on the five unit exams of 80% or above AND

v  you must submit an acceptable Research Paper (see instructions below) - paper deadline is MONDAY, August 10th at NOON.

v  You do NOT do a Book Analysis for an A.

 

For the grade of "B", there are two options:

Ø  OPTION 1

o    you must score at least 80% or above on ALL five exams. This gives you an automatic B.  (an 80% is 24 correct out of 30 questions)

 

        OR, if you score BELOW 80 on ANY exam, you would have to use Option 2:

 

Ø  OPTION 2

o    you must have an overall average on the five unit exams of 80% or above AND

o    submit an acceptable Book Analysis (see instructions below) - book analysis deadline is MONDAY, August 10th at NOON. 

 

For the grade of "C", you will have an overall average on the five unit exams of 70% or above.                     

 

For the grade of "D", you will have an overall average on the five unit exams of 60% - 69.9%.

Ø  A grade of D does NOT fulfill the state requirement for U.S. History, so if you earn a D you will have to take the course again in order to graduate.

 

For the grade of "F", you will have an overall average on the five unit exams less than 60%.

Ø  A grade of F does NOT fulfill the state requirement for U.S. History, so if you earn a D you will have to take the course again in order to graduate.

 

For the grade of "I" ("Incomplete"), the student

Ø  must have a medical excuse certified by a physician, sent to Dr. Thomas no later than August 1st.

Ø  must have completed and passed at least 3 exams before being eligible for an "Incomplete".

Ø  IMPORTANT: If an "incomplete" is not completed by October 1st, the "I" will automatically become an "F" on your transcript.

Ø  It is YOUR responsibility to complete the course in time to avoid the "F".

 

WARNING: Scholastic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Any act of scholastic dishonesty will result in you immediately receiving the grade of "F" for the course.

 

THE EXAMS

 

Ø  ALL exams are available in ALL ACC Testing Centers beginning June 1st.

Ø  You may take ANY exam at ANY ACC Testing Center.

Ø  There are five exams, each consisting of 30 multiple choice questions. There are no essay questions.

 

Ø  Each exam must be taken at one of the ACC Testing Centers and may not be taken at any other college or university.

Ø  You may take an exam BEFORE the deadline date.

Ø  You may take an exam ON the deadline date

Ø  You may take several exams on one day.

 

Ø  You must take tests by the testing deadlines (See “When to Take Exams” section below).

Ø  Every student must complete all 5 exams by the exam deadlines.

Ø  NOTE: If needed, for exams 1 through 4, each student gets a one-time exam deadline extension, for any reason - no need to get permission. Just take it when you can.

Ø  Any additional exam deadline extensions are given only in extraordinary or exceptional circumstances.

 

Ø  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 you do this BEFORE you take the retest. Contact me to set up an appointment.

 

Ø  The exam questions are taken from the HIST 1302 study questions 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.

 

Ø  A passing grade (70%) on an exam equals 21 correct out of 30 questions.

 

Ø  You may take each exam twice. If you fail it the first time, you may take it again - the second time is called a "re-test". (See the “Re-test” section below)

 

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)

 

RE-TESTS

 

If you score below 70% (less than 21 correct) the first time you take your exam, you may retest.

Ø  There is a restriction on the retest, however. The highest grade possible on the re-test is 70% (a 21).

Ø  This means that if you score 22 or above on the retest, you will get credit for only 21 points (a 70%) for that retest.

Ø  The highest of your grades (either the test or the retest) will be used to calculate your average.

 

To re-test, go to any ACC Testing Center anytime ON or BEFORE August 11th and ask for a re-test for the exam. The re-test is also 30 questions, multiple choice and is taken from the Study Guide questions. 

 

Ø  You can retest anytime during the semester, but all Retests must be completed by August 6th.

Ø  You cannot test AND retest for the same exam ON THE SAME DAY. You must wait 24 hours to retest.

Ø  When you go to the Testing Center to RE-test, bring your original test receipt with you, to prove that you took the test once already.

 

Here are four Examples of how retesting works:

1. You score a 16 on Unit 2 Exam. 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).

 

CALCULATING YOUR EXAM AVERAGE

 

All five exams will be averaged at the end of the semester, to determine your average Exam grade.

Ø  To calculate your exam average:

Add up your exam grades and divide that total by 5.

 

Ø  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.

 

WHERE TO TAKE YOUR EXAMS

 

Ø  All tests and retests must be taken at ACC Testing Centers.

Ø  You can begin taking exams on JUNE 1st.

Ø  Please read the Guide to Student Use of Testing Centers for rules and regulations concerning the testing centers.

Ø  In order to test, you will need to bring an ACC ID to the Testing Center.

Ø  You can get an ACC ID at the Admissions and Records Office at any ACC campus (after you have registered and paid for the course).

Ø  Try to get your ACC ID before the semester begins - to avoid long lines in the first week.

Ø  If you ALREADY HAVE an ACC ID - you don’t have to do anything!

 

When you get to the Testing Center, you will show your ACC Photo ID and fill out a "Student Test Request Form". On this form, you'll provide your name and student ID AND your instructor's name, campus, and the course section number.

 

Here's what you'll need to fill in on the Test Request Form:

v  YOUR NAME and ID number

v  YOUR PHONE NUMBER (in case we need to reach you)

v  The course: HIST 1302 ONL

v  SECTION/SYNONYM:

v  Instructor: DR. T. THOMAS

v  Instructor's Campus: PINNACLE campus (abbreviated as “PIN”)

v  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 ACC Testing Centers, Libraries, and other ACC services.

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, must be presented.

 

More information about the Student ID card:

http://www.austincc.edu/support/admissions/student_id.php

 

WHEN TO TAKE YOUR EXAMS

This course is very challenging and time-consuming.  In order to be successful, you MUST plan and manage your time wisely.

Ø  You can begin taking exams as early as JUNE 1st.

Ø  Follow the deadline schedule below. 

Ø  Complete each exam by the deadline. 

Ø  NOTE: If needed, for exams 1 through 4, each student gets a one-time exam deadline extension, for any reason - no need to get permission. Just take it when you can.

Ø  Additional exam deadline extensions are given only in extraordinary or exceptional circumstances.

Ø  NO EXAM DEADLINE EXTENSIONS FOR EXAM #5.

It is YOUR responsibility to check when the Testing Center is open.

Ø  Some are open weekends, some are not. Some are open nights, some are not. Some close early on Fridays.

Ø  Please check ahead of time and plan accordingly.

Ø  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.

Ø  So, I recommend you either show up to take the exam a day or two EARLY or try to take the exam at one of the smaller, less-crowded testing centers. 

Ø  Remember, you CAN take exams BEFORE the deadline date.

GET A CALENDAR AND MARK THESE DEADLINES:

Exam Number

Text Chapters

Deadline

 

Exam 1

none (Map test)

June 22nd (Monday)

 

Exam 2

Chs. 17 - 20 **

July 1st   (Wednesday)

 

Exam 3

Chs. 21 - 24

July 11th  (Saturday)

 

Exam 4

Chs. 25 - 27

July 22nd  (Wednesday)

 

Exam 5

Chs. 28 - 31

August 5th  (Wednesday)

 

RETEST deadline for ALL exams

Chs. 17 - 31

August 6th (Thursday)

 

 

** NOTE:  Chapter 16 is in the textbook BUT it is not covered in this course; it’s covered in HIST 1301.

 

After you have taken your exam, the Testing Center staff member will grade the exam for you and give you a yellow receipt with your grade written on it. 

Ø  The grade will be recorded in the bottom left-hand side of the yellow receipt and it will be recorded as the number CORRECT out of a possible 30 questions.

Ø  The grade will look like this:  “22/30” which means, 22 correct out of 30. 

Ø  Since each question is worth 3.33 points, a 22 correct out of 30 means you scored a 73.26%. 

Ø  If you want to review the questions that you got wrong, please contact Dr. Thomas. 

Ø  Testing Center staff CANNOT allow you to review your exam, or even tell you which questions you missed - so please do not ask them. 

Ø  Contact Dr. Thomas for that information.

 

STRATEGY FOR TAKING EXAMS

 

Ø  The exam questions are taken from the Study Guide, available to download from Dr. Thomas’ website.  So you will need to download and use the Study Guide.

Ø  The first exam is a Map Test – what you need to know for the Map Test is in the Study Guide, page 2. 

Ø  The remaining 4 exams are from materials in the textbook.  For each chapter, there are study questions.  These are found in the Study Guide.

 

Ø  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.

Ø  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. 

Ø  The Map Test requirements are found in the Study Guide.

 

Ø  Remember, you do NOT have to “wait” until the deadline to take an exam – you CAN take it BEFORE the deadline.

 

IMPORTANT: After you test or re-test, the Testing Center will give you a receipt, on which you will find your test score.

Ø  Keep this form.

Ø  Your copy of the grade form is the only proof you have that you completed this exam.

Ø  Do not discard these forms until you have received your final grade at the end of the semester.

 

WRITING ASSIGNMENTS (RESEARCH PAPER & BOOK ANALYSIS) INFORMATION

 

Objectives: The writing assignments are designed to:

Ø  acquaint you with historical scholarship addressing some aspect of U.S. history from 1877 to the present;

Ø  provide an opportunity for you to acquire in-depth knowledge of a specific historical topic;

Ø  provide you with tools to develop analytical thinking abilities;

Ø  enhance your ability to synthesize large amounts of written material, in order to critically examine a historical topic;

Ø  develop your knowledge of library resources (specifically: card catalog, computer search, reference materials, reference personnel, style manuals);

Ø  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.

Ø  READ above section,ACADEMIC INTEGRITY” for further definitions.

Ø  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.

Ø  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.

Ø  If you copy from someone else without acknowledging the source, you are plagiarizing.

Ø  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 NOON on MONDAY, AUGUST 10th and will not be accepted late.

Ø  You may turn in your paper early (by August 3rd). If there are any problems with it, I will give/send it back to you to correct.

Ø  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.

 

HOW TO SUBMIT

Please submit your Writing Assignment as a Microsoft Word for Windows email attachment (do NOT send “Wordperfect”, rtf, pdf or any other format).

Ø  I will send you a reply, acknowledging that I have received your paper.

Ø  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

 

Do this paper ONLY if:

Ø  you hope to earn an "A" for the course AND

Ø  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.

Ø  See the special “RESEARCH INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE” section on my homepage for additional HELP with this assignment.

Ø  SAMPLE PAPER

 

TOPIC:

You MUST get Dr. Thomas' approval on a research topic BEFORE you begin, but NO LATER THAN August 1st.

Ø  Choose a topic that interests you, covering some aspect of U.S. history from 1877 to the present.

Ø  Choose a narrowly-defined, manageable topic, rather than a very general, broad topic.

Ø  For example, you would not want to define your topic as "World War II"; but you could define the topic as "The Role of Women on the Home Front in World War II".  (Yes, you can use this topic if you’d like)

Ø  If you are not sure which topic you'd like to work on, thumb through the textbook and see which subject inspires you.

Ø  Contact Dr. Thomas if you need help choosing a topic.

 

FORMAT: Research papers must include:

 

Ø  A COVER PAGE with your name, paper title, and semester. 

 

Ø  An OUTLINE PAGE with your THESIS STATEMENT

§  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.

 

Ø  7 to 10 PAGES OF TEXT (typed, double-spaced).

§  Do not submit less than 7 pages.

§  You must have at least 7 full pages of TEXT + notes. SAMPLE PAPER with endnotes.

§  If you type footnotes at the end of the paper, this page DOES count as part of your 7 pages.

§  Your Bibliography does NOT count as part of the 7 pages.

§  Any quotes in your paper that are over 3 lines must be INDENTED AND SINGLE-SPACED.

 

Ø  FOOTNOTES or ENDNOTES (no "parenthetical" citations).

§  The paper must include at least three PRIMARY and four SECONDARY sources (see explanation below).

§  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 Dr. Thomas or a reference librarian for assistance.

§  Do not use encyclopedias.

§  Do not use online encyclopedias, such as Encarta or Wikipedia.

§  SAMPLE FOOTNOTES format.

 

Ø  A BIBLIOGRAPHY PAGE with Primary and Secondary sources separately.

§  A Bibliography is different from Endnotes or Footnotes.

§  A Bibliography goes at the very end of your paper, on a separate page - AFTER the Endnotes.

§  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.

§  A bibliography is alphabetized by author’s last name.

§  For THIS paper, you must separate the bibliography into Primary and Secondary sources.  But for most research papers, you do not do that.

§  Ask Dr. Thomas or a reference librarian if you need assistance.

§  SAMPLE BIBLIOGRAPHY (scroll down ½ page).

 

Ø  Writing assignments must be typed and double-spaced.

§  ACC Learning Resource Centers (libraries) have computers available to students.

 

THESIS:

Your paper must argue a thesis -that is, something you are trying to prove about your topic.

Ø  It is not enough to say what happened and when - you must argue the historical significance of your topic.

Ø  For example, if you are writing about Women on the Home front 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.

Ø  Your paper would then discuss and support this argument by giving evidence (examples) from historical sources. State your thesis on the OUTLINE page.

Ø  Example of a thesis statement:

§  "This paper will prove that women on the home front played a critical support role during the Revolutionary War, by supporting boycotts, raising money, making or rationing critical supplies, and participating in recycling campaigns."

 

SOURCES:

The paper must include at least three PRIMARY and four SECONDARY sources.

Ø  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:

§  Links to Internet Sources

§  My homepage with Links to Other Primary Sources

 

Ø  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.

§  Another good place is the library’s card catalog.  Do a search on your subject.  Ask a librarian for help.

 

Ø  You CAN use online sources - documents or scholarly books online.  You cannot use online encyclopedias, such as Wikipedia.

 

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

Ø  the thoroughness with which you cover your chosen topic;

Ø  your ability to present your topic and supporting evidence logically and clearly; and

Ø  your ability to follow directions.

 

You may turn in your paper early (by August 3rd). 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.

Ø  The college/university libraries will have a greater selection of scholarly (non-fiction), research-oriented sources on a particular topic.

Ø  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.

Ø  Your outline should be a logical progression of ideas that explains your topic.

Ø  Next, compile a bibliography of possible sources, then consult your sources to see if they are suitable for your paper.

Ø  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.

 

HELPFUL LINKS

Ø  ACC Libraries

§  ACC online catalog

 

Ø  University of Texas Libraries (including on-line catalogs)

 

Ø  Texas State University Library

§  TX State online catalog

 

Ø  St. Ed's University Library

 

Ø  Help with Choosing a Topic & All Other Aspects of Writing a Research Paper

 

Ø  My homepage with special section on RESEARCH INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE.

 

 

BOOK ANALYSIS

 

Do this book analysis ONLY if:

Ø  you hope to earn a "B" for the course AND

Ø  you have an overall exam average of 80% or above, AND

Ø  you scored below 80 on any of your exams

Ø  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.

 

ASSIGNMENT:

Ø  Read a book from the approved list (below) and answer the questions from the Book Analysis Questions Form, found below.

Ø  Your finished product will be a series of typewritten questions and answers.

Ø  There is no required length but your assignment will probably be about 7 to 10 pages in length.

 

WHICH BOOKS CAN YOU READ?

Ø  Click here for Approved Book List

 

FORMAT:

Your Book Analysis must:

Ø  Include a COVER PAGE with your name and semester. 

Ø  be typed and double-spaced

Ø  be in Question/Answer format (that is, make sure you type EACH question, then your answer immediately following)

Ø  If you quote from your book, please put quotation marks around the quote and put the page number in parentheses after the quote.

Ø  SAMPLES are available at Dr. Thomas’s office at PIN campus.

Ø  HINT: copy the questions from this syllabus and PASTE them into a Word document.

 

GRADING:

Ø  The Book Analysis will be graded "ACCEPTABLE" or "NOT ACCEPTABLE".

Ø  Only "ACCEPTABLE" writing assignments will be counted towards the grade of "B".

Ø  You will be graded on

§  the thoughtfulness and thoroughness of your answers; and

§  on your ability to follow directions.

Ø  Please contact Dr. Thomas if you have any questions concerning the assignment.

 

DUE DATE:

Ø  The assignment is due at noon on MONDAY, AUGUST 10th (send via email as a Word attachment to Dr. Thomas).

Ø  You may turn in your paper early (by August 3rd). If there are any problems with it, I will give it back to you to correct.

Ø  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

Ø  Read the questions below carefully then give complete answers to each of the following.

Ø  Briefly TYPE the QUESTION, then your answer.         

 

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: America's Unfinished Revolution

or

Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution

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.

 

 

 

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: "Franklin's Early Years"

 

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 Lincoln freed the slaves because he needed his party’s support for his upcoming re-election campaign and

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 Salem in 1692 were motivated by political and economic disputes between the two prominent families of Salem."

 

 

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 Salem in 1692 resulted from a conflict between two prominent families.”

Give 3 conclusions for your book.

 

6.       Sources – to answer these questions, look at the author’s 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 Salem witch, you'd do a subject search on "Salem witch trials". Your search should return periodical articles on the Salem witch trials. Get assistance from a reference librarian if needed.

 

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."

 

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 Franklin's life, while the textbook was more general." That is a statement of form, not content.

 

DO say: "My book discussed Franklin's diplomatic efforts in France, while the textbook did not mention his work in France." This compares content.

 

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 have worked for other students and may help YOU to achieve success in this course.

 

TEST-TAKING:

Ø  Read each question very carefully and completely;

Ø  know what the question is asking.

Ø  Read each response.

Ø  Eliminate responses that you know are wrong.

Ø  When you have completed the exam, go over it again and verify your answers.

Ø  Answer the questions you know first, then go back and answer the rest.  

Ø  Take your time – don’t rush.

 

WRITING ASSIGNMENTS:

Ø  For those students who complete the Writing Assignments, have someone proofread your typed assignment for typos, misspellings, incorrect grammar, etc.

Ø  These types of errors seriously detract from the quality of your writing assignment.

Ø  Read over the Book Review Analysis questions before you read your chosen book.

Ø  It will help you to focus your reading efforts.  ACC has Writing Labs on each campus that can also help you.

 

STUDY QUESTIONS:

Ø  Read over the Chapter once, then re-read the chapter and complete the Study Questions.

Ø  Work on the study questions gradually; that is, work on several each day.

Ø  Don't wait until the night before the exam to complete all the questions.

Ø  "Cramming" is not an effective study method.

 

YOUR PROFESSOR:

Ø  Do not hesitate to consult with Dr. Thomas if you have any problems, questions, doubts or uncertainties.

Ø  Seek help early in the semester. 

Ø  Emailing is a perfectly acceptable way to communicate, so don’t hesitate to email.

 

HIST 1302 ONL                  STUDENT INFORMATION FORM                      SUMMER 2015

 

Please fill out (copy & paste into an email message, or send as an attachment) this form and send it to Dr. Thomas by email by June 19th.

Ø  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 - SUMMER 2015

Your Name:

 

School/College you most recently attended:

             

 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 this course;

2.  I have completed orientation for this course by reading through the material on this webpage;

3.  I have read this syllabus/orientation and fully understand its contents;

4.  I have read the section in this syllabus entitled “ACADEMIC INTEGRITY”, and fully understand its contents;

5.  I understand that if I engage in ANY form of academic dishonesty, I WILL receive the grade of "F" for the course;

6.  I understand that a "D" or "F" grade will NOT fulfill the Texas Legislative requirement for a semester of U.S. History credit.

7.  I understand that the deadline to withdraw from this course is TBA, 2015 and that it is MY responsibility to withdraw myself from the class by this deadline.

8.  I understand that the deadline for the last exam is August 5, 2015 and that I will NOT be given permission to take the exam after this date. (The retest deadline is August 6th.)

9.  I understand that the deadline for research paper and book analysis assignments is August 10th at noon and that I will not be given permission to submit my assignment after that date/time.

10. I understand that I get a one-time exam deadline extension for exams 1 through 4 and that any other deadline exceptions are made for exceptional circumstances, at Dr. Thomas’ discretion.

11. I understand that the materials for this course are copyrighted and may NOT be posted online in Quizlet, Study Blue or ANY OTHER online site.

 

Student's Signature: electronic signature (type your name) is OK:_____________________________________Date: _______________________________                                      

 

STUDY GUIDE

Please open the study guide and copy it to your computer. Exam questions are taken from this study guide. All or portions of Study Guides may NOT be posted to social media sites such as Facebook as this is a violation of the copyright.

 

 

WRITE DOWN THESE IMPORTANT DATES:

 

Friday              June 19th                     Complete the course orientation and email your Student Information Form to Dr. Thomas.

 

Monday                        June 22nd                    Exam 1 (Map Test) test deadline.

 

Wednesday      July 1st                        Exam 2 test deadline.

 

Saturday          July 11th                      Exam 3 test deadline.

 

Wednesday      July 22nd                     Exam 4 test deadline.

 

Saturday          August 1st                     Approval for Research Paper Topic must be acquired by this date (only for students working towards an A).

 

Tuesday           August 4th                   Deadline to withdraw from this course.

 

Wednesday      August 5th                   Exam 5 test deadline.

 

Thursday          August 6th                   RETEST deadline for all exams.

 

Monday                        August 10th                 Writing assignments (either Book Analysis OR Research Paper) due at NOON (only for students working towards an A or a B)

 

Congratulations!

You have now completed Orientation. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Thomas at tmthomas@austincc.edu or at (512) 223-8164.

 

Thank you and have a great semester!