Welcome to HIST 1302 DIL (Distance Learning) – History 2

Independent Study Using Computer

Sections/Synonyms:

55305-068

55306-069

55312-078

 

Orientation & Course Syllabus – SUMMER 2018

Second 6-week Session

Begins July 6th **

 

Dr. T. Thomas, Professor

Austin Community College

All Materials Copyright, Dr. T. Thomas, 2018

 

** Even though this course officially begins July 6th, you MAY start early – you may begin taking exams as early as June 1st

 

 

Instructions: This is the orientation for my HIST 1302 Second 6-week distance learning 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 me on or by July 7th. 

 

IMPORTANT  NOTE: There are two EARLY deadlines for this class.  The first deadline is July 7th. You must email me your Student Information Form (found at the end of this syllabus document) on or by July 7th.  The second deadline is for taking a Map Test and that deadline is July 9th.  IF YOU FAIL TO MEET THESE DEADLINES, YOU WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE WITHDRAWN FROM THE CLASS. 

 

It is ACC policy that students who do not “attend” a class by a certain date are dropped from the class.  So if you fail to send your Student Info Form and you fail to take the Map Test by the deadlines, I designate you as someone who “never attended” the class and you are automatically withdrawn. This may also negatively affect your Financial Aid.

 

 

BLACKBOARD

I do not post grades or course materials on Blackboard. Course materials are posted on my website, www.austincc.edu/tmthomas.  From time to time I will post Announcements on Blackboard.

 

COURSE HIGHLIGHTS

 

Ø  This course will acquaint you with the basic processes of United States History from 1877 to the present

Ø  This course is designed for students who can work independently, accessing course materials from my instructional website.

Ø  On a regular basis during the semester, you’ll receive communications from me that are intended to help you achieve success in this course.

Ø  There will be a General Discussion Board in Blackboard, to help you communicate with others in the class.

Ø  If you need assistance in person, you must be able to meet with me at my Campus during regular weekday business hours.

Ø  Distance testing outside of ACC is NOT permitted.  ALL exams must be taken at ACC Testing Centers.

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

Ø   There are no classes to attend – you work on your own and seek assistance when needed.

Ø  There are 5 exams. Each exam is 30 questions, multiple choice (no essay exams)

Ø  There are study questions for each exam (available to download from this website)

Ø  one textbook (James Roark et al, The American Promise, Volume 2, Seventh edition– see “Textbook” section below for ISBN numbers).

Ø  There is a research paper required for an "A" – it’s due FRIDAY, August 10th at noon (TOPIC approval deadline is August 1st)

Ø  book analysis required for a "B" (some students can earn an exemption from this requirement for a B; see “Grades” section below for details) – due FRIDAY, August 10th at noon.

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

 

TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE ORIENTATION, YOU MUST:

 

v  read this orientation/syllabus

v  fill out and return the Student Information Form (located on the last page of the syllabus) by the July 7th deadline.

v  Return the Student Information Form by email to me at tmthomas@austincc.edu

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

v  contact me with any questions you might have.

v  The FASTEST way to contact me is via email:  tmthomas@austincc.edu

 

 

 

YOUR PROFESSOR

 

Mailing Address:

Dr. T. Thomas

ACC – History

1820 West Stassney Ln 

Austin, TX   78745

Office Hours:

By Appointment. For an appointment, send email to tmthomas@austincc.ecu

 

My office is at SAC 1321.2 (3rd floor)

 

Email: (the fastest way to communicate with me)

tmthomas@austincc.edu

 

Phone & voicemail: 512-223-9255 

Urgent message: call ACC History Department at 512-223-3385.

 

Website: www.austincc.edu/tmthomas

 

 

A NOTE ABOUT EMAIL

 

Email from me – or from ACC - 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  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) -TBA.

 

For URGENT messages, call the ACC History Department at (512) 223-3385. They will relay your message to me.

 

 

THIS COURSE

This section is a distance-learning 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 fast-moving, 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 campus during normal business hours 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.

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

Ø  If you are TSI-compliant in reading and writing OR if you are TSI-exempt, you can take this class.

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 and a desire to achieve to the best of your ability

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 if your reading skills are not at the college level, 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 world geography  and basic geography concepts (e.g., hemispheres, longitude, latitude, & difference between continents, countries, & cities)

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.  Also, 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, Seventh edition. 

 

It is your responsibility to acquire a copy of the textbook.

Ø  You can purchase or rent the textbook from ANY source that you choose.

Ø  If you cannot afford to purchase the textbook right away, there is an older version on reserve in some ACC  Libraries - for use in the Library.  You can use it until you’re able to purchase the current edition of the textbook.

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

Ø  There are TWO VERSIONS  of the textbook. You may choose either one.

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

 

VERSION

WHERE TO PURCHASE

Full color paperback

ISBN #

978-1-319-06209-5

Ø  Available at ACC bookstores and other booksellers.

Ø  This version is the more expensive version.  It includes full color maps and pictures.

“Value” Edition

ISBN #

978-1-319-06200-2

Ø  Available  at ACC bookstores and other booksellers.

Ø  Same text as the full-color paperback above, but less expensive black and white version, with fewer graphics.

 

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 July 7th.

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,

§  the grades you have received so far.

 

WITHDRAWAL FROM THE COURSE – Deadline is Aug 6th

 

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/apply-and-register/registration-information/course-withdrawals

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  You can withdraw BEFORE Aug 6th. You can withdraw ON Aug 6th.

Ø  If you fail to meet the first two course deadlines (submission of the Student Information Form by Juky 7th and the Map Test deadline of July 9th) -you will be automatically withdrawn from the course, per the College’s attendance certification  policy.

 

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, located on each ACC campus.

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). In

addition, I will not give grade information over the phone. Unless there is an emergency, I will not communicate

with your parents or guardians.  If there are any problems or issues, you need to speak with me or correspond with

me yourself. 

 

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.  I welcome your comments on this course.

 

CAMPUS CARRY OF CONCEALED HANDGUNS

 

The Austin Community College District concealed handgun policy ensures compliance with Section 411.2031 of the Texas Government Code (also known as the Campus Carry Law), while maintaining ACC’s commitment to provide a safe environment for its students, faculty, staff, and visitors. Individuals who are licensed to carry (LTC) may do so on campus premises except in locations and at activities prohibited by state or federal law, or the college’s concealed handgun policy. It is the responsibility of license holders to comply with the College’s policy and to conceal their handguns at all times. Persons who see a handgun on campus are asked to contact the ACC Police Department by dialing 222 from a campus phone or 512-223-7999.

 

Ø  Full ACC Policy:  http://www.austincc.edu/campus-carry/policy

Ø  Campus Carry Webpage:  http://www.austincc.edu/campus-carry

 

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TAKING THIS COURSE

 

This is a college course and all students enrolled in this course are considered college students.

 

Ø  Regardless of your age or high school status, you are enrolled in a college course and your privacy is protected by the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974,

Ø  Unless there is an emergency, I will not communicate with your parents or guardians.  With regard to academic issues, it is a violation of federal law for me to communicate with anyone other than you.

Ø  If there are any 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.

 

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

 

Acts of academic dishonesty/misconduct undermine the learning process, present a disadvantage to students who earn credit honestly, and subvert the academic mission of the institution.  Acquiring fraudulent credentials through cheating is problematic for employers and institutions beyond ACC - who rely on ACC to certify a student’s academic achievements, and expect to benefit from the claimed knowledge and skills of the graduate. 

For these, and other moral and ethical reasons, academic or scholastic dishonesty will not be tolerated.

 

WARNING: Any act of plagiarism and/or other type of academic dishonesty will result in you receiving the grade of "F" for the course. This includes violations of Testing Center policies. 

 

If you violate Testing Center policies, you WILL FAIL this COURSE. This includes bringing a cellphone or other computer device into the Testing area.

 

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

v  To help avoid plagiarism:  read over your source, then close the book (or close the browser if it’s online).  THEN write notes about what you’ve read.  This will help to ensure that you’re not copying or completely paraphrasing your source.  Paraphrasing is ok to do but on a VERY limited basis.  You cannot paraphrase entire paragraphs or sections of your paper – because then it wouldn’t be YOUR work.  Write the information in your own words.

 

******  IF YOU ARE UNSURE whether or not your actions constitute plagiarism, ASK me before you submit your work.

 

“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 me for assistance with footnotes.  Also, see the “Research Assistance” section of my website homepage for examples of footnotes, bibliography, outline, etc.

 

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

 

For more information on policies concerning student rights and responsibilities, see the ACC Catalog & Student Handbook, http://www.austincc.edu/catalog

 

YOUR GRADE AND HOW YOU EARN IT

 

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

Ø  You decide which grade you want to earn and then devote the time and effort necessary to attain that grade.

 

Your course grade is calculated using your SEMESTER Total Points Earned on your 5 exams. 

Here’s how it works:

 

There are 30 questions (so, 30 possible “points”) on each exam.

 

After you’ve taken your exam, the Testing Center will give you a SCORE REPORT that shows the ‘TOTAL POINTS EARNED”, in the upper right side of your Score Report where it says “Exam Results”. 

The Total Points Earned on the exam is the number of answers you got correct on your exam. It will be a number between 0 and 30.

 

After you’ve taken ALL FIVE EXAMS, ADD UP the “Total Points Earned” on EACH of your exams - to get a SEMESTER total.

 

 

Example:  

Exam 1 Total Points Earned = 30

Exam 2 Total Points Earned = 26

Exam 3 Total Points Earned = 21

Exam 4 Total Points Earned = 24

Exam 5 Total Points Earned = 18

 

This gives you a SEMESTER TOTAL POINTS of 30 + 26 + 21 + 24 + 18, which equals 119.

 

 

 

 

Now take a look at each of the grade requirement below, to see which grade you’re eligible for, based on YOUR Semester Total Points.

 

For the grade of "A", there are TWO REQUIREMENTS:

 

1.     you must have a SEMESTER Total Points of 125 or above,

AND

2.    you must submit an acceptable RESEARCH PAPER  (see instructions below) - deadline for paper submission is FRIDAY, August 10th  at NOON.

 

 

 

For the grade of "B" there are TWO REQUIREMENTS:

 

1.     you must have a SEMESTER Total Points of 120 or above,

AND

2.    you must submit an acceptable BOOK  ANALYSIS (see instructions below) - deadline for paper submission is FRIDAY, August 10th  at NOON. 

 

EXCEPTION: If you score 24 points or above on EACH of the FIVE EXAMS - then you do NOT have to do the Book Analysis for a B. 

 

Scoring 24 points or above on EACH of the FIVE EXAMS will give you an “automatic” B and you won’t have to do the Book Analysis. 

 

 

For the grade of "C", you will have a SEMESTER Total Points of 105 or above with no writing assignments.      

 

 

For the grade of "D", you will have a SEMESTER Total Points of 90 - 104.

 

NOTE: A grade of “D” MAY NOT fulfill the state requirement for U.S. History, so if you earn a D you MAY have to take the course again in order to graduate (from a public college or university in Texas) - check with the university to which you plan to transfer to see if they accept a D for History credit.

 

 

 

For the grade of "F", you will have a SEMESTER Total Points of less than 90.

 

NOTE: A grade of F does NOT fulfill the state requirement for U.S. History, so if you earn an F you will have to take the course again in order to graduate (from a public college or university in Texas).

 

 

 

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

Ø  must have a medical excuse signed by a physician, sent to Dr. Thomas no later than FRIDAY, August 10th.

Ø  must have completed and passed at least 3 exams before being eligible for an "Incomplete". A passing grade is 21 “Total Points Earned” on an Exam.

Ø  Must sign and date an “Incomplete” Form, provided by Dr. Thomas

 

IMPORTANT: If an "incomplete" is not completed by October 1st, 2018, the "I" will automatically become an "F" on your transcript.  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  Check the heading on an exam – make sure it says “HIST 1302 DIL -  Dr. Thomas” and the Exam Number you’re taking  – so that you’re given the correct exam.

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

 

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

Ø  You may take an exam BEFORE the deadline date.

Ø  You may take an exam ON the deadline date

Ø  Every student must complete all 5 exams by the exam deadlines.   NOTE: If needed, for exams 2 through 4, each student gets a once-per-semester exam deadline extension, for any reason - no need to get permission. Just take it by Aug 6th. 

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

Ø  There are NO EXAM DEADLINE EXTENSIONS FOR EXAM #1 (the Map Test) or EXAM #5.

Ø  You may take several exams on one day.

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. 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  After you’ve taken your exam, the Testing Center will give you a SCORE REPORT that shows the ‘TOTAL POINTS EARNED”, in the upper right side of your Score Report where it says “Exam Results”.  A PASSING Grade is 21 or more points. If you score BELOW 21 points on an exam, 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 - Deadline for retests is August 7th

 

If you score below 21 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 a 21.

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 7th 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.  Most of the questions on the “retest” will be different from the questions on the original exam.

 

Ø  You can retest for EACH of the 5 exams – BUT retest ONLY if you scored below 21 on the original exam.

Ø  You can retest anytime during the semester, but all Retests must be completed on or by Aug 7th.

Ø  You cannot test AND retest for the same exam ON THE SAME DAY. You must wait until at least the next day to retest.

Ø  You can retest ONLY ONCE for each exam.

Ø  You are not REQUIRED to retest – but I encourage you to retest if you scored below 21 on the original exam.  It may improve your overall grade.

 

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).

 

 

WHERE TO TAKE YOUR EXAMS - Testing Center Locations & Hours

 

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

Ø  You can begin taking exams on June 1st.

Ø  Exam deadlines are listed below and at the end of this syllabus.

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 must present an ACC student ID card or government issued ID and know your ACC ID number.

Ø  Obtain your free ACC Student ID card in person at any campus Admissions & Records Office at least one business day after registering for classes. Bring an official photo ID for identification. You can use your ID card to access on-campus services and receive local discounts.

Ø  Find and activate your ACC eID, email, and Online Services Account: http://www.austincc.edu/apply-and-register/admission-steps/activate-acc-accounts

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

 

When you get to the Testing Center, you will show your Photo ID and the testing center staff member will give you the exam.

 

Ø  There is no time limit on the exam BUT you must get there in plenty of time before the testing center closes.  So plan accordingly.  (The average time to complete an exam is about 30 minutes.)

Ø  When you’re done with the exam, the testing center staff member will grade it and give you a Score Report with your test grade.  The grade is called “Total Points Earned” and is located in the upper right side of the page in the “Exam Results” section.  It will be a number between 0 and 30.

Ø  The testing center also sends a copy of your grade to me.

Ø  Keep track of your grades - since I don’t post them on Blackboard.

 

WHEN TO TAKE YOUR EXAMS- EXAM DEADLINES

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, each student gets a one-time-per-semester exam deadline extension, for exams 2 through 4 - for any reason - no need to get permission. Just take it sometime before Aug 7th.

Ø  Additional exam deadline extensions are given only in extraordinary or exceptional circumstances, as determined by Dr. Thomas.

Ø  There are NO EXAM DEADLINE EXTENSIONS FOR EXAM #1 (the Map Test) or 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.  Link to Testing Center Locations and Hours.

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. 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)

July 9th (Monday)

 

Exam 2

Chs. 17 – 20 **

July 16th (Monday)

 

Exam 3

Chs. 21 - 24

July 23rd (Monday)

 

Exam 4

Chs. 25 - 27

July 30th (Monday)

 

Exam 5

Chs. 28 - 31

August 6th (Monday)

 

RETEST deadline for ALL exams

Deadline to take “postponed” exams.

August 7th (Tuesday)

 

 

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

 

When you’re done with the exam, the testing center staff member will grade it and give you a Score Report with your test grade. 

 

The grade is called “Total Points Earned” and is located in the upper right side of the page in the “Exam Results” section.  It will be a number between 0 and 30. This is the number of questions you got right on the exam.

 

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.  You are always welcome to review your exams. 

Ø  We can review exams in person or by phone.  Email me to set up an appointment.

 

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 on page 2 of the Study Guide. 

Ø  The remaining 4 exams are from material 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 on page 2 of the Study Guide.

 

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

Ø  If you’re going to be out of town during an exam deadline, take the exam before you leave.

 

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 after 1877;

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.

Ø  If you’re UNSURE whether or not you have plagiarized, BEFORE you submit your paper - please contact Dr. Thomas for clarification!

 

DUE DATE

The Writing Assignments (Research Papers and Book Analyses) are due on or before NOON on FRIDAY, 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, gif 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 accepted.

 

RESEARCH PAPER INSTRUCTIONS

 

Do this paper ONLY if:

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

Ø  you have a SEMESTER EXAM Total Points of 125 or above

 

DON’T SPEND TOO MUCH TIME ON THE PAPER UNTIL YOU’RE REASONABLY SURE THAT YOU’LL HAVE THE REQUIRED 125 EXAMS POINTS THAT ARE ALSO REQUIRED FOR AN  A.

 

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: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/chicago_manual_17th_edition/documents/20180216124500_717_11.pdf

 

DUE DATE:  12 noon, August 10th. 

Ø  Email it to me as an attachment - in .doc or .docx format.  Do NOT send pdf, gif, rtf or other format.

Ø  You may turn in your paper early (NO later than Aug 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.

 

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 after 1877.

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.  Or maybe choose a topic related to your college major.

Ø  When choosing a topic, keep in mind that your paper must present, argue, and support a “thesis” – something your paper will PROVE  about your topic.  So as you choose your topic, think in terms of what you’d hope to prove about your topic.

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

 

 

FORMAT: Research papers must:

 

Ø  use 12-point “Times New Roman” font - or something similar

Ø  use standard one-inch margins

 

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 no more than a page in length. 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. 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 page 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 ("parenthetical" citations are not allowed).

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

§  For your “Secondary Sources” you must use at least two scholarly books about your subject (a “scholarly book” is typically a book that uses historical evidence to support a thesis – and will have footnotes and/or bibliography)

§  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, do not use 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 about.com. history.com, or Wikipedia

§  USE ONLINE SOUCES THAT END IN

.org    .edu    OR    .gov

§  SAMPLE FOOTNOTES format.

 

If you have a question or concern about a source, contact Dr. Thomas.

 

NOTE: If you use Microsoft Word to write your paper, there is a FOOTNOTE function that will allow you to insert a footnote and will automatically keep track of the numbering of footnotes.  In later editions of Word, use the “REFERENCES” Menu and select “INSERT FOOTNOTE”.  I am happy to show you how this works - and you can also get help with this at any ACC Learning Lab. It will make your life a lot easier!

 

Ø  A BIBLIOGRAPHY PAGE with Primary and Secondary sources listed 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. It lists ALL the sources that you’ve used in writing your paper.

§  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 WWII, 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 WWII, by supporting raising money, making or rationing critical supplies, participating in recycling campaigns, and working in wartime industries."

 

SOURCES:

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

§  For your “Secondary Sources” you must use at least two scholarly books about your subject (that is, books with footnotes and/or bibliography).  The books can be e-books (that is, available online), but they must be scholarly books about your topic.

 

If you have a question or concern about a source, contact Dr. Thomas.

 

Ø  PRIMARY SOURCES
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 Primary Sources for U.S. History

§  The ACC History Department website (www.austincc.edu/history)

§  My website has a lot of links to documents (www.austincc.edu/tmthomas)

§  History museum websites often  have documents (for example, a museum dedicated to World War I) or LINKS to documents

§  Public television website (pbs.org)

§  The Library of Congress website (loc.gov)

 

One way to easily search for primary source documents is to use Google and search for

                        primary sources [your topic]”

                        Or

                        documents [your topic]”

Or

documents [your topic]”

 

 

So, if your topic is Alexander Hamilton, then your Google search would look like:

                       

                        primary sources Alexander Hamilton

                        Or

                        documents Alexander Hamilton

                        Or

                        archives Alexander Hamilton

 

You should get plenty of results using this method.

 

 

Ø  SECONDARY SOURCES

Secondary sources are accounts of the event that take place sometime after the event has been completed.

§  These are books or articles, written by scholars, to analyze the importance of some historical event.

§  For your “Secondary Sources” you must use at least two scholarly books about your subject (that is, books with footnotes and/or bibliography).  The books can be e-books (that is, available online), but they must be scholarly books about your topic. 

§  One good search engine for online books is Google Books,  https://books.google.com/ 

If you use Google Books, do a search on “scholarly books about [your topic]”

Scholarly books are also available in area college and university libraries (see Library links below)

§  Do not use encyclopedias.

§  Do not use online encyclopedias, such as about.com. history.com, history.org or Wikipedia

§  Stay away from .com sources – these are usually not scholarly sources (contact me if any questions)

§  Look for websites that end in .edu or .org. or .gov  

§  College and university libraries will have the scholarly books that are required.  See Library links below.

§  History museum websites can be useful, as are government websites, such as the Library of Congress (www.loc.gov). 

 

GRADING:

Your research paper will be graded "ACCEPTED" or "NOT ACCEPTED". Only "ACCEPTED" 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;

Ø  your ability to organize and communicate your arguments clearly;

Ø  the scholarly quality of your supporting evidence;

Ø  written expression that is clear and comprehensible;

Ø  written expression that employs proper English language grammar, spelling, and capitalization.

Ø  your ability to follow directions

 

You may turn in your paper early (NO later than Aug 3rd). If there are any problems with it, I will give/send it back to you to correct.

You may submit any draft portion of your paper any time during the semester – for example, your thesis statement, outline, or bibliography.  I’ll comment and return to you for any revisions.

 

HOW TO SUBMIT THE FINAL RESEARCH PAPER:

Ø  Email it to me as an attachment - in .doc or .docx format.  Do NOT send pdf, gif, rtf or other format. Do NOT send zip files.

Ø  Before you submit your research paper, review the requirements (above) and make sure you have everything that is required.

Ø  be sure to proofread for typos, misspellings, grammatical errors, etc., as these will seriously detract from the quality of your paper.

 

Contact Dr. Thomas if you’d like to see SAMPLES of “accepted” Research Papers that students have written in the past.

 

SUGGESTIONS:

For your research, you should use college or university libraries, as opposed to public libraries.

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

Ø  Perhaps the best way to start is to develop an outline for your paper – so that you can focus your research.

Ø  Your outline should be a logical progression of ideas that offers arguments to support your topic.

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

Ø  To help avoid plagiarism:  read over your source, then close the book (or close the browser if it’s online).  THEN write notes about what you’ve read.  This will help to ensure that you’re not copying or completely paraphrasing your source.  Paraphrasing is ok to do but on a VERY limited basis.  You cannot paraphrase entire paragraphs or sections of your paper – because then it wouldn’t be YOUR work.

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 a SEMESTER EXAM Total Points of 120 or more, AND

Ø  you scored below 24 on ANY of your exams

Ø  If you scored 24 or above on EACH of your 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 (link is 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 your name and semester.  You do not have to use a separate cover sheet.

Ø  be typed and double-spaced. Use 12-point “Times New Roman” font - or something similar

Ø  use standard one-inch margins

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  Book analysis SAMPLES (done by other students in the past) are available for your to review at Dr. Thomas’s office at PIN campus.

 

 

HINT: copy the questions from this syllabus and PASTE them into a Word document. Then you can type your answers under each question

 

GRADING:

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

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

Ø  You will be graded on

§  the thoughtfulness and thoroughness of your answers;

§  your ability to communicate your answers clearly;

§  written expression that is clear and comprehensible;

§  written expression that employs proper English language grammar, spelling, and capitalization.

§  your ability to follow directions

 

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

 

DUE DATE:

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

Ø  You may turn in your paper early (by Aug 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.

 

Contact Dr. Thomas if you’d like to see SAMPLES of “accepted” Book Analysis assignments that students have written in the past.

 

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.

Ø  You MAY abbreviate the question.

 

 

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 AT LEAST 3 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. It will help you to focus your reading efforts. 

Ø  ACC has Learning Labs on each campus, with writing specialists who can 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 DIL         STUDENT INFORMATION FORM              SUMMER 2018

 

EMAIL THIS COMPLETED INFORMATION TO ME.  You can COPY it and PASTE it into an email - or COPY it and PASTE it into a document - or print it, scan it and email it to me.  Any method is fine, as long as I receive it on or before July 7th.

 

Send it to me at tmthomas@austincc.edu

 

Please TYPE or 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 DIL SUMMER 2018

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 Aug 6th 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 Aug 6th and that I will NOT be given permission to take the exam after this date. (The retest deadline is Aug 7th.)

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 2 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 online sites such as Facebook, Quizlet, Study Blue, etc. as this is a violation of the copyright.

 

 

WRITE DOWN THESE IMPORTANT DATES:

Remember that you can take exams BEFORE the deadline or ON the deadline date.

 

Saturday         July 7th                       Complete the course orientation and email your Student Information Form                                                                    to Dr. Thomas.

 

Monday                        July 9th                       Exam 1 (Map Test) test deadline.

 

Monday                        July 16th                     Exam 2 test deadline.

 

Monday                        July 23rd                     Exam 3 test deadline.

 

Monday                        July 30th                     Exam 4 test deadline.

 

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

 

Monday                        Aug 6th                       Deadline to withdraw from this course.

 

Monday                        Aug 6th                       Exam 5 test deadline.  Deadline to take any “postponed” exams.

 

Tuesday           Aug 7th                       RETEST deadline for all exams.

 

Friday              August 10th                 Writing assignments (either Book Analysis OR Research Paper) due at

                                                            NOON  - See Syllabus sections “Research Paper” or “Book Analysis” above

for requirements and submission instructions.

 

Congratulations!

You have now completed Orientation. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Thomas by email at: tmthomas@austincc.edu or by phone at 223-8164.

 

Thank you and have a great semester!