Holmes University, Department of History
History 3ZZ3-America and the World 1775-2015-Fall 2015
American History:
America and the World
1775-2015
Prof. Finbarr Wood
Our class meets three times a week:
Monday, Tuesday, Friday 2:30-4:30 PM
My office hours in Room 106 Frasier Hall are:
Tuesdays 1:00-2:00 PM
Fridays 11:00 AM-12:00 PM
Or by appointment via Email:
(also: ProfWoody@searcher.com)
Brief Course Description:
This course is a largely thematic exploration of the history of the United States of America from the beginnings of the Revolution in 1775 to the relatively recent past of 2015. Political, social, cultural and some economic themes will be explored, as will America's relationship with the rest of the world.
Course Requirements:
Tutorial passports: for each of the nine tutorial classes there is a "passport" question provided on that week's reading. One should consider the question while reading the documents for the tutorial and write a one page (100 words min. 250 words max). Each one is worth 2% of your final mark. Your passport are marked on a pass/fail basis and must be handed in the first 10 minutes of the tutorial. Anything after that will not be accepted. If thoughtful and presented well, you will receive full marks. If it's just one sentence on a napkin (or equivalent) it will receive zero. However, TAs will give half marks (1%) if your answer is neither good nor bad. There are nine tutorials. However, only seven will count towards your final grade (so if you miss or fail two it will not effect your overall mark).
Research paper proposal is a 400 word (1.5 to 2 page) prospectus that introduces the topic of your research paper, sets out research questions, sets out research strategy and includes a bibliography of relevant sources to be consulted will be attached (see below for bibliography guidelines). The Proposal is worth 6%, but must be accepted before you can write your Research Paper. The deadline for this assignment is 11:59 PM Wednesday, October 7th.
The Research Paper is a 3500 word (12-15 pages, typed double-spaced, plus foot/endnote citations and bibliography) essay based on a minimum of eight different Secondary Sources (books, chapters of books, or academic articles) and at least one Primary Source (newspapers, government documents/publications, diaries/memoirs or autobiographies, archival collections, maps, or edited documents collections). Students should not use websites unless authorized by a TA or Prof. Wood. Encyclopedias and dictionaries do not count as sources. Papers using Worldipedia as one of the sources will be ritualistically burned in front of the class....actually as that would contravene the fire code they will be returned unmarked, to their authors. Papers will be scanned for plagiarism by Handitin.com Research Papers must be handed in by 11:59 PM Wednesday, November 11th.
Final exam will be between December 7th-11th.
Grading:
Attendance and Participation: 10%
Tutorial "Passports": 14%
Essay proposal 500 word + bibliography: 6%
3500 word research paper: 35%
Final Exam: 35%
The list of sources to be read will be provided by Professor Wood on day two.
Main Textbook:
The main textbook will be Western History by Henrietta Moss, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2012.
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