SUNY-Buffalo
Department of History

Spring 2001                     Prof. Erik Seeman
Th 4:00-6:40                    Park 534
Park 532                           645-2181 x534
seeman@buffalo.edu       Office: Tues 1-3

Goals: This course will provide students with the training, schedule, and intellectual community to produce a high-quality article-length research paper (18-25 pages).  The subject may deal with early America broadly construed:  chronologically through the first half of the nineteenth century and geographically including the Americas in their transatlantic context.  The paper may draw on previous research, and it may contribute to a planned future project (such as a master's thesis or doctoral dissertation).

Web Page:  Go to <http://www.buffalo.edu/~seeman> for the online syllabus and other useful information.

Assignments:  The chief requirement for this course is a high-quality research paper.  But students must also complete a variety of steps along the way to producing that paper, including several mandatory emails to the instructor, a one-page proposal, a two-page proposal, a 2-3 page paragraph outline, and a rough draft.

Grading:  In general, a student's grade for the course will be equivalent to the grade received on the final paper.  However, if attendance and participation have not been adequate, the student's final grade may be lower than the paper grade.

Readings:  The following book is required reading and may be purchased at the University Bookstore.  Online readings may be accessed through the online syllabus or through the University Library course reserve catalogue.

Richard Marius, A Short Guide to Writing About History, 3d ed. (New York, 1999)

January 18:  Introduction
 

January 25:  Article Assignment

     Assignments:  read Marius, 1-28
     Complete article assignment (see handout).  Foster, "Deficient Husbands"
     Continue refining your topic.  All students must email me this week with tentative titles and ideas about primary sources to consult.
 

February 1:  Resources and Bibliography (meet in Lockwood Library, room 223)

     Assignments: read Marius, 72-108
     Bring questions about finding primary and secondary sources for Charles DíAniello, history bibliographer at Lockwood
     Topic selection assignment due:  hand in one-page proposal, including tentative title and major primary source collections to consult (including location).  Also include the journal to which you might submit your paper, with xerox of relevant information.
 

February 8:  Topic Presentations

     Assignments:  read Marius, 29-71
     Half of the students will offer ten to fifteen-minute presentations on your topic, including title and sources you will consult.  You should be prepared to convince your classmates that your topic is significant, original, and feasible.  Members of the class will comment and offer suggestions.
 

February 15:  Topic Presentations

     Assignments:  read Marius, 136-45, 161-74
     The other half of students will offer ten to fifteen-minute presentations on your topic, including title and sources you will consult.  You should be prepared to convince your classmates that your topic is significant, original, and feasible.  Members of the class will comment and offer suggestions.
     Two-page topic proposals due (for all students).  These should be more elaborate versions of your original proposal.  You should, at this point, have a clear idea of a focused topic, and you should know what primary and secondary sources you will consult.  You should also be able to make a case for the originality and significance of your approach.
 

February 22:  No Class

     Assignment:  work on research
 

March 1:  Progress Reports and Writing Workshop

     Assignment:  in an unstructured atmosphere, all students will discuss problems they are having finding sources, doing research, and beginning writing.
 

March 8:  No Class -- Spring Break
 

March 15:  No Class

     Assignments:  continue work on research, begin writing
     Paragraph outlines due.  These are 2-3 page rough outlines of your paper.  You should describe what your argument will be, and then list paragraph by paragraph how you will support that argument.
 

March 22:  No Class

     Assignments:  continue writing
     All students must contact me by phone or email this week to discuss progress.  We can schedule face-to-face meetings if necessary.
 

March 29:  No Class

     Assignments:  half of students must hand in rough draft, in enough copies for all students, to my office or mailbox, by 4pm.
     All students must collect packets of papers.
 

April 5:  Discussion of First Drafts

     Assignments:  the other half of students must hand in a rough draft, in enough copies for all students, by beginning of class.
     All students must collect the second bath of rough drafts.
     Class discussion will consist of offering suggestions on the first half of rough drafts.  Students should give marked-up copies of papers back to fellow students.
 

April 12:  Discussion of First Drafts

     Assignment: class discussion will consist of offering suggestions on the second half of rough drafts.  Students should give marked-up copies of papers back to fellow students.
 

April 19:  No Class

     Assignment:  continue writing and revising
 

April 26:  Editing and Revising Workshop

     Assignment:  final unstructured discussion about papers.
 

Monday May 7:  Final Paper due by noon