Important Course Policies
All assignments must be handed in the form of both hard and electronic copies (e-mail them to me).
All late work will be penalized by at least one letter grade. No late work will be accepted following the date set for the final examination.
Any documented case of academic dishonesty on any assignment will result not only in a failing grade for the assignment in question but also in a failing grade for the course as a whole. If you have questions about how to cite material properly, refer to the appropriate sections of the MLA Style Manual or Chicago Manual of Style (or make an appointment to speak with me). There are copies of both in the reference section of the library. Submitting work that you have previously submitted (or plan to submit) for credit in another course is also a form of academic dishonesty, unless you obtain explicit approval from both instructors to do so. For this course, the only such double submission allowed is the probable inclusion of the chapter portion you prepare (and perhaps some part of your literature review) in your senior thesis.
Please note that your work may be submitted to turnitin.com to check their content for plagiarism.
Accessing Shared Documents on MyJCU
1. Go to the internal web site (MY JCU).
2. After you have logged in, click on the course post-it for Fall 2018, HM 460. Then click on shared files.
3. Please note that handouts in the form of pdf documents may not open with some internet browsers (in particular there seem to be incompatibilities with Chrome). If a source doesn't open, try another browser; if the problem persists please e-mail me.
4. Be sure to check the handouts page frequently for changes and updates. Similarly, I will post messages on the MyJCU board should I need to contact you in between class meetings (e.g., in the case of an unexpected class cancellation).
5. All other course readings are either in the form of the books listed above or available on-line through the links on this syllabus.
6. J-Stor Readings--While on campus, you should be able to access these readings simply by clicking on the links on the syllabus. On the page that appears, you can find links to download the full article as a PDF file or to print it out. Off-campus you may need to go to the website for the Frohring Library, click on the link for "Databases" and "J-Stor" and then if need be search for the article manually.
Course Schedule. Please note that the following is subject to change--any updates will be made to the on-line syllabus, available on the University's webpage: http://www.johncabot.edu/academics/courses/course-schedules-syllabi.aspx. (LAST UPDATED October 12)
Part I: Getting Started
Sept 5. Introductions--What is Research?
Sept. 12. What’s the Purpose?: Thinking and Research in the Humanities; Formulating Topics and Presentations
Barnes ‘Shipwreck,’ 115-139 (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Booth, et al, The Craft of Research, 35-67 (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Journal Entry Due
Sept. 19. NO CLASS--We will schedule individual meetings to discuss potential topics.
Journal Assignment Due by 3 p.m. on Friday Sept. 21: Fully Developed Statement of Research Problem (and, if different, of actual planned thesis topic in whatever state it’s in)
Part II: Finding and Using Sources
Sept. 26. Finding Sources, Using the Library
Barzun and Graff, The Modern Researcher, 37-66 (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Guest Instructor: Research Librarian
Meeting in the Library
Journal Entry Due
Oct. 3. What is Theory? What is Methodology? What are they good for?--Three Examples
Foucault, The Archaeology of Knowledge (Excerpts) (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Darnton, "The Great Cat Massacre," (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Scott, "Domination, Acting and Fantasy" (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Journal Entry Due
Oct. 10. Scholarly Knowledge, Popular Knowledge, 'Cranky' Knowledge
Trouillot, "The Power in the Story" (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Journal Assignment Due: Identify and briefly analyze one reliable and one unreliable website relating to your topic along with one website that may be useful, but only when used with particular care--explain how you drew your conclusions about their reliability (be prepared to present this to the rest of the class).
During today's class we'll also discuss what literature reviews are (Please look at the guidelines on MyJCU).
Oct. 17. Methodology/Theory Presentations (3 per class)
Q. Davenport (Modernization Theory): Phon-amnuai "Rethinking Modernization Theory" (Shared Files, MyJCU)
A. Epifani (Microhistory): Miller, "Why the Bishop of Florence Had to Get Married" https://www.jstor.org/stable/20463931?seq=16#metadata_info_tab_contents
A. Costantino (Gender and Discourse Analysis): Mills, "Gender, Identity and Discourse Analysis" (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Methodology/Theory Paper Due
Oct. 24. Methodology/Theory Presentations (3 per class)
N. Ciniglio (Pattern Analysis/'Big Data' Approaches); Morris, "Document to Database and Spreadsheet (Shared Files, MyJCU)
M. Quinn (Utilitarianism and Ethics): Carens, "Aliens and Citizens" (Shared Files, MyJCU)
A. Mixson, (Biography and Ancient History: Plutarch "The Life of Marius" (Excerpt, Shared Files, MyJCU) AND Chrysanthou, "Review: Ancient Biography and Fictionalisation" https://research.ncl.ac.uk/histos/documents/2017RR24ChrysanthouonDeTemmerman.pdf
Journal Entry Due
Oct. 31. Methodology/Theory Presentations (3 per class)
S. Marcet ('Conceptual Metaphors'): Coyle, "Good Tree, Bad Tree," 65-88 https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.jcu.idm.oclc.org/lib/johncabot/reader.action?ppg=89&docID=634991&tm=1540361146779
B. Gedizlioglu (Analytical Philsophy and the 'Similitude' Theory): Putnam, "Two Philosophical Perspectives," Required: 50-59, Recommended: All (Shared Files, MyJCU)
A. Wignall (Historical Materialism): Habermas, "Towards A Reconstruction of Historical Materialism" https://www.jstor.org/stable/656775?Search=yes&resultItemClick=true&searchText=historical&searchText=materialism&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dhistorical%2Bmaterialism&refreqid=search%3Aca742ae616553e0f3c44aa60ae83ae24&seq=14#metadata_info_tab_contents
Journal Assignment Due: Provide a listing of how you plan to divide your larger research topic into probable chapters (or better, chapter length segments for the purposes of both research and writing up the preliminary results). Explain your reasons for making the divisions as you do.
Part IV: Developing and Presenting Arguments
Nov. 7. Making Arguments/Making Claims; Organizing
Booth et al, The Craft of Research, "108-129, 152-170 (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Individual Meetings During the Second Half of Class
Literature Review is Due
Nov. 14. Bringing Out The Dead?: The Ethics of Humanities Research
Barzun and Graff, The Modern Researcher, 153-165 (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Booth et al, The Craft of Research, 273-276 (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Todorov, “The Moral and Political Sciences” (Shared Files, MyJCU)
Journal Entry Due
Part V: Is the Proof in the Pudding?--First Draft of Your Chapter Portion is Due One Week Before Your Presentation Date
Nov. 21. Chapter Presentations and Peer Commentaries
Nov. 28. Chapter Presentations and Peer Commentaries
Dec. 5. Chapter Presentations and Peer Commentaries
Final Draft of Chapter Portion Due on Date of Final Examination--Remember that class will meet during time scheduled for the Final Examination. TBA (Final Exam Period December 10-14)