Bibliography Project

Class Participation | Paper 1 | Paper 2 | Bibliography Project

Hist 100-22 Western Civilization

Students will choose a historical topic that interests them, identify relevant primary and secondary sources, and submit a three to four-page report on these sources together with a bibliography. The project is divided into the three steps outlined below, each with a separate point value and deadline.

Submit topic on Sept. 17th. (5% of total grade for project)

Choose a topic from the history of Western Civilization that interests you. Describe this topic in a short paragraph.

It is perfectly okay, even advisable, to consult with me ahead of time about your topic.
You may not choose the Dreyfus Affair, because we already have a bibliography for that topic in the book we are reading.

Submit your topic proposal in the body of an email message. In the subject line, write "Bibliography Topic."
Look for an email response from me. I might respond with a simple approval, but I might ask you to change the topic a little or a lot, depending on its viability and whether or not another student is doing it. I might also have a question or two for you.
I will not accept bibliography projects from students who have not obtained approval of their topics from me.
I will post a list of approved topics to Blackboard, so that people with related topics can cooperate with one another on books they need from the library.

Submit progress report on Oct. 29th (15% of total grade for project)

Write a provisional bibliography of what you have found.

It should be nearly complete so that you can devote the remaining time to writing up the project.
Divide it into two sections, first primary and then secondary sources. For formatting instructions, see Diana Hacker, Research and Documentation Online.
The number of entries will vary by topic. When in doubt, ask me.

A good bibliography should have at least three books listed in the primary sources section, though some will have more. You might also list relevant online primary source collections in this section.
A good bibliography should contain six to twelve books based on primary source research as well as perhaps some relevant articles. Dissertations are also possible. All of these titles go in the secondary source section
For ideas about how to find material visit the bibliography project discussion on Blackboard, where you can ask questions and share ideas.
Wikipedia and similar sites do not count as sources, though they might help you find sources. (See Evaluating the Reliability of Websites.)
It is not necessary to read every word of the books you find. Instead you can look for clues in the introductions and conclusions, bibliographies, tables of contents, and so on. You might, however, have to read the most important chapter of each book, in order to appreciate its argument. Academic book reviews can also be helpful, but relying on them exclusively can lead to mixed results.

Preface your provisional bibliography with a paragraph or more about your progress. Have you found enough material? What kind? What kinds of material do you still need to locate? If you've had trouble finding certain kinds of material, what have you tried so far?
Submit this report via email as an attachment.

Acceptable file formats are Word, RTF, and PDF.
If you use a different word processor than Word, it should be easy to convert your document to RTF via the "save as" command. On the Mac you can obtain a PDF document via the print command.

Submit completed project on Nov. 12th 15th (80% of total grade for project)

Print out your final project and submit it by the beginning of class on the day it is due. If you are late to class, the project will be considered late. Because the deadline is now on the weekend, follow the directions for email submission above. (Please remember to send me a file format that my computer can read.)
Your report will have three parts.

Begin with a TITLE PAGE that contains an informative (not cute) title for your project, your name, the course name and number, and the date.

There is no need to waste expensive ink on huge fonts or fancy pictures. Keep it simple and clear.
Tell your word processor that this is page 0, but do not include a page number on it. Numbering will begin with the next section.

Write a three to four-page BIBLIOGRAPHIC ESSAY about the sources you found.

As with any essay, it must have an introduction and conclusion. (See What Ingredients Must an Essay Contain?)
Unlike a normal term paper, your essay will discuss the primary and secondary sources you found, not the topic per se.

What do your primary sources reveal? How reliable are they? What questions do they raise. What questions can they not answer?
What do the secondary sources cover? What kinds of primary sources did they use? (The answer will be in the bibliography and preface or introduction.) What interpretations do they offer? If they disagree with one another, how and why?
See note in the previous section about how much reading you will have to do.

Add your BIBLIOGRAPHY to the end of this essay. Follow the formatting described in the above directions for your progress report.

See the resources and general directions for essay writing in your first essay assignment.

When in doubt, ask questions. You can visit me during office hours; you can email me; and you can ask questions of possibly general interest to other students on Blackboard.

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