HISTORY 480 "Computer Applications for Research"

HIS 480
Computer Methods in Historical Research

Fall 2006

What's New?

11/29/2006: The skills test will take place in 002 Anderson Hall on Wed. December 13 from 3:30-5:30pm.
11/20/2006: Added 3rd day for oral presentations (Dec. 4) and added oral presentation schedule to PROJECTS page

Instructor: Jim Jones
Email: jjones@wcupa.edu; Telephone: 610-436-2168

Office: 519 Main Hall
Office hours: Mon. 12-1:00pm, Wed-Fri. 11-1:00pm

OBJECTIVES: This course teaches how to use computers to enhance historical research and presentation skills. These techniques are applicable to any area of history, but this course focuses on West Chester history in order to take advantage of sources that are both numerous and easily accessible.

[NOTE to WCU history majors & minors: This course satisfies the upper-level undergraduate requirement in any of the three areas -- US, European or non-Western. It may also be used, with conditions, to satisfy the requirements for a M.A. Degree in history. See the instructor for details.]

You are responsible for reading and abiding by the COURSE POLICIES on:
Attendance	Cheating/Plagiarism	Disabilities	Discrimination	Substance Use/Abuse

GRADES: Your grade will be determined by your success on the following assignments:

% of GRADE	DESCRIPTION	DUE DATE
10%	Essay on Goldstein/Mayer article about Borough directories	Sep. 8
10%	Notes on newspaper articles	Sep. 25
10%	Research paper abstract	Sep. 29
10%	First draft of research paper	Oct. 27
15%	Final draft of research paper	Dec. 1
15%	Oral presentations	Dec. 6-8
10%	Skills test (final exam)	Dec. 11-16
10%	Progress reports	Oct. 20, Nov. 10 & 27
10%	Class participation	All semester

TEXT: There is no textbook to purchase. Primary and secondary source materials include:

Excerpts from the Polk's West Chester Directory, 1932-1933 (Philadelphia: R. L. Polk & Co., Publishers, 1931). -- Provided by the professor.
Sidney Goldstein & Kurt Mayer, "Patterns of Business Growth and Survival in a Medium-Sized Community" in The Journal of Economic History, vol. 17, no. 3 (June 1957), 193-206. -- Available through the JSTOR database at the WCU Library.
Other materials from WCU Library, Chester County Historical Society Library, and Chester County Archives
Interviews with West Chester residents
Articles at the Riggtown History Homepage

Week of	Topic	Assignment Due
Aug. 28 Aug. 30 Sep. 1	Introduction to US economic history Introduction to West Chester history How historians use computers	(Nothing for first day of class) Read historical questions and facts Read historians and computers
Sep. 4 Sep. 6 Sep. 8	LABOR DAY -- no class Historical Society tour [Directions] Discuss Goldstein/Mayer article	(None) Get familiar with The West Chester Directory, 1932-1933 TURN IN your essay on the Goldstein & Mayer article.
Sep. 11 Sep. 13 Sep. 15	Studs Terkel's Hard Times Processing notes with the computer Organizing your thoughts	Read notes on Terkel Read taking notes from newspapers and books Read historical modeling
Sep. 18 Sep. 20 Sep. 22	Organizing electronic notes Using electronic notes The Progressive Era	Read creating a database from reading notes Read how to write a research paper using notecards To be announced
Sep. 25 Sep. 27 Sep. 29	Memory and History Visit the Hickman Home Household economics	TURN IN newspaper notes (None) TURN IN abstract
Oct. 2 Oct. 4 Oct. 6	Local geography Walking tour Geography discussion	Read Jones, Tracing Growth Through Maps (None) To be announced
Oct. 9 Oct. 11 Oct. 13	Taking notes on non-book documents Using pictures as sources Real estate in West Chester	Discuss Examples of non-book documents Read Processing images To be announced
Oct. 16 Oct. 18 Oct. 20	FALL BREAK -- no class Banks in West Chester Discuss progress reports	(None) To be announced TURN IN your progress report
Oct. 23 Oct. 25 Oct. 27	Industrialization A case study Big business	Read Jones, The Industrialization of West Chester Read Jones, Chester Cty. Dairy Industry in the 19th Century TURN IN the first draft of your research paper
Friday Oct. 27 is the last day to drop a class or to complete work from the previous semester.
Oct. 30 Nov. 1 Nov. 3	Local government Local government response to problems Race relations	To be announced Read Bridges, West Chester Board of Health Read Jones, Racial & Cultural Conflict in Chester County
Nov. 6 Nov. 8 Nov. 10	Using spreadsheets Help session Discuss progress reports	Read Historical analysis with spreadsheets Attendance optional (work on projects instead) TURN IN your progress report
Nov. 13 Nov. 15 Nov. 17	Presenting your research Topics suggested by your projects Meet local historian Jack Waldron	Read Computer Presentations To be announced To be announced
Nov. 20 Nov. 22 Nov. 24	Planning oral presentations THANKSGIVING -- no class THANKSGIVING -- no class	Read Techniques for oral presentations (None) (None)
Nov. 27 Nov. 29 Dec. 1	Discuss progress reports Comparing West Chester to the nation Finish Wednesday's discussion	TURN IN your progress report To be announced TURN IN the final draft of your paper
Dec. 4 Dec. 6 Dec. 8	In-class presentations In-class presentations In-class presentations	(None) GIVE oral presentations MORE oral presentations
Dec. 11 Dec. 13	Review for final exam Final Exam	Review on-line readings from this semester TAKE the final exam on Wednesday, 3:30-5:30pm