Writing the Seminar Paper

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Writing the Seminar Paper

• or
• How I became a real historianby taking vacations
  in dusty, dark, dank, and dreary places that make
  me sneeze

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Summary Slide

• Checklist for evaluating thesis statements
• Focusing on a thesis
• Discovering sources
• Constructing a research calendar

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Checklist for evaluating thesis statements

• The thesis explains why or how something
  happened. (30 Pts.)
• The event is placed in historical context. (15
  Pts.)
• The statement summarizes an argument. (15 Pts.)
• The statement defines key terms. (10 pts for
  giving terms, 5 Pts. for defining them)
• The statement implies a set of questions. (3 Pts.
  per question)
• The statement is well written
• No misspellings (3 Pts.)
• No passive sentences (3 Pts.)
• No trite phrases (3 Pts.)
• No wordiness (3 Pts.)
• No incorrect punctuation (3 Pts.)

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Revise thesis statement

• If your average score is gt90 points, then polish
  your prose.
• If your average score is 70 ? 89 points, then
  rewrite adding material as required.
• If your average score is lt70 points, then ask Dr.
  Cooper or Mrs. Newcomer for help.

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Developing a research project
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Focusing on a thesis
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Read secondary sources in your period as you have
opportunity

• Use JSTOR for articles
• During the online courses pay attention to
  opportunities to pursue work related to your
  thesis
• Mine footnotes
• For bibliography
• For historiography
• For contents

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Read articles related to your key terms.

• JSTOR is particularly useful here since you can
  search
• Across disciplines
• Through many journals at once
• Articles can be easily downloaded and saved
• TDNet journal tracker (on the library homepage)
  tells you whether or not
• we have a given journal
• We have the journal online

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Discovering sources

• Search for sources in local archives
• Search for sources in regional archives
• Search for sources in topical archives
• If you have an interest in Army Air Force
  facilities in Springfield during WW II, check out
  the Air Force Historical Research Agency
• National Archives in Washington is particularly
  open to TAH teachers

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We will have some money to support research

• Grant money is available to pay for research
  related expenses
• Travel
• Airfare
• Automobile mileage 0.325 per mile
• Copying
• Food and Lodging away from Springfield
• Keep all receipts
• You must fill out and sign an expense report for
  reimbursement
• Check with Dr. Cooper prior to making trips
• We may be able to reimburse up to 200 per
  teacher

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Constructing a research calendar
Not that kind of a calendar!
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Summer and Fall 2005

• Choose a general area
• Write a preliminary thesis paragraph

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Set up a home office

• A tidy workspace improves productivity
• Mosaic workspace (pictured) common among
  professionals
• Vertical workspace is my favorite
• Radial workspace is avant-garde
• Check your principals office for guidance
• Good historians get good nutrition
• History begins in clutter, von Drunke.

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Spring 2006

• Read generally in area
• Remain open to new ideas

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Summer Institute II(2006)

• Intensive reading in primary and secondary
  sources in your area
• Regular discussions with your committee chair
• Construct a working thesis statement
• Strong enough to guide writing a paper
• Should be strong enough so that you can discuss
  it with friends and family
• Research for a good topic should be an intense
  and satisfying experience

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Fall 2006 and Spring 2007

• Work on paper as time allows
• First draft should be complete by the beginning
  of Summer institute III
• Check with chair concerning progress throughout
  this period
• Have regular discussions
• Submit drafts of various parts of the paper
• Check with chair concerning forms and deadlines

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Summer Institute III

• Write paper
• Take oral and written exams in July
• Official graduation goal December 2007

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