Critical Social Inquiry 0231 - Researching & Writing History

This two-semester Division II seminar is open to all Division II students who are interested in learning the craft of historians and producing a substantial research paper to include in their Division II portfolio and to prepare for their Division III project in history. We will be utilizing the Sophia Smith collections at Smith College as our archival base. Its rich collections in subjects such as "Women of Color and Race Relations in the U.S.," "Reproductive Rights and Women's Health," "Jewish Women," "Lesbians and Bisexual Women," "Labor in the U.S.," "Voices of Feminism Oral History Project," and "Contemporary Women's Movement" provide ample archival and oral history sources for students to carry out a major research paper. The first semester (Fall 2015) will be devoted to the art and detective work of historical research: identifying a historical problem, narrowing a topic, tracking down sources, critically reading primary sources, incorporating and analyzing secondary sources, taking notes and organizing sources, and interpreting sources, as well as understanding and contributing to the historiography of a topic. The second semester (Spring 2016) will be devoted to writing and producing history: organizing a major research paper, building an argument, finding a compelling thesis, critiquing and giving feedback on one another's work, and revising. More than a methodology course, this seminar will familiarize students with the practice and theories of history writing by doing it and reading examples of recent work by historians. Students are strongly encouraged to take both semesters of the seminar to benefit fully from the course.

Independent Work Multiple Cultural Perspectives Writing and Research