Course Description
HIS 499 is designed as the capstone course for Charter Oak students with a history concentration. It offers rigorous practice in the study of history as a mode of discourse. Themes include specific historical content; thesis, evidence, Interpretation and judgment; research methods and critical reasoning; precise historical writing with citations. Each student produces a capstone project that demonstrates those themes, satisfies the history concentration outcomes, and locates the project within the field of historical study.
Prerequisites
- ENG 101: English Composition 1
- ENG 102: English Composition 2
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
- Demonstrate mastery of content in one or more historical cultures, by explain primary characteristics of that culture, the main events of its history, and its historical significance.
- Participate knowledgeably in the affairs of the world around them, drawing upon understanding shaped through reading, writing, discussions, and lectures concerning the part.
- See themselves and their society from different times and places, displaying a sense of informed perspective and a mature view of human nature.
- Conduct research in primary and secondary materials appropriate for constructing a scholarly paper of substantial length and determine the evidentiary value of those sources including internet sources.
- Exhibit sensitivities to human values in their own and other cultural traditions and, in turn, establish values of their own.
Course Activities and Grading
| Assignments | Weight |
|---|---|
Discussions (Weeks 1-8) | 40% |
Written Assignments (Weeks 1 - 3) | 20% |
Scholarly Paper Proposal (Draft and Final) (Weeks 2, 4) | 10% |
Scholary Paper Draft 1 (Week 5) | 10% |
Scholary Paper Draft 2 (Week 7) | 5% |
Scholary Paper Final (Week 8) | 15% |
Total | 100% |
Required Text
- There are no assigned common texts for HIS 499. Students will select one scholarly book to review as noted in this syllabus for Week 2.
Supplemental Materials
- See the Course Materials section of the course in Blackboard for a list of recommended books.
- Occasionally, the instructor will identify and post (or provide a link) to some scholarly article or some primary document useful to the week’s work. These will be generally initiated by the discussions in which students are engaged; sometimes students request materials about issues in which they are interested.
- For some topics materials beyond the readings may be appropriate. Students tend to use internet sources, thus opening a world of research materials. Internet sources are also somewhat problematic, however, because of the potential for plagiarism, whether intentional or unintentional. Thus, except for links that are identifiable newspaper sources, or addresses with .edu or .gov, internet sources are discouraged. Interlibrary loan is, however, encouraged.
Course Schedule
Week | SLOs | Activities and Exercises | Assignments |
1 | 2,3 | Introductions and Evaluation of Documents
|
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2 | 1,3,4 | Professional Techniques, Scholarly Book Review, Scholarly Paper Proposal Draft |
|
3 | 1,2,3,5 | Personal Narrative |
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4 | 4,5 | Scholarly Paper Proposal |
|
5 | 1,2,4 | Scholarly Paper Draft #1 |
|
6 | 1,4,5 | Research and Write |
|
7 | 1,2,4 | The Technical Apparatus of Citations and Bibliography, Scholarly Paper Draft #2 |
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8 | 1-5 | Scholarly Paper |
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07172026
COSC Accessibility Statement
Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.
COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources
Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.