Oral History Seminar Spring 2000
Wednesday 6-8:30 p.m. Office hours: Tues/Thurs. 4 - 5 p.m. and by appt.
Dr. Jon Hunner 242 Breland Hall 646-2490
This is a research seminar that explores the use of oral histories as primary sources for documenting, interpreting, and writing history. Since this is a research seminar, emphasis is on research and writing. For research, the course will use oral histories along with other primary and secondary sources. Through your interpreting and writing, you will then create a historical narrative of the person, place, activity, or event.
Topics Due
1/12 Introduction to course; what is oral history.
1/19 Regular class held 1/19 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. at Thompson, 1-100
New Library Computer Classroom. Tour Rio
Grande Historical Collection on 1/20 2:35-3:50.
1/26 Research strategy and methodology Thompson, 101-195
2/2 Research methodology Project proposal
2/9 Critical analysis and interpretation Thompson, 217-265
2/16 Writing skills and strategies Reaction paper to critical analysis
2/23 Writing skills Strunk and White, xi-85
3/1 Writing skills
3/8 Discuss book reviews 1st critical review due 3/6
3/15 Class canceled for research and writing
3/22 Discuss book reviews 2nd review due 3/20
3/29 Spring Break
4/5 Present oral critique of 3rd review Description of place
4/12 Critique colleague’s place descriptions Biographical description of person
4/19 Class canceled for writing
4/26 Seminar paper due
5/3 Discuss colleagues papers
5/10 Review course
Required Readings
Kate Turbian, A Manual for Writers (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996)
William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White, The Elements of Style (New York: Allyn and Bacon)
Paul Thompson, The Voice of the Past (New York: Oxford University Press, 1988)
Grading
Project proposal (1-2 pages) 5%
Reaction paper to critical analysis (3-5 pages) 10%
Written reviews (3-5 pages each) 15%
Oral review 10%
Description of place (3-5 pages) 10%
Biographical description of person (3-5 pages) 10%
Seminar paper (15-20 pages) 40%
Total 100%
For the critical reviews, you will choose two from books on oral history and one from the other ways that oral history is used, either in a documentary, exhibit, or theatrical presentation.
You must provide two extra copies of each of your reviews, descriptions, and seminar paper in a box in the graduate students’ mail closet, Breland 238, for your colleagues to read. Please be considerate and return the papers as soon as you are finished so that others can read the papers.
Course guidelines
Lack of attendance will affect your final grade.
Withdrawals from this course are the responsibility of the student.
Incompletes will be given only if the student has passed the first half of the course and can not complete the course due to documented illness or family crisis.
Academic misconduct in this course will cause the student to fail the course. Please consult the Student Code of Conduct in the NMSU Student Handbook.
Students with disabilities are encouraged to provide the professor with documentation of their status and discuss their needs with the professor.