Guides, Helpful Links, and Other Resources  

Central Ave, Los Angeles

Nine cities, two dozen scholars, an average of 200 pages of reading per week, and a primary source-based research paper.  That's quite a lot to cover in just 15 weeks.  We will be moving very quickly, so I've compiled a list of strategies, supplemental texts, and additional resources to assist you along the way. Utilize them early and often this semester, and feel free to revisit this page when you begin your 101 thesis.

Remember:  I, too, am your resource for this course. I strongly encourage you to take full advantage of my office hours.  Drop in to chat or, if you are unable to make it to my normal office hours, schedule an appointment. I am also available to answer questions via email, but please allow 24 hours for a response.

Finally, you may find the heavy reading load and fast pace of this course to be a bit overwhelming at times. Get to know your classmates and swap emails. You can exchange notes, share thoughts, tackle questions, and offer one another fresh perspectives to bring to discussion.

(A Jazz Saxophonist performs in a Central Avenue nightclub, Los Angeles, c. 1950)

Strategies for Reading History           • 

Exploring Historiography

An effective way to approach each reading selection is by attempting to answer the following questions:

• What is the historical question, or questions, that the author seeks to answer?
• What is the author's argument?  Are multiple arguments proposed?
• How does the author approach the topic?
• How does the author organize the work?
• What are the author's sources and how well are they used?
• Does the work reflect an identifiable bias or point of view? How might this have influenced the conclusions?
• When was the work first published?
• What else do you notice about the way the author has crafted this work?

 

Leading a Seminar           • 

Tips for Success


Throughout the course of the semester, you'll lead one seminar meeting. After your 15 minute presentation of the week's readings, you'll introduce questions and themes to guide the discussion. You'll be responsible for keeping the conversation going, so I've provided you with some tips for success:

• Bring to class an outline of topics you'd like to cover and key questions you plan to ask. Don't rely on your reading notes.
• Use your 15 minute presentation to foster discussion by offering more than just a recap of the text; avoid summaries and instead focus on the author's argument(s), provocative highlights, interesting sources, structure, and your own critiques and/or questions.
• Concentrate on ideas rather than facts and pose questions that can have multiple answers.
• Ask provocative questions––those that will illicit lots of debate. This is an excellent way to kick off discussion.
• Ask questions based on new ideas or controversial issues raised by the work.
• Ask questions that encourage the class to discuss how the readings relate to texts we've already tackled.
• Ask one question at a time.
• Listen actively when a classmate is responding; take notes if you need to, but be sure to keep eye contact.
• Respond to a classmate's answer in a way that invites others to chime in; remember, your goal as discussion leader is to encourage dialog.
• After posing a question wait for a response, even if that means a few moments of silence. Your classmates may need time to formulate their answers.


Research Resources           • 

Mining the Archives


Utilize these links as you compile materials for your final paper. You may also want to bookmark this page for quick access to these resources when you begin work on your History 101 thesis.

Using Primary Source Materials
Visit this online guide for help identifying and mining primary sources.

Navigating the UC Berkeley Libraries
Use this tutorial to familiarize yourself with the library catalogs.
Check out one of many library workshops.
Get acquainted with the stacks by joining a library tour.
For specific questions about finding materials onsite or off, schedule an appointment with a librarian at the Doe Library Reference Center.

Using Electronic Resources
Before attempting to mine electronic databases, set up your browser for the Library Proxy Server Service.
Access UC Berkeley's online databases and connect to other electronic research resources here.


Writing Resources           • 

Guides to Great Prose


Utilize these links as you write your final paper. You may also want to bookmark this page for quick access to these resources when you begin work on your History 101 thesis.

Elements of Style
Refer often to this classic writing style guide from William Strunk, Jr., available in full from Bartleby Books.
For just a couple of dollars, pick up Kate Turabian's invaluable manual for writers.
The UC Berkeley Student Learning Center offers drop-in and by-appointment tutoring for struggling writers.

Footnoting and Crafting the Bibliography
Bookmark this useful Guide to Citation Styles.
Pick up a copy of The Chicago Manual of Style or refer to the online Quick Guide .
Visit this excellent guide on citing electronic sources.

Avoiding Plagiarism
Try these simple online writing exercises to learn what is and what isn't plagiarism.


Additional Resources          


Students With Disabilities
If you need disability-related accommodations in this class or if you have a Letter of Accommodation from the Disabled Students' Program, please inform me immediately.  I invite you to meet with me during my office hours. 
The Disabled Students' Program (DSP) is the campus office responsible for verifying that students have disability-related needs for academic accommodations. Students who need academic accommodations should request them from the DSP, located at 230 César Chávez Student Center.  You may also call 642-0518.