Time Schedule:
Michael Kucher
TCXG 380
Tacoma Campus
Covers developing a thesis, designing an outline, doing preliminary research, writing drafts, and presenting a completed 20-page paper. Focus on a different theme each quarter. Includes required field trips.
Class description
Students can expect to expand upon their research skills. Course assumes students already know how to write a research paper.
The Research and Writing Seminar in the provides students a chance to discover a topic of interest and brush up on their research skills. The Seminar will take students step-by-step through the process of picking a topic, developing a research strategy, writing a literature review, and writing multiple drafts of a final paper. It is designed for both experienced writers who would like to catch up on the latest research techniques as well as students who have little experience in upper-division research and writing. Required field trips to important regional research sites will be an integral part of the course. The area of research will vary by quarter and for winter 2004 the focus will be using primary sources to document the social, cultural, and environmental impact of the exploration, settlement, and urbanization of the Pacific Northwest . Sources will include exploration narratives, diaries, maps, ships' logs, public records, and images. Some sources will be manuscript, some will be printed and some may even be digitized--or, students may take the initiative to digitize and publish both their source material and their projects.
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
Will be taught as a research seminar in history methods. Identification of topic, thesis, sources.
Recommended preparation
Survey in US, World, or Western Civilization extremely helpful. Environmental Science and Environmental Studies students especially urged to sign up. See syllabus for details.
Class assignments and grading
Lot's of writing and research. Many small oral presentations. 5 required Field trips to remote archives and libraries, some of which are in Seattle. See syllabus for details.
Each week students will have an assignment in class, therefore, missing any class will affect their grade. Grades based on quality of written and oral work. For details see syllabus.
