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HIST 499W: SENIOR SEMINAR
CULTURE OF WAR
Donald E. Wilson
Office Hours: T/TR Mornings, M 1:00-3:00, or by appointment
Office: DBH 114
Phone: 726-2005
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
The senior seminar is a capstone course for history majors. This semester the seminar will focus on "military history" with specific emphasis on the "culture of war" during World War II and the Korean War. Since this seminar is restricted to history majors in their senior year students will use historical skills and knowledge obtained in previous history courses, especially History 300, to produce a scholarly research paper. In so doing students will further develop research, writing, and oral skills that will be beneficial in any endeavor especially should they pursue graduate programs. Specific requirements are:
SPECIFIC COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
1) Topical Research: Students will select a topic relating
to the culture of war from a list provided during the first session. Students
will use their research for both a research paper and for class oral presentations
and discussions. The capstone paper will be 20-25 pages in length and
will be turned in to the professor as scheduled.
2) Class Presentations: Each student will make three oral presentations to the class. The first presentation will be 10 minutes in length followed by student led discussion of the topic of research. The second presentation will be a 20 minute presentation on a subject of World War II as assigned by the professor. It will be followed by a class discussion. The capstone presentation will be presented to the two seminars in the final class sessions of the course. The student will read the research paper to be followed by questions and discussion.
REQUIRED READINGS:
James L. Stokesbury, World War II
Paul Fussell, Wartime Understanding and Behavior in the Second
World War
Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertation (6th ed.) and William Strunk and E.B. White, The Elements of Style (recommended)
POLICIES:
Attendance: Students are expected to be in attendance
at every session. Only medical or family emergencies
will excuse the student from class and must be fully documented.
Other: All other policies will conform to the academic procedures as prescribed in the university catalog. Students are expected to participate fully in class discussions with class participation part of the final grade. NO eating will be allowed during class sessions.
GRADING PROCEDURES:
Research Paper 60%
Topic Presentation and Overview 5%
20 Minute Presentation 15%
Other Presentations and Class Participation 20%
ASSIGNMENTS (subject to revision)
| Mondays | Wednesdays | ||
| Jan. 29 | Course Intro. | ||
| Feb. 3 | War as a cultural event Fussell: Chapter I, XIII, XVIII |
Feb. 5 | War as a cultural event Fussell: Chapter. I, XIII, XVIII |
| Feb. 10 | Overview of WWII: Discussion Stokesbury: Parts I and II |
Feb. 12 | Overview of WW II: Discussion Stokesbury: Parts I and II |
| Feb. 17 | Library, Special Collections (combined classes) |
Feb. 19 | See Feb. 17 |
| Feb. 24 | Discussion of cultural subjects | Feb. 26 | Discussion of cultural subjects |
| Mar. 10 | Topics Due. 3 page overview with thesis and 3 sources (primary) 10 minute presentations |
Mar. 12 | 3 page overview with thesis and 3 sources (primary) 10 minute presentations |
| Mar. 17 | Class presentation on WW II. Assigned topic - student led discussion. Stokesbury: parts III-IV |
Mar. 19 | Class presentation on WW II. Assigned topic - student led discussion Stokesbury: Parts III-IV |
| Mar. 24 | Spring Break | Mar. 26 | Spring Break |
| Mar. 31 | Class presentation of assigned topic and discussion | Apr. 3 | Class presentation of assigned topic and discussion |
| Apr. 7 | Class presentation of assigned topic and discussion. First draft due: both classes |
Apr. 9 | Class presentation of assigned topic. Discussion (See Apr. 7, First Draft) |
| Apr. 14 | Consultations on Paper | Apr. 16 | Consultations on Paper |
| Apr. 21 | Easter Holiday - No Class | Apr. 23 | No Class - Paper Preparation |
| Apr. 28 | Class Presentation of assigned topic | Apr. 30 | Class Presentation of assigned topic. |
| May 5 | Presentation of Paper | May 7 | Presentation of Paper |
| May 12 | Presentation of Paper | May 14 | Presentation of Paper |