This Course Guide has been designed to assist you in doing library research for your work in HIS397. As a capstone class, you will draw together and evaluate the different historical knowledge and methodological approaches you have acquired in your history classes at Shippensburg University. The course has the following goals:
1. Examine trends and approaches to history—particularly in the areas of imperialism, racism, and mass violence in a comparative context. Develop critical reading and analytical thinking skills through careful examination of scholarship in these fields.
2. Encourage students to integrate knowledge acquired in history courses and other humanities courses through a critical analysis of the various types of themes and sources explored by historians.
3. Develop research skills and ability to express ideas clearly and effectively.
4. Develop students’ ability to think comparatively about historical problems and issues and apply this comparative approach to think critically about contemporary issues.
5. Encourage students to consider career and professional issues as they near graduation.on imperialism, racism, and mass violence in a comparative context. It includes links to research tools that will help you find background information, articles and books, primary sources, and other research materials.
Feel free at any time to use our Ask Us Anything chat or email reference service for additional assistance, to sign up for our research consultation service, or contact Josefine Smith jmsmith@ship.edu.
Instructions from Dr. Spicka: You are to choose two institutions, ideas, issues, developments, etc. that can be compared and contrasted from two different regions or time periods. The topic has to do broadly with issues regarding imperialism, racism, and mass violence. Try to make your comparisons as precise as possible and have specific questions that you are trying to answer.
Advice from Prof. Smith: Review subject encyclopedias (see the Background Sources page of this guide) and general histories on topics that interest you. Or, see what primary sources you can easily access. Collect your ideas and track your progress on your project by utilizing a Research Plan (below).
Image Credit: https://libguides.bridgewater.edu/es215/pr
