Sunday, January 31, 2016

Format for PDPs, PDCs, & SJSs

Format for Primary Document Posts (PDPs)

The TITLE for each PDP must include the unit # and the title of the source.  See the sample below:

PDP1 - Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Each post should be set up in the following format (including labels):

Author Bio:  Provide a brief biography of the author focusing on his/her bias.

Date/Context:  Describe the socio-historical, geopolitical, and cultural context of the document. (I.e. Where/how does this document fit into our understanding of history & culture?)

Summary:  Summarize the document.  Be sure to identify the main idea and supporting details in your summary.

Key Quotation:  Select one phrase, sentence, or statement that epitomizes the document.

Guidelines for Primary Document Comments (PDCs)

The comment should describe identifying characteristics for the document.  In other words, how will we know who, when, and where this document is from?

Comments should offer CONSTRUCTIVE feedback on the document analysis.  Specifically, describe any information that was missed in the initial post.

Format for Scholarly Journal Summaries (SJSs)

The TITLE for each SJS must include the unit # and the title of the article.  See the sample below:

SJS1 - "History Upside Down"

Source:  Provide a citation of your journal article.  The citation must include:  Author. "Article Title."  Journal Title Vol. #: Issue #.  Date. Page #s.

Author Credentials:  Explain why this author is qualified to discuss this issue.

Summary:   A concise but thorough summary of the author's argument.  The summary should include key vocabulary terms from the course and explain the socio-historical, geo-political, and/or cultural context.

Analysis:  Does the author make a strong argument?  Does the author provide sufficient evidence to support his/her argument?  Does the author distinguish between fact and opinion?  Is the author a reliable source? 


FI Question #43 - "Current History" Article Summary

To complete question #43 on the "Foundations Investigation," select an article from a PRINT issue of Current History.  Your comment should include the following:

  • Cultural Region (Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East, Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania, or Latin America)
  • MLA Citation
  • Concise (no more than 5 sentences) summary with a clear thesis statement

FI Question #42 - "History Today" Article Summary

To complete question #42 on the "Foundations Investigation," select an article from the PRINT issue of History Today.  Your comment should include the following:
  • Cultural Region (Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, Middle East, Central Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania, or Latin America)
  • MLA Citation
  • Concise (no more than 5 sentences) summary that includes a clear thesis statement

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Current Events Reminders

I hope you all did well on your first semester finals and mid-terms.  I've seen many of you diligently working to complete the blogging portion of your pre-requisite assignment.  The last several months have been filled with many news stories of national and international significance.  I thought you might appreciate a reminder of some of these stories as you prepare for your current events quiz on the first day of class.

  • Elections in Myanmar, Argentina, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, & Taiwan
  • Terror attacks in Egypt, Tunisia, France, Lebanon, Iraq, San Bernadino, India, Turkey, Indonesia, & Burkina Faso
  • Conflict in Syria, Yemen, & Burundi and tensions between Saudi Arabia & Iran and China & Vietnam/Philippines/US and Turkey & Russia
  • Diplomacy between Iran & the US and South Korea & Japan
  • Politics in Brazil
  • International climate talks
  • Epidemic diseases in West Africa and South America
  • North Korea nuclear testing
  • Scientific developments
  • Flooding in India and the Mid-West & drought in Ethiopia
  • Developments in "drug war"
  • Refugee crisis
  • IMF & the yuan
  • Obama's executive action
  • Candidates for US president 
  • World leaders (especially leaders of G-8, G-20, and BRIC countries)
If you choose to keep a journal of news stories, you must bring a PAPER copy to class to use it during the current events quiz.