1. Research Project Discussion April 16 th and 17 th, 2007

2. Orientation Advice Read your text prior to the week’s discussion. Email me by Saturday night if you are having trouble mastering the “thesis format” style of writing. Use my web site for sample exam essays, sample projects, etc. Your exams will be intentionally easy – you’ll have extra credit to improve your exam grades. By the time you turn in your project, you should have mastered the “thesis format” style of writing. Your final exam essay and project must open with a thesis sentence followed by proof paragraphs to get above a 79% score.

3. How to write your Essay Answers [on web site] Sentence one will be your thesis sentence. This sentence will present your answer to the chapter question; it is your thesis/conclusion/answer, not an introduction. Each thesis sentence this semester will contain at least 3 separate thesis concepts – [i.e. plants, animals, disease linked to Columbian exchange] or seed, cultural, and environmental [linked to US history theories] Sentence two will have data proving your 1st thesis concept [i.e. the impact of plants or the “seed” historical theory]. Sentence three will have data proving your 2nd thesis concept [i.e. the impact of animals or the “cultural” theory]. Sentence four will have data proving your 3rd thesis concept [i.e. the impact of disease or the “environmental” theory]. Since your thesis is your conclusion, your essay is now complete with 4 sentences! By the time of the final exam, you’ll be ready to provide a “perspective paragraph” when you write your university style final exam essay.

4. Research Project Assignment: [from evaluation form] You are to write a 2-page thesis format project/essay about your research topic. Your topic must fall within the guidelines of your class. US History 17a topics must take place between 1607 & 1877 within the present day USA. History 17b projects need to fall between 1877 and 2003 within the present day USA. I’d like you to explain what you’ve learned from a major resource/text. You can use my PowerPoint recommendations or the books recommended by the authors of your text. If you don’t pick one of these recommended books/resources, you need to get my approval of your resource. This isn’t an Internet assignment. You are required to have an opening thesis sentence. Your first sentence will be your first paragraph. You are required to cite from your source [or sources] at least 3 times and also annotate your bibliography. Since this is a "take home" project, grammatical mistakes are heavily penalized. [Use a free BC tutor.]

5. My Written Comments On Your Papers Sentence 1 is your thesis sentence and 1 st paragraph Sentence 2 should be a mini-thesis for your first concept Sentence 2 starts paragraph 2, the paragraph that is to PROVE your first thesis concept ¶ Fluff Story Awkward Paraphrased 3 rd, not 1 st or 2 nd person

6. To me, quotations belong in footnotes or endnotes, not in the body of your 2-page paper. They’re taking up space that can be used to prove YOUR ideas. This is not a book review -- don’t tell me what others think. Don’t write “As historian Smith points out in his book, The Causes of the US Civil War... Cite 3 times or more by author and page Annotate 3 sources [although you only need to use one research book] There is no conclusion paragraph – you can use a perspective paragraph Can be double-spaced This is NOT an Internet assignment – BC textbooks are not “research books”

7. My goals each semester for 38 years! –I teach each student to fish – I don’t just feed you fish Style of presentations – link past to present and future –My highest priority is to prepare you for a university education, if not for you, for your children. –Universal history, not just US history –I try to create a framework to be used throughout your lifetime – I juxtapose past, present, and future –To me, public education is the great “equalizer” Libraries have free computers, Internet Some tell me they “don’t have the Internet at home” –I help facilitate “learning” that will hopefully be helpful throughout your life – bungie style of presentation – link to your data –I’ve posted sample projects, helped on exam essays each Sunday, helped during office hours –Your final exam university style essay will help prepare you for the completion of a 4-year education

8. Your project and the final exam essays are designed to guarantee that you are now ready to complete a 4-year university education. [I don’t teach how to take notes.] Some “brag” that they don’t need to read their BC texts to get good grades – your education and your life are not a “game” to me. I try to help you learn based on your text readings, PowerPoint slides, DVDs, exams, etc. Your text is NOT a research book for your research project – it’s merely a high school level resource with basic information because most BC students aren’t ready to open with university books and readers. [According to my CSUB friends, many CSUB freshmen aren’t ready to open at the university level.]