This assignment is the first of four Step Assignments that will comprise a great deal of the final paper in your research project.
Objectives - when students have completed this assignment, they will have:
- chosen a topic for their Research Project;
- found, evaluated, and described appropriate primary and secondary sources for their topic (CLSLO 1, 3, 4);
- developed a question to aid their research (CLSLO 1, 2).
Instructions:
Participate in the Research Project Overview Lesson on Zoom. PPT: Research Project Overview.pdf
Participate in the Step 1 Lesson on Zoom. PPT: Research Project - Step 1-SAC.pptx
Choose a topic, either from the list below, or of your own conception.
- Must be a topic in US History between before 1877
- Must have appropriate source material available
Locate scholarly secondary sources using the San Antonio College Library (Links to an external site.) and databases, particularly Jstor. (Links to an external site.)
Locate primary sources, using the San Antonio Library databases (Links to an external site.), and/or an extremely intentional google search.
Compose an analytical research question.
Submission - 4 parts, on one page - Times New Roman, 12pt font, double spaced, 1" margins.
1. Choice of topic - a sentence or a few sentences.
2. Secondary sources
- List the source - author's name, title of article or book, publishing info (journal or press).
- Briefly explain what it is about and how it will contribute to your research project - 2-3 sentences each.
3. Primary sources
- Briefly describe each one and where you found it.
4. Research question - a sentence or a few sentences.
Potential topics:
- Lowell Mills
- Underground Railroad
- The Anti-Slavery Movement
- Secession and the Civil War
- The Constitution & Bill of Rights
- The Middle Passage
- Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca
- Bleeding Kansas
- King Philip’s War
- Bacon’s Rebellion
- The Seneca Falls Convention for Women’s Rights
- The Gold Rush
- The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
- The Trail of Tears
- Lewis & Clark (& Sacagawea)
Example of what a Step 1 Assignment should look like:(the picture in the file)