LOL Fall 2013 Wikipedia-Research Plan Assignments

Due Wk 6 – Friday Nov 8 –

One page statement to introduce your topic idea – basically, who, what, when, where, why and how.

1) Who are the specific people that you are going to focus on? Who are the specific people that surround them?

2) What is the content of your focus? What is your research about?

3) When does your topic take place in history? What are the larger historical times, the larger historical contexts, for your much more specific focus?

4a) Where was or is your topic set geographically?  The whole US? A specific city or state? A region of the US, e.g., the Great Plains? the Northwest? New England? the Southwest?

4b) Where is your topic set socially or institutionally? In the family? In prisons? Schools? On the reservation? Among the poor? the middle class? labor unions? the tribe? settlers? homesteaders? slaves?

5) Why would this topic be of interest in a college law/history class? What specific academic questions might begin your research?

6) HOW? – What sources will you begin with? Period newspapers and books, laws and court decisions, period letters and diaries, business ledgers, census records, scholarly books and journal articles, reference books? Will there be a place in your research for fiction, art, music, poetry, and/or film?

Due Wk 7 – Friday Nov 15

7) Annotated bibliography listing five research sources – Discuss each well-chosen source meaningfully, with at least three complete sentences. Describe in your own words what the source is and how you will use it in your project. No direct quotes or close paraphrasing allowed.

Due Wk 8 – Friday Nov 22

8) Revision-expansion of annotated bibliography – with at least three additional sources.

9) Formal three page revision-expansion of your topic introduction statement from Wk 6 – including proper citation of resources.

Due (do during) Thanksgiving Week – Nov 25-29

10) Thinking – about your project. Srsly. Schedule at least one appointment with yourself to think and then sit down, take at least one deep breath, and think.

11) Invention writing – and idea hatching. No, srsly. At the same sitting, review your thinking and research notes, take pen and paper, or whatever, and write down ideas, questions, changes in plans, etc., as they occur to you.

Due Wk 9 – Friday, Dec 6

12a) If you are staying in the program – a revision-expansion of Week 8’s paper to a total of five pages, to add a preliminary plan to proceed with the project in Winter. Proper citations and polished prose are required; bibliography and sources used pages do not count toward the five page total.

12b) If you are leaving the program – a revision-expansion of Week 8’s paper to a total of five pages, to tie up your paper and conclude the project. Proper citations and polished prose are required; bibliography and sources used pages do not count toward the five page total.

12c) For everyone, a portfolio of all your notes connected with your research and writing so far. This must include all written products from steps 1-12.