HISU 372: Cal History “California Gold Rush”

 “California Gold Rush” Research Paper Guidelines for HISU 372: Cal History
This course requires you to write a 10-12 page research paper on a topic related
to the themes discussed in this course. If you are a social science major or another
type of liberal arts/humanities major, you might be used to this requirement.
Other majors may not write these papers as often and many nontraditional
students may not have written a major paper in several years. While certainly,
this is a big project to undertake, it doesn’t have to overwhelm you. It’s intended
to be a project that you will work on consistently throughout the semester, so it’s
imperative that you read this information closely and let your instructor know if
you have questions about what is contained herein.
At first, this may seem overwhelming or as a task to be dreaded, yet another hoop
to jump through on the road to graduation. However, I hope this experience is a
positive one for you. Please approach this requirement with a new perspective,
one in which you have an opportunity to develop your research skills and learn
more about a topic of interest to you related to California History.
How do I select a Research Paper topic?
This can be a challenging question, as it’s often hard to know how to find a topic,
where to look to find one, and what is considered a valid topic. It’s hoped that the
information here will de-mystify the process and give you a solid foundation to
begin your research.
In the first week of the course, you should begin this process. Before you begin
writing, you must write down the due dates for the proposal, first draft, and final
paper in your personal calendar. These due dates will not change. In order to
write a quality paper, it’s imperative that students work on the paper throughout
the term. Please note: all of these deadlines must be met in order to fulfill the
requirements for the course and ultimately, receive a grade for the final research
paper. In other words, you cannot skip the proposal and first draft, then submit
the final paper with the expectation of receiving a final grade.
When you are deciding on what would be an acceptable topic, ask yourself these
questions:
1. What is my major?
2. What am I interested in? (This includes hobbies, sports, music, or anything else
that you enjoy outside of school.)
3. What are my career goals? (Are you planning to be an MD? CPA? Teacher?
Psychologist? Whatever your professional goals, keep them in mind as you search
for ideas.)
4. What topics in this course are of interest to me? (You should read the table of
contents in each of the books we are using for the course, as well as the syllabus
to help you identify some possible ideas. Reading the index of the Starr book is
another place to get some ideas.) Try to select at least three that are interesting
then as you look at the viability of each one, you can determine which you would
like to do for the project. Write each topic idea down on a single sheet of paper or
index card. You can then better organize your ideas for a paper on each topic, as
well as possible sources.
These may seem like odd questions to ask in relation to a term paper topic, but if
you plan out your work wisely, you will find that this paper can help you in your
long term professional goals, or at the very minimum, allow you to research a
segment of California History that interests you.
Your topic should do the following things:
1. Discuss a particular person/place/thing/event that has been significant in
California History. For our purposes, we will discuss the role of Catholic
missionaries in the early colonial period of the state.
2. Let’s say that you discover the writings of Junipero Serra. This would qualify as
a primary source and would be an excellent starting point for your paper.
3. How does this topic fit into a discussion about life during the earliest years of
contact with the indigenous populations in California? How was Serra’s influence
significant? Explain his goals, as well as what he did to influence the future of the
state.
4. What have professional historians written about the topic? You should look in
Jstor and/or Project Muse (databases available via our library) to determine how
much scholarship exists on the topic. By scholarship, you must find articles
written by academics or other credentialed people (usually Ph.D.s) in a certain
field. If a person meets any of these criteria, they can be considered legitimate
authors:
A. What academic degrees does the person hold? From what universities? (If
you cannot find this information, this is a bad sign. Also, if you are not familiar
with the university, it’s wise to look it up and make sure it is a legitimate
school.)
B. What does this person do for a living? Does s/he teach? Write/research? Run
a foundation? Work in private practice? You should be able to locate any of this
basic information quickly in a general biography which should be easily
available on any professional person.
C. What other books/articles has this person authored?
D. What personal experience does the author have with the topic? This is a
particularly important question if the person you are studying does not have
professional qualifications, but has a personal tie to the subject (such as a
descendent of Junipero Serra).
Note: Certain people are never legitimate sources for a history paper. People
such as Jon Stewart, Glen Beck, Howard Stern, Rush Limbaugh, Alex Jones, and
other media entertainers, are just that. They are not credible *historical*
sources because they are media personalities who entertain. If you are unclear
about whether a person is a legitimate source or expert on a topic, please ask
your instructor for clarification.
You should investigate the broader themes as well, to give you a better
understanding of the social norms during the period. In our example, a smart
researcher would use keyword terms such as “Junipero Serra,” “religion,”
“Catholicism,” “California,” “colonization,” “missions” and other such terms to get
a running start to have a better understanding of the period.
5. The topic should not be solely your personal history or testimony. While you
are encouraged to choose a subject that is important to you, it’s imperative that
you approach your topic as an objective researcher. You are welcome to choose
topics that you feel strongly about, such as the slave trade, sexuality, or other
such “hot button” topics in California History, but you must not use the paper as a
platform to preach. One way to guard against preaching or losing your focus is to
ensure that “I” and “you” pronouns are omitted. Also, making sure that you are
able to cite all of the information and claims you make in your paper will also help
you stay on topic. Finally, there are writing services that the University has that
can help you edit your paper for clarity, tone, and logical topic progression. Please
ask your instructor if you think such a service might be of interest to you.
The Brandman library has a wonderful collection of resources for you to consult.
You can visit the following links:
To view a general library guide, you can visit this link:
http://chapman.libguides.com/brandman/
To view a list of the history databases you have free access to, click on this link:
http://chapman.libguides.com/content.php?pid=25628&sid=184819
To view the university’s plagiarism guide, you can visit this site:
http://chapman.libguides.com/plagiarism
=============================
What must be in the topic proposal?
First, keep in mind that this is a formal proposal. You cannot type this out in 30
minutes and expect to have your topic approved or to get a decent grade. It
requires a significant amount of thought and consideration in order to be
approved. Please know that the instructor will return your proposal with either an
approval of your topic, or suggestions for modification.
Please be aware that no topic is guaranteed to be approved. If two students
propose the same topic, the instructor will evaluate both proposals and make
alternate suggestions as needed. Oftentimes, when students have similar ideas,
the approach to the topic can be adjusted so that neither student’s research is
overlapping the other, which would require the students to jockey for access to
resources.
The format for the topic proposal should be presented thusly:
———————-
Name
Date
Research Paper Topic Proposal
Working title of paper: In a few concise words, you should be able to give the
reader an idea of what you would like to discuss. You should at least have a few
descriptive nouns and verbs in the working title.
Your proposal, at minimum, should be double spaced and address the following
points (although you would “not” number them).
1. Start with an introductory sentence in which you describe the time period,
person, event, or thing you want to discuss. You should write it in such a way that
you are able to grab the reader’s attention quickly, as well as express why this
topic that you are suggesting was important. Why was it controversial? Why was
it unique during the time? What was unusual about your subject?
2. Next, you should present some sort of working thesis. What is your position?
Who are some scholars/authors who have done work related to this subject?
What are some sources that you have found interesting or that you would like to
study more? While you are not required to have a formal bibliography at this
point, you should include some that are of interest.
3. Then, you should explain why you chose this particular topic. Are you especially
interested in this topic for certain reasons? Explain. (You *can* use “I” pronouns
in this section — only—– although do it very sparingly. While you are expected to
choose a topic that is of importance to you, this can’t be the focus of the entire
paper.)
These are only the basic elements that should be included in your paper. Your
proposal must be at least 2-3 pages long and will be graded based on the
following criteria:
• Introductory Sentence (in which you describe the time period, person,
event, or thing you want to discuss)
• Working Thesis (take a position on your topic)
• Identify scholars/authors who have done work related to the topic
• Identify some sources (you are not required to have a bibliography, but you
should include source information)
• Explain why you chose the topic and what about the topic is of interest to
you
Make sure to follow your instructor’s specific guidelines for submitting your
paper. Then, after submitting your proposal during the second week of class, your
instructor will return your submission with his or her comments.
Now, your topic has been approved. You can begin working on your first draft
that will be due during week 5.
==============================================
What must be in the first draft?
As you begin to write your first draft, you should do the following:
1. Look very closely at the comments that were written by your instructor in your
proposal. These are items that *must* be changed in order for the student to
receive credit for the first draft and final draft of the paper. The comments are
*not* optional suggestions. Based on these comments, you will receive feedback
on the general direction of your paper. With this in mind, you can proceed to the
next step.
2. Based on your proposal, begin to expand on the ideas you submitted there.
3. Include graphics/photos/statistics/charts/newspaper clippings/music tracks as
needed, following the guidelines stated by your instructor. Remember that when
you do this, you must include an explanation in the text of your paper why this
piece was added. (Such as “As illustrated in this Time Magazine cover from 1939 .
.. . “) Also, you must cite the source of the visual/audio supplement you include.
4. Make sure you have a solid working bibliography. The FAQ page has specific
guidelines about what types of websites are acceptable, so make sure and read
these rules very closely. ***Anyone who uses websites like Wikipedia, Ask.com,
eHow, or any k-12 educational website will, at the discretion of the instructor,
automatically be deducted a letter grade on the first offense. Subsequent
offenses will receive harsher penalties, with a maximum of a 0 on the project.
This is to protect the academic integrity of this course, which is held to
University-level standards.***
Please note that there is not a required page limit for this draft. However, those
who write longer drafts not only get better feedback from the instructor, they
inevitably get better grades on both the first draft and the final paper. Therefore,
the more that you can write on the first draft, the better.
Also, make sure to follow the proper guidelines for citing sources for your paper.
You can use either MLA or APA, whichever is required by your instructor. Your
first draft will be graded based on the following criteria:
• Expand on your ideas in your proposal (based on instructor’s feedback)
o Develop introductory sentence into a paragraph (in which you describe
the time period, person, event, or thing you want to discuss)
o Develop thesis (make sure to take a position on your topic)
o Develop body of paper
 Support thesis by identifying scholars/authors who have done work
related to the topic
• Include graphics/photos/statistics/charts/newspaper clippings/music tracks
as needed, including an explanation why it was added
• Provide a working bibliography
• No minimum page requirement; however, please be aware that the more
thorough and in depth your first draft is, the more feedback your instructor
can provide. Also, this will provide for an easier “clean up” process for any
revisions that are necessary for the final draft.
The instructor will return the proposals within about a week. If you have not
heard from your instructor by the beginning of week 4, you should check and
make sure that the paper was received. It is the responsibility of the student, not
the faculty member, to follow up if the grade is missing.
================================================
What should be in my final paper?
By the time you reach the due date, which is during week 8, for your final paper,
most of the “heavy lifting” for the project should have been done. While you will
still have to make writing changes and perhaps consult a few more sources, the
hardest part should be behind you. Having followed all of the above criteria, along
with any additional comments that your instructor makes about your work, you
will have an original piece of research that can perhaps serve as an excellent
writing example for a potential employer or graduate school admissions
committee.
Please know that at any time, your instructor is happy to meet with you and
advise you on the research process. There is a very handy method that the
University subscribes to that will let us work on the same document
simultaneously called Adobe Connect, so please contact your instructor if you feel
stuck. Especially in an 8-week course, every day counts, so don’t delay if you feel
overwhelmed or confused. 
Your final draft should be 10-12 pages and will be graded based on the following
criteria:
• Culmination of changes suggested by your instructor to the first draft.
o Introduction (description of topic and thesis)
o Main Body (develop and explain ideas that support thesis by
incorporating research)
o Conclusion (restating thesis and summary of findings)
o Bibliography (minimum of 4 primary sources)
• Cover page is optional.
• Graphics/pictures should be placed in the appropriate places throughout
the paper, not at the end of the document.
***See rubric for more information about how you will be graded.