A Student's Guide to History

by Benjamin, Jules R.

• ISBN13: 9780312247652
• ISBN10: 0312247656
• Edition: 8th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-01-01
• Publisher: Bedford/st Martins

Summary

This compact, best-selling introduction to the study of history discusses the discipline, reviews basic study, research, and writing skills, and describes common history assignments.

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
A Note to Students	xiii
The Subject of History and How to Use It	1	(18)
What Historians are Trying to Do	1	(1)
What History Can Tell You	2	(3)
History and the Everyday World	2	(1)
A Brief Journey into the Past	3	(2)
How Historians Work	5	(12)
Primary and Secondary Sources of Evidence	6	(6)
Interpreting and Organizing Evidence	12	(1)
Changing Directions of Historical Research	12	(1)
Methods of Historical Research	13	(1)
The Computer and Historical Research	14	(1)
Philosophies of History	14	(1)
Historiography	15	(2)
How You Can Use History	17	(2)
How to Read a History Assignment, Take Notes in Class, and Prepare for Exams	19	(33)
How to Read a History Assignment	19	(7)
Reading a Textbook	20	(1)
Reading a Monograph	20	(2)
Reading an Anthology	22	(1)
Reading a Historical Novel	22	(1)
Examples of Reading Assignments	22	(4)
How to ``Read'' Nonwritten Materials	26	(10)
Interpreting Maps	26	(1)
Analyzing Statistical Data	27	(5)
Interpreting Illustrations and Photographs	32	(4)
How to Take Notes in Class	36	(5)
From Class Lectures	36	(1)
Guidelines for Taking Lecture Notes	36	(1)
Examples of Note Taking	37	(4)
From Slides and Films	41	(1)
Classroom Participation	41	(3)
Classroom Discussions	41	(1)
Guidelines for Speaking in Class	42	(1)
Giving an Oral Presentation	42	(1)
Guidelines for Giving an Oral Presentation	43	(1)
Group Work	43	(1)
Communicating Online	44	(3)
E-mail, Listservs, and Chatrooms	44	(2)
E-conferences and E-seminars	46	(1)
Web Communication and Advanced Research	46	(1)
How to Study for Exams	47	(5)
Objective and Short-Answer Exams	48	(1)
Examples of Objective Exams	48	(1)
Preparing for In-Class Essay Exams---Composing Sample Questions	49	(1)
Writing a Good Essay Exam	50	(1)
Guidelines for Writing In-Class Essay Exams	50	(2)
How to Write History Assignments: The Importance of Writing Skills	52	(23)
Why Clear Writing Is Important	52	(1)
The Components of Clear Writing	53	(4)
Write Clear Sentences	53	(1)
Do Not Clutter Your Sentences with Unnecessary Phrases	53	(1)
Avoid Using the Passive Voice	54	(1)
Use the Past Tense	54	(1)
Link Your Sentences Together	55	(1)
Write Clear and Coherent Paragraphs	55	(1)
Link Your Paragraphs Together	56	(1)
Guidelines for Clear Writing	57	(1)
Building an Essay	57	(5)
The Need for a Clear Beginning	58	(1)
Creating a Writing Outline	59	(1)
The Importance of Continuity	59	(1)
Writing a Conclusion	60	(1)
Revising Your Paper	60	(1)
Proofreading Your Paper	61	(1)
Spell- and Grammar-Checkers	61	(1)
Preparing Specific Writing Assignments	62	(12)
Writing Essay Exams	62	(4)
Writing Book Reviews	66	(1)
Sample Book Review	67	(3)
Guidelines for Writing a Book Review	70	(1)
Writing Comparative Book Reviews	71	(1)
Comparing Essays or Articles	71	(1)
Comparing Primary Documents	71	(1)
Writing Short Essays	72	(1)
Guidelines for Writing Short Essays	73	(1)
A Note on Plagiarism: A Serious Offense	74	(1)
How to Research a History Topic	75	(41)
What Is a Research Paper?	75	(1)
What Should I Write About? Choosing a Topic	76	(4)
Moving from a Topic to a Theme	76	(1)
Narrowing Your Theme	77	(1)
Creating a Research Outline	78	(2)
Conducting Research	80	(10)
Exploring your Library's Resources	80	(1)
Creating a Research Bibliography	81	(1)
Using the Library Catalog	81	(5)
Research in Primary Sources	86	(1)
Reference Sources	87	(1)
Locating Library Materials and Using Call Numbers	88	(1)
Locating Other Historical Materials	89	(1)
Sources for Research on the World Wide Web	90	(3)
Using Subject Indexes and Directories	90	(1)
Using Search Engines	91	(2)
Conducting Research on the World Wide Web: A Primer	93	(6)
Example of a Web Search Using Keywords	95	(4)
Mining Information from Your Sources	99	(11)
Evaluating Print Sources	100	(1)
Guidelines for Evaluating Print Sources	101	(1)
Evaluating Web-Based Sources	101	(2)
Guidelines for Evaluating Web Sites	103	(1)
How to Read Your Sources	104	(1)
How to Take Notes from Your Sources	105	(3)
Photocopying and Downloading Sources off the Web	108	(1)
Avoiding Plagiarism	108	(1)
The Art of Paraphrasing	109	(1)
Organizing Your Research	110	(6)
Preparing a Writing outline	110	(4)
Organizing Your Notes	114	(1)
Budgeting Your Research Time	114	(2)
How to Write a Research Paper	116	(54)
Preparing to Write	116	(1)
Why Your Paper Needs a Theme	116	(1)
Your Writing Outline	117	(1)
Writing the Text	117	(4)
The Rough Draft	117	(2)
Clear Writing: A Matter of Continuity	119	(1)
Quotations: When and How to Use Them	120	(1)
Incorporating Visual Materials into Your Paper	121	(1)
Documenting Your Paper: Citing Your Sources	121	(15)
When and How to Use Footnotes and Endnotes	121	(2)
How to Write Footnotes	123	(7)
Organizing a Bibliography	130	(6)
Revising and Rewriting	136	(3)
Guidelines for Peer Editing	137	(1)
Word Processing: Advantages and Dangers	137	(2)
Guidelines for Formatting Your Paper	139	(1)
Example of a Research Paper	139	(31)
How the Theme Was Chosen	140	(1)
The Writing Outline for the Theme	140	(2)
Turning Research into Writing	142	(1)
Sample Student Research Paper---``Wage Slavery or True Independence: Women Workers in the Lowell, Massachusetts, Textile Mills, 1820--1850''	143	(27)
Appendix A Basic Reference Sources for History Study and Research	170	(42)
Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, Atlases, and Yearbooks	171	(3)
General Dictionaries	171	(1)
Historical Dictionaries	171	(1)
Specialized Dictionaries	172	(1)
General Encyclopedias	172	(1)
Historical Encyclopedias	173	(1)
Specialized Encyclopedias	173	(1)
General Atlases	173	(1)
Historical Atlases	174	(1)
Yearbooks	174	(1)
Biography Collections	174	(3)
Guides to Biography Collections	175	(1)
British and Canadian Biography Collections	175	(1)
American Biography Collections	175	(1)
International Biography Collections	176	(1)
National Biography Collections	177	(1)
Newspaper Directories and Indexes	177	(1)
Newspaper Directories	177	(1)
Newspaper Indexes	178	(1)
Periodical Guides and Indexes	178	(2)
Periodical Guides	178	(1)
General Periodical Indexes	179	(1)
Specialized Periodical Indexes	180	(1)
Historical Periodicals	180	(2)
U.S., British, and Canadian Historical Journals	181	(1)
Book Review Indexes	182	(1)
Government Publications and Public Documents	182	(1)
International Agencies	183	(1)
Foreign Government Publications	183	(1)
U.S. Government Publications	183	(1)
Subject Bibliographies	183	(18)
Disciplines Other than History	184	(1)
Specialized Branches of History	184	(1)
General World History	185	(1)
Ancient History	185	(1)
Medieval History	186	(1)
Early Modern and Modern European History	186	(1)
British History	187	(1)
East European History	188	(1)
Russian History (and USSR)	189	(1)
African History	189	(1)
Near and Middle Eastern History	190	(1)
General Asian History	190	(2)
Latin American and Caribbean History	192	(1)
Canadian History	192	(1)
U.S. History	193	(8)
Sources for Historical Statistics	201	(1)
World Statistical Data	201	(1)
European Statistical Data	201	(1)
African, Asian, Latin American, and Middle Eastern Statistical Data	201	(1)
British Statistical Data	201	(1)
U.S. and Canadian Statistical Data	202	(1)
Guides to Photographs, Microfilms, Microforms, Movies, Recordings, and Oral History	202	(1)
Guides to Dissertations, Archives, and Manuscripts	203	(1)
Electronic Reference Sources	204	(8)
Databases on CD-ROM and on the World Wide Web	204	(1)
Search Engines	205	(1)
Indexes and Directories	206	(1)
Gateway Sites to History Materials	206	(1)
Archives of Texts and Documents	207	(1)
Specialized History Sites	208	(2)
Electronic History Journals	210	(1)
Electronic Discussion Lists in History	211	(1)
Appendix B Useful Information for the Historian	212	(5)
Historical Sources in Your Own Backyard	212	(1)
How to Research Your Family History	213	(2)
Sources for Family History Research	214	(1)
Grammar and Style Manuals	215	(1)
Common Abbreviations Used in Footnotes, Bibliographies, Catalogs, and Reference Books	216	(1)
Glossary	217	(6)
Index	223