, U.Va.

Course Description & Requirements

 

Lectures

Zoom attendance for all lectures is required.

Films and Readings

All assigned films are required viewing, and all assigned reading, including digital roundtables (which entail reading and viewing) are required.

Discussion Sections

Zoom attendance for all discussion sections is required.  Assigned readings and films for that week should be completed before discussion sections.  Every discussion section except the first one will begin with a simple qustion that should be answered in writing during the first two minutes of section.  Your answer on these quizzes which will be graded correct/incorrect will be factored into your overall participaion grade.  Participaion in discussion sections will count for 15 percent of your final grade.

Writing Assignment

Please select an article from the New York Times published on the date of your birth, 1965.  Sum up briefly the gist of the article in less than one page, but devote the remaining four pages to placing the subject covered by the article in broader historical context.  What events lead to the situation described in your article? Is this situation part of some larger trends? If the situation is ongoing, how did previous actions constrain or inform major players in 1965? History rarely repeats itself, so feel free to compare and contrast your 1965 subject matter to previous historical examples.  In doing so, please draw upon the course readings, films, lectures, section discussion, and your own CYOU research.  You are also welcome to draw upon your historical knowledge from other classes and resources.  The paper will count for 20 percent of your final grade.

DUE DATE: Midnight, Wed. March 10

This video offers a quick guide to accessing the NYT through the UVa Library System and Proquest. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yT2vHxjasLk 

The librarian who created this video is Keith Weimer, and can be reached at kw6m@virginia.edu

The direct link to the NYT through Proquest is

https://search-proquest-com.proxy01.its.virginia.edu/hnpnewyorktimes?accountid=14678

 Exams

There will be an in-class mid-term exam and final exam.  The Mid-term will be on Wed., March 24 10:00 am - 10:50 am.  The mid-term will count for 20 percent of your final grade. The Final Exam will be on Thursday, May 13, 9am-12pm.  The final exam will count for 25 percent of your final grade.

Create Your Own Unit (CYOU)

During your first section meeting, you will be divided into CYOU Project Teams. Each CYOU Project Team will consist of around eight to ten members and be tasked with creating its own unit to add to the Viewing America website. Teams may choose to design their units around the theme of their choice. Before deciding on a particular theme, however, teams should think through  the following questions:

  • Does your theme fall within the period covered by the class?
  • Does your theme add a new topic or theme that is NOT covered by the other units of the Viewing America website?
  • Why is this particular topic or theme important?
  • Why should the class know more about it? That is, why does this theme matter?

The project teams that can answer these questions most convincingly will be the most successful. Once a theme has been chosen, teams will have to begin preparing their unit by creating their own website. Each team will elect a team leader and assign responsibility for each component of the unit. Each memeber of the team should sign his or her name to the portion of the assignment that they are personally responsible for.

Deadlines for CYOU

Executive Summaries

  • Group leaders should email a Word document (attached) of your Executive Summary to your TA by Midnight Wed., March 3.
  • Your completed website must also be published 12 pm Friday, April 23.

Winners

  • The class will vote to determine which of the CYOU student projects is the best. The winning plan will be used as the basis for the lecture on Wednesday, April 28 and the required readings and film for section that week.
  • Everyone must vote on their favorite CYOU before Midnight Sunday, April 25.
  • A voting system will be available here: ______ when projects are completed.
  • To view past CYOU submissions in the CYOU Library, click here.

CYOU Grade

  • The Winning CYOU will receive an A for their grade.  Members of the other CYOU groups will recieve the grade that their teaching associate assigns to the CYOU.  CYOU grades will count for 20 percent of your final grade.

Grading

20% - Writing Assignment                
20% - Midterm Exam                       
20% - CYOU Project
15% - Participation (including section quiz grades)                         
25% - Final Exam*

Feedback

I welcome your feedback. I have changed the course every year in response to student comments. I hope that you will visit me during Zoom office hours or make an appointment via e-mail.  You can e-mail me at balogh@virginia.edu or relay your comments through your TAs.