Course Requirements:

Essay Proposal and Annotated Bibliography (9 Oct.) 10%
"Great Canadian Mysteries" Assignment (30 Oct..) 15%
Research Paper (12-15 pages) (20 Nov.) 40%
Final Examination (Dec. examination period) 35%

 

Course Syllabus (Word format)

Written Assignments

Essay Proposal and Annotated Bibliography (10%): Due 9 October 2007

The first assignment is a proposal for the research paper that you plan on writing for this course. On 9 October, students will submit a short proposal (3-4 pages) to the professors including:

- the historical topic and the main questions that s/he is asking (in question form);
- the approach that s/he plans to pursue, as well as a tentative thesis or hypothesis, in proper paragraph form;
- a basic outline (optional but recommended);
- and a preliminary annotated bibliography (including a total of at least six books and scholarly articles, with at least two sentences for each explaining the contents of the source and why it will be useful).

For students who are interested in working with primary sources (first-hand perspectives produced at the time of a particular historical event), the professors will post various documents on a website related to two particular subjects they are currently researching:

(1) governance in the Northwest Territories, and

(2) the Distant Early Warning or DEW Line.

Students interested in exploring one of these topics will be encouraged to read through the online materials, pick a particular theme, collect appropriate secondary sources (books and articles) to supplement the primary documents, and write a critical essay on the subject.

Students who are not interested in these subjects are encouraged to pursue their individual research interests, as long as the subject relates to the history of the Canadian North (a concept we will discuss in class). The course website contains a list of suggested essay topics for which there are ample scholarly resources available. You may, of course, pick a topic that is not on this list, but you are advised to discuss it with the professor(s) prior to submitting your proposal.

Students majoring in a discipline other than history are encouraged to undertake “interdisciplinary” research that draws upon their background studies in other disciplines. For example, a legal studies student might look at a particular legal case or issue, a psychology student might look at the concept of “arctic hysteria” and critically analyse an historical case or cases, or an anthropology student might look at whether a particular anthropological theory that s/he has studied pertains to certain historical experiences. Please feel free to talk to the professor if you are unsure about the feasibility of the topic you are interested in exploring.

Further discussion of the questions you should consider when preparing your proposal can be found The History Student’s Essay Handbook (Department of History, St. Jerome’s University, 2007), which you can access through a link on the course website.

This proposal will encourage you to get started on your research early, and will allow the instructor to suggest other sources and themes that may strengthen your final paper. Final papers will not be graded by the instructor without the prior submission of a proposal.

Although somewhat dated, students should consult M. Brook Taylor, ed., Canadian History: A Reader’s Guide 1: Beginnings to Confederation (Toronto, 1994), Doug Owram, ed., Canadian History: A Reader’s Guide 2: Confederation to Present (Toronto, 1994), and/or the recent (and very perceptive) chapters in K. Abel and K.S. Coates, eds. Northern Visions: New Perspectives on the North in Canadian History (on reserve in the St. Jerome's Library) prior to meeting with the instructor to discuss potential sources.   Another essential source if you are looking at topics related to the Middle North - the provincial norths - is K. Coates and W. Morrison, eds., The Provincial Norths (on reserve in the St. Jerome's Library).  The suggested readings from another one of their books on the Provincial Norths is available through the course website.

 

Mysteries Website Assignment (15%): Due 30 October 2007

Students will write either a short, critical reflection of four to six (4-6) pages addressing the question Where is Vinland? or Who Discovered the Klondike Gold?” based upon the “Great Unsolved Mysteries in Canadian History” website (www.canadianmysteries.ca). This assignment is due on or before 30 October. You are expected to make an argument by outlining a debate related to the topic, assessing competing perspectives and interpretations (both primary and secondary), and drawing conclusions based upon the evidence you have read. You will have an opportunity in class to work in small groups on the Vinland question (25 September) and Klondike Gold debate (16 October). You will receive more specific guidelines on this assignment in class.

Research Paper (40%): Due 20 November 2007

The main assignment will be research paper of 12-15 pages double-spaced. The expectations for this paper will be explained in more detail during the term. A third-year paper should contain a critical review of relevant secondary literature and/or reference to primary documents such as memoirs, parliamentary debates, newspapers, and government records. It must also contain an argument, not just “discussion” or “opinions” or “beliefs.”

Make sure that you carefully proofread your work or, better yet, have a friend proofread it for you. Essays with more than one spelling or typing error per page will be docked 3% per page. Be sure to number your pages and to staple them together. Essays must be double-spaced, 11 or 12 font, with no more than 3.17 cm margins, and must be submitted in both electronic (by email) and paper formats.

N.B.: Retain copies of your written submissions.
Proper references and a bibliography are essential in a paper at this level. Endnotes or footnotes are the required methods of referencing in historical papers. Consult The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago, 2003).


Final Examination (35%)

The final exam will be scheduled for December 2007, following the end of classes.
It will be two hours long, and will consist of two long-essay questions (to be chosen from a list of seven options). To facilitate your learning, and in accordance with the wishes of a majority of class members, the exam questions are available to you throughout the term.

 

Note on Assignments Handed in Late

A penalty of five percent (5%) per day will be deducted for assignments handed in late that are not accompanied by a medical note. In practice, this means that if an assignment is due on Tuesday and you hand it in on Thursday, your grade will be reduced by 10%. So if you earned a grade of 75%, you will receive a final grade of 65% on the assignment.

No extensions will be granted to students the week before the essay is due (except in extreme circumstances), so be careful to budget your time accordingly.

UW POLICY REGARDING ILLNESS AND MISSED TESTS

The University of Waterloo Examination Regulations (http://www.registrar.uwaterloo.ca/exams/ExamRegs.pdf) state that:
• A medical certificate presented in support of an official petition for relief from normal academic requirements must provide all of the information requested on the “University of Waterloo Verification of Illness” form or it will not be accepted. This form can be obtained from Health Services or at http://www.healthservices.uwaterloo.ca/Health_Services/VERIFICATION%20OF%20ILLNESS.html

• If a student has a test/examination deferred due to acceptable medical evidence, he/she normally will write the test/examination at a mutually convenient time, to be determined by the course instructor.
• The University acknowledges that, due to the pluralistic nature of the University community, some students may on religious grounds require alternative times to write tests and examinations.
• Student travel plans are not acceptable grounds for granting an alternative final examination period.
Make up tests are not normally acceptable. Students must present a case in writing and any agreement will follow the rules of fairness and equity for all students in the course.

AVOIDANCE OF ACADEMIC OFFENCES

All students registered in the courses of the Faculty of Arts and its colleges are expected to know what constitutes academic integrity, to avoid committing academic offences, and to take responsibility for their academic actions. Students who are unsure whether an action constitutes an offence, or who need help in learning how to avoid offences (e.g., plagiarism, cheating), or about “rules” for group work/collaboration should seek guidance from the course professor, TA, academic advisor, the appropriate ST. Jerome’s departmental Chair, or the Associate Dean for St. Jerome’s University. For information on categories of offences and types of penalties, students should refer to Policy #71, Student Academic Discipline, http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy71.htm
If you need help in learning how to avoid offenses such as plagiarism, cheating and double submission, or if you need clarification of aspects of the discipline policy, ask your course instructor for guidance. Other resources regarding the discipline policy are your academic advisor; the appropriate St. Jerome’s departmental chair and ultimately the Appeals Officer (currently the Associate Dean) for St. Jerome’s University. Further information on “How to Avoid Plagiarism and Other Written Offences: A Guide for Students and Instructors” can be found at http://www.arts.uwaterloo.ca/arts/ugrad/academic_responsibility.html
Students who believe that they have been wrongfully or unjustly penalized have the right to grieve in accordance with Policy #70, Student Grievance, www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy70.htm.

OTHER INFORMATION
Students with documented or suspected disabilities (i.e., physical, learning, or sensory disabilities or chronic medical conditions) are encouraged to contact the Office for Persons with Disabilities (OPD) to determine eligibility for their services. OPD is located in OPD is located in Needles Hall 1132, 519-888-4567 ext. 35082.

Policy 71 (Student Academic Discipline): Procedures

Jurisdiction and authority in UW student disciplinary matters are defined in Policy 71 (IV): “As provided in the University of Waterloo Act, 1972, disciplinary jurisdiction with respect to all students of the University is vested in the Board of Governors and the Senate of the University. With the adoption of this policy, the authority and responsibility to deal with matters of student academic discipline are delegated to Associate Deans, Faculty Committees on Student Appeals (FCSAs) and the University Committee on Student Appeals (UCSA), all of whom shall ensure that students are treated fairly and equitably under the policy.”

When an instructor has reason to believe that an academic offence has occurred, the matter should be reported promptly to the Associate Dean, Undergraduate Studies. Reporting an apparent academic offence to the Associate Dean is not necessarily the same as referring the case to the Associate Dean. Following report to the Associate Dean, a disciplinary case may still (in many instances) remain with the instructor/department. The Associate Dean decides whether an attempt should be made to resolve the case informally (i.e., at the instructor/student level).

All apparent academic offences must be at least reported to the Associate Dean for the following reasons:
o to obtain separate, and extra-departmental, confirmation on the question of the adequacy of the evidence in the case.
o to obtain confirmation of procedural details.
o to determine whether or not the student is a first offender.
o to determine or confirm jurisdiction.
o to gain information on appropriate disciplinary action and equity of penalties.

• Following a report to the Associate Dean, a case may remain at the instructor/departmental level if:
o commission of the alleged offence seems unambiguous.
o it appears that Informal Resolution (agreement between instructor and student) is possible.
o the student is a first-time offender.
o there are no jurisdictional complications.
o extremely serious penalties are not involved.
o the instructor/department/student is willing to handle the case at the Informal Resolution stage.
o the Associate Dean agrees that Informal Resolution is appropriate.

• Disciplinary cases go beyond the instructor/departmental level to the Associate Dean if:
o instructor and student do not agree that an academic offence has occurred.
o there are jurisdictional complications (e.g., the student is from another Faculty).
o the alleged offence is likely to warrant severe penalties.
o the student already has a disciplinary record.
o the Associate Dean believes it to be necessary.