Historical Methods

I have now assigned people to various dates based on requests and timing of those requests…

Here is who is signed up thus far for presentations. I’d like to commend Ryan’s position to you–that the sooner you present the project, the more feedback you will get that might help you polish it up for the final version. There is still room for several people this afternoon, so let me know if you want to go today and get that helpful feedback. If you haven’t signed up yet, leave a comment on this post.

November 27
Ryan

November 29
Justin
Colleen
William
James
Pin

December 4
Kevin
Janos
Vince
Stephanie
Saeil
Brad
Mara

December 6
Keegan
Jerry
Xenia
Monica
Bryan
Brian
Jim

As you are all contemplating how much to eat tomorrow, it’s time to think about final presentations for our class. Each person needs to give a brief, i.e., 10 minute, presentation on his or her research project. For the presentation, I want you to tell us:

• Why you picked your topic;
• What your argument is;
• What evidence you used;
• What your conclusion was;
• How your sources might have contradicted one another

You can use whatever presentation method you feel most comfortable with, but it must include an oral presentation (one of the course requirements imposed by the Department).

And after your presentation, I want you to post a summary of around 250 words in the blog.

Here are the days/times for individual conferences about your research papers. Please select a day/time and respond in the comment field to claim one. I’ll update this on a somewhat regular basis over the next couple of days to make it easier to see what’s available and what isn’t.

Tuesday, November 6
1:30 Monica
2:00 Jerry
2:30 Saeil
3:00 Vince
3:30 Xenia
4:00 Colleen
4:30
5:00 Pin
5:30

Thursday, November 8

1:30
2:00
2:30
3:00 Brian
3:30 Justin
4:00 Janos
4:30 William
5:00 Mark
5:30 Stephanie

The Center for Global Education has now posted up the basics about the spring break trip to Prague and Dresden that I’ll be running next semester. They don’t have a cost posted, but if I had to guess, I’d say it would be somewhere in the vicinity of $2,500, plus or minus $500. How’s that for a big range? I really don’t know what the final cost will be, since I have no input on that, so I’m really just speculating here.

I hope you’ll consider going along.

Every year George Mason hosts the Fall for the Book festival. This year’s festival includes a number of historians discussing their work. This is a great opportunity to hear an author talk about his/her work in more detail than one can normally get–and they take questions (usually). The “history” part of the overall schedule this year is:

Kevin Merida:  The Divided Soul of Clarence Thomas, Monday, Sept. 24,  1:30 pm, J.C. Cinema.

Richard Norton Smith: Extraordinary Circumstances: The Presidency of Gerald R. Ford, Monday, Sept. 24, 3 pm, Grand Tier

Robert Dallek and Roger Wilkins: Nixon and Kissinger: Partners in Power, Tuesday, Sept. 25, 3 pm, Harris Theater.

Jeff Broadwater: Forgotten Founder: George Mason (Democracy Project), Tuesday, Sept. 25, 6 pm, Harris Theater.

Rick Atkinson: The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944, Wed.,Sept 26, 5 pm, Concert Hall, Center for the Arts.

David Price: Love and Hate in Jamestown, Wed., Sept. 26, 7 pm, Dewberry Hall, J.C.

Robert Draper: Dead Certain: The Presidency of George W. Bush, Wed., Sept. 26, 7:30 pm, J.C. Cinema.

Orville Vernon Burton: The Age of Lincoln, and Jason Emerson: The Madness of Mary Lincoln, Thurs., Sept. 27, 12 pm, Dewberry Hall South, J.C.

Joseph Ellis: His Excellency: George Washington, Thurs., Sept. 27, 7:30 pm, Concert Hall, Center for the Arts.