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The Discovery Project is designed to integrate the knowledge gained
throughout your first year experience. In Unit I, you chose a person
for your study and presented a plan for writing about that person in
each of the three succeeding units. In Unit II, you focused on the quantitative
context of the person, placing the person as a member of a population.
In Unit III you will use the tools and concepts developed during this
unit to examine a "slice of time" in the social world of your subject.
Consider a microscope as a metaphor for the Discovery Project during
this unit. To focus on an object in view, a microscope relies on a variety
of lenses as well as the critical eye of the observer. If you are looking
at an object using one lens (or, at one magnification), you will view
a certain spectrum that will reveal a set of data. Choose another lens
(a different magnification) and a new set of data will be available
for analysis. Selecting magnifications and foci will reveal different
things about the object. For example, at a lower magnification you may
see the surface of what is on the glass, at a higher magnification you
may see individual cells. Both are important pieces data and integral
to understanding the object.
In the case of the Unit III Discovery Project, you will place on the
glass a time period or historical event that has particular relevance
to your subject. This must be a fundamental event in the shaping of
your subject's aspirations or attitudes. A slice of time that was imperative
to your subject's self-perception or sense of place in the world. Your
discovery of this event or time period and your subject's relationship
to it will be imperative to the discovery of your subject. For instance,
if your grandmother worked in a factory producing goods for the war
effort during World War II, it might have proved transformative for
many reasons. For example, you might want to focus on changing attitudes
toward gender, personal autonomy and empowerment, domestic workplace
responsibilities, the contract between individual, community and nation,
national ideals and many others.
Once you have chosen a time period, you will bring it into focus using
your critical eye and a variety of different lenses.
- The first step will be to gather information about the time period.
Keep in mind the different ways we have discussed the reporting and
reading of history during the first week of the unit. Your knowledge
about this event or time period will be the foundation for your project.
- The next step will be to choose two of the three concepts presented
in weeks two, three and four as the different lenses for analyzing
your time period and your subject's interpretation of it. You will
understand more how to do this through the texts and discussions during
Unit III, but here are some things to think about in advance:
- Ideology. Identify the prevalent ideology during this time period
and analyze the influence it had on events. How did ideology affect
actions of people generally, and your subject specifically, during
this time? Where those ideologies challenged? How might ideology
currently influence the interpretation of the time period or event
you are examining?
- Identity. Identify the primary factors influencing one's sense
of self during this time period. How were the options facing your
subject enhanced or limited by socially constructed notions of
race, gender and class?
- Imperialism. What was the influence of imperialistic tendencies
during the time period in question? Identify where your subject
stands in relation to the multiple imperialisms we have studied.
Is s/he the subject of imperial action (formal, informal, political,
economic) by others or part of a group/nation exerting imperial
power over others? Did your subject's relationship to imperial
power expand or limit their options during the event you are examining?
To revive the metaphor, you are choosing different lenses and foci
in order to observe and analyze aspects of your subject's life. If you
focus in one way, you will see the ideological influences that come
to bear on the subject's perception of the events. If you focus in another
way you can obtain a better view of the subject's self-perception (influenced
by race, gender, and class issues). The paper will be a "revealing"
of this transformative event or time period and will incorporate knowledge
gathered from authoritative sources as well as interviews with your
subject.
Your paper must:
- Represent and examine an historical perspective and look specifically
and critically at your subject.
- Assemble all of the data and analysis into a coherent, unified whole.
(For instance, you might bring focus to the paper by looking at the
ways, based on different types of evidence, your subject was typical
or atypical of those participating in the time period or event under
analysis).
- Include an annotated bibliography listing at least four authoritative
sources actually used in your essay (encyclopedia articles can be
used but do not count as authoritative sources).
- Be 5-7 typed pages (1250-1750 words).
Research Exercises
The Discovery Project for Unit III will include three research exercises
due at intervals during the first four weeks. The following is the basic
breakdown for these assignments (additional information will be provided
during the unit):
1. Given the presentation on types of sources, locate and provide bibliography
for the "one good source" you will be using for the discovery project.
This might be a historical text that uncovers the time period you are
looking at (such as a book that depicts the role of women during WWII),
a regional study, or perhaps a social or economic text. Due by e-mail
January 27 midnight to your seminar leader. You must also bring
a copy of your 'one good source' to the writing workshop on Monday to
gain full credit for this assignment.
2. Identify and provide an annotated bibliography of at least three
primary sources you will be using for this project. Due January 29
at 3pm to your seminar leader.
3. Provide the notes for and transcript of an interview with your subject
on the event or time period that is the focus of this project. The interview
needs to show some relation to the concepts you are addressing in this
paper. Include with your work an annotated bibliography of all of the
sources you will be using for the project. Due February 13 at 3 pm
to your seminar leader.
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