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- Technical
Requirements
Your Web browser will allow you to see most of the
material on this
Website. The exceptions are as follows:
-
PDF Documents. Some of the older documents appear as
multi-page
images. You can look at these documents on the screen, but if you
want to print any of them, you will need the Acrobat reader.
You can
download this application from the Abobe Acrobat Reader
homepage.
If you scroll to the bottom of that page, you'll see a three-step process
for downloading the reader.
-
JSTOR Material. JSTOR contains a vast collection of scholarly
journal articles. Although you can see this material on your
browser,
you need a special application to print the material. You
can download this application form JSTOR's Website. Although
you can print JSTOR material with the Acrobat Reader, the JSTOR
application
is much faster.
Unfortunately, simply downloading these files onto your computer
is not sufficient to install them on your computer.
Once you've copied the file onto your computer, you'll need to
double-click
the application to complete the installation process. If you have
any difficulty, please consult your Residential Computing Consultant.
- Reading Assignments
The core text for this course is Bernard DeVoto, The Journals
of Lewis and Clark (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1997 [1953]). In
addition, each week will include a variety of related readings including
excerpts from scholarly monographs, articles, and contemporary documents.
Students are responsible for all of these assignments. Not only
will the primary documents be useful to the electronic exhibits, but they
will be the subject of both lectures and discussion.
In addition to the DeVoto edition of the Journals, we will be reading one
book later in the semetser:
Andrew C. Isenberg, The Destruction of the Bison: An Environmental History,
1750-1920.
All of the related readings are available through the course Web
site. They are linked directly from the syllabus, and come in several
form. Many are standard HTML documents scanned or transcribed from the
original version. Hand-written documents are scanned images. Many of
these documents will not print correctly on a single page. As a result,
many are linked to a third version that requires the Acrobat Reader, a
free application that shows multi-page images. If you need to print a
document, make certain you have the Acrobat Reader installed on your
computer. If not, please contact your Residential Computing Consultant
or Peter Kastor.
- Written Assignments
Each student will produce a short essay in addition to the
electronic exhibit. Unlike the electronic project, which is a
collaborative endeavor, this paper is something you will write on your
own. It will provide the oppotuntity for everyone to get individualized
feedback on his or her work. Likewise, it will give you a chance to
practice the skills you are honing in Writing and Argumentation.
All papers must be delivered in both print and electronic form. Printed versions are due at the beginning of class. Electronic versions are due by 11:59 pm that day. Failure to deliver an electronic copy via e-mail attachment by midnight will result in a reduction in the paper grade.
- Electronic Exhibit
The most important work you will produce is your electronic
project. Later in the semester you will join a group of three or four
other students. These groups will be built around particular points of
interest. In the first weeks of class, consider what aspects of the
Lewis and Clark expedition you find most interesting. These issues need
not be directly related to Meriwether Lewis or William Clark. Students
are invited to consider questions of biology, geography, anthropology,
literature, or any other topic which they find interesting.
Indeed, you should look on the electronic exhibit beyond the
confines of this class. You should look on it as a way to explore
subjects of interest. By the same token, this offers a chance to
consider new or unfamiliar topics. The project should always follow your
own path of inquiry. Each group should see itself as a scholarly team,
engaging primary material and creating an exhibit that reflects the
distinct questions, interests, and discoveries of its members.
Each group will produce an electronic exhibit on the World Wide
Web. The core of these exhibits will be a written analysis, and as a
result the same issues of organization and argument that apply in
traditional printed papers will apply to the Web projects. In addition,
these exhibits should bring together images as well as scanned textual
material, engaging visual objects as well as archiving primary sources.
The Web project is also designed to introduce students to the
possibilities--as well as the headaches--of group work. Each team will
need to learn about delegating responsibilities, sharing work, and
organizing time. The specific goals of these projects will of course
vary according to their topics. Each group should meet regularly with
the instructors to discuss what approach to take and what sources to use.
Each group will receive individual training. As a result,
training will not begin until October, by which point students will have
formed their groups and identified their topics. These groups will also
received specialized orientation to the resources at Washington
University's various libraries.
- Participation
This course involves both extensive classroom participation and
group work. As a result, each student is expected to be an active member
of the class. In addition to fulfilling the written requirements, each
student should come to class prepared to discuss the written materials.
Equally important, each student must make a vigorous contribution to his
or her project group. Some people are particularly uncomfortable speaking
in front of others. If this is the case, it is important that you
contact one of the instructors. This is the only way to indicate why you
may not be an active participant.
- Grading
Your final grade will be figured with the following formula:
| Participation | 35% |
| Writing Assignments | 30% |
| Electronic Project | 35% |
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