His
665: Oral History: Project DevelopmentWilliam H. Mulligan, Jr.
His
665: Oral History: Project Development
William H. Mulligan, Jr.
Fall 1997 Office: Faculty Hall 6B9 Phone: 6571, to leave a message 2231 E-mail: Bill.Mulligan@murraystate.edu Office Hours: T Th 8:30-9:30; 3:30-4:30 W 8:30-11:30; 1:30-2:30 Other times by appointment. Office hours are an opportunity for students to discuss the course and their work in it, as well as their general academic interests. Please feel free to stop by any time during office hours to discuss this course, your graduate career at Murray State, or career opportunities in history.
Catalog Description: A detailed, advanced consideration of the planning, development and operation of oral history projects for colleges, libraries, museums, corporations, professional organizations and public schools.
Instructor Comment: This course will cover all aspects of oral history including project development, finding interview subjects, research and preparation for interviewing, interviewing techniques, post-interview procedures, transcription, legal aspects, management of oral history collections, and the uses of oral history. This course will stress discussion of assigned readings and semester project experiences. All student should provide the instructor with their e-mail address. Course information will be distributed via e-mail
Texts: David K. Dunaway and Willa K. Baum, Oral History: An Interdisciplinary Anthology Valerie Raleigh Yow, Recording Oral History: A Practical Guide for Social Scientists
Schedule Aug. 26 Intro to the Course 28 Video: An Oral Historian's Work Sept. 2 What is Oral History? Read: Dunaway and Baum, pp. 7-84. Yow, pp. 1-31. 4-9 Interviewing I Read: Dunaway and Baum, pp.85-172. Yow, 32-83; Appendix A. 11 NO CLASS 16 Discussion: Oral History as Source Material Read: Dunaway and Baum, pp. 173-280. First book for book report 23-30 Interviewing II 25 NO CLASS Oct. 2 Individual Conferences regarding Projects 7 Discussion: Oral History as the Main "Text" of a Book or Video Read: Dunaway and Baum, pp.281-340. Second book for book report 9-14 Processing Oral Histories Read: Yow, 32-83; Appendices B-F. 16 NO CLASS 21 MID-TERM EXAM 23-30 Administering Oral History Programs Read: Dunaway and Baum, pp.85-172. Yow, 116-244. 16 NO CLASS Nov. 4-11 Oral History and the Law Read: Yow, 84-115. 13-25 Individual Conferences regarding Projects 27 NO CLASS - THANKSGIVING RECESS Dec. 2-4 Oral Reports on Term Projects 9 Course Conclusion Read: Dunaway and Baum, pp.341-424. 16 FINAL EXAMINATION DUE 1:30 pm
EXAMINATIONS There will be two examinations, a mid-term and a final. These will be take home, essay examinations.
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS and TERM PROJECT 1. Book Reviews Each student will prepare two book reviews comparable in length and style to reviews in professional journals such the American Historical Review, Journal of American History, or The Public Historian. The first review will be of a book that uses oral history interviews as sources in conjunction with other historical sources and the second will be of a book that uses oral history interviews as the main part of the text. Reviews should be completed before in-class discussions of the use of oral history as a source (September 13) and of the use of oral history as the main body of a book (October 4) and turned the day of the discussion. 2. Oral Interviews Each student will interview six individuals as part of a coherent project, i.e. the interviews must be of individuals with some unifying principle. A description of the proposed interviews that outlines the unifying principle, the general areas for investigation, the names of individuals to be interviewed, and sources to be used for background should be submitted by October 14. Each interview should be approximately 60 - 90 minutes in length, tape recorded audibly, and properly documented. At least one of the interviews will be fully transcribed and edited. A copy of each interview will become part of the Forest C. Pogue Oral History Institute Collection. Each student will present a 20-minute oral report on their interviews on December 9. 3. WWW Assignment Each student will access and write a one-page review of ten oral history-related web pages.
GRADING Book Reviews Written Reviews 75 points each Discussions 50 points each Web Reviews 50 points (5 points each) Class Participation 50 points Term Project 300 points Oral Report 75 points Mid-term Examination 100 points Final Examination 100 points
ATTENDANCE POLICY Regular class attendance is expected of all students. Absence from two classes will reduce the final letter grade by one full letter; three absences by two full letters; etc. Students are responsible on the examinations for all material presented in class and all of the assigned readings. If you miss class review someone else's notes and see me during office hours if you have any questions. Students are also responsible for any changes in the lecture or exam schedules that are announced in class. Absence when a change was announced will not be accepted as an excuse for missing an examination.
Academic Honesty
It is assumed and expected that all students will present only their own work on exams, the term paper, and any other assignment. Any student caught cheating will fail the course and al such incidents will be referred to appropriate University officials for further action, including expulsion from the University. Plagiarism, i.e. copying material verbatim (i.e. word-for-word) without attribution is included in the definition of cheating. All students should become familiar with the College of Humanistic Studies policy on academic honesty.
The policies of the College of Humanistic Studies on Academic Integrity and Plagiarism and the College's Principles of Academic Conduct will be followed.