Course Syllabus
History 395 Modern Historical Research and Writing
What makes good history? How do we recognize good history? What standards and practices should we observe when we produce history? How should historians work in the face of the fragmentary nature of the historical record? How do new perspectives redefine and enrich our understanding of history? What technologies should the well-trained historian be using?
In this course we will read exemplary works of research and analysis. We will also look at works that suggest new frameworks of understanding. Together, our aim will be to understand how history is made and how history moves forward thanks to new questions, new sources, and new methods.
Over the course of the quarter you will be expected to formulate a research topic and complete exploratory research. Seminar assignments culminate in a research proposal.
office hours: Tuesday 2:20-2:50pm; Wednesday 1:20-1:50pm; also by appointment. Write to me (jonas@uw.edu) to set up an appointment.
History Department policy information Download History Department policy information
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|
| Wed Apr 2, 2025 | Calendar Event Introductions and Procedures | 1:30pm to 3:20pm |
| Mon Apr 7, 2025 | Assignment readings and questions | due by 11:59pm |
| Wed Apr 9, 2025 | Calendar Event History through Biography; Research and Writing (R&W): Why We Do History | 1:30pm to 3:20pm |
| Mon Apr 14, 2025 | Assignment readings and questions | due by 11:59pm |
| Wed Apr 16, 2025 | Calendar Event History and Memory; R&W: Taking Notes | 1:30pm to 3:20pm |
| Mon Apr 21, 2025 | Assignment readings and questions | due by 11:59pm |
| Wed Apr 23, 2025 | Calendar Event Working with Ideas: Language, Religion, Race; R&W: Finding and Managing Sources | 1:30pm to 3:20pm |
| Mon Apr 28, 2025 | Assignment readings and questions | due by 11:59pm |
| Wed Apr 30, 2025 | Calendar Event Environmental History, Provenance and Preservation; R&W: Taking Notes | 1:30pm to 3:20pm |
| Mon May 5, 2025 | Assignment readings and questions | due by 11:59pm |
| Assignment research subject and working bibliography | due by 11:59pm | |
| Wed May 7, 2025 | Calendar Event Migration and Geopolitics; R&W: Engaging Your Reader | 1:30pm to 3:20pm |
| Mon May 12, 2025 | Assignment choosing a mentor | due by 11:59pm |
| Assignment readings and questions | due by 11:59pm | |
| Wed May 14, 2025 | Calendar Event History embedded in words, Comparative History, Natural Experiments; R&W: Characters and Storytelling | 1:30pm to 3:20pm |
| Mon May 19, 2025 | Assignment readings and questions | due by 11:59pm |
| Wed May 21, 2025 | Calendar Event Economic History, Commodity Flows; History of Food; R&W: Organization & Scale; Managing a Timeline; Cast of Characters | 1:30pm to 3:20pm |
| Mon May 26, 2025 | Assignment readings and questions | due by 11:59pm |
| Wed May 28, 2025 | Calendar Event Science and Technology; R&W: Research after the Digital Turn | 1:30pm to 3:20pm |
| Tue Jun 10, 2025 | Assignment research prospectus due | due by 11:59pm |