Learning Objectives for History Majors

Level I

(Lower
Division)

Historical Knowledge
(including professional)

Analytical Skills

Research Skills

Writing and Verbal Skills

Understand major developments in American history and world civilizations.� Focus on main and important themes.� Gain a good basic knowledge of historical facts.

Demonstrate ability to read a scholarly book or article and analyze it, state the thesis, and at least suggest its implications

Learn to use libraries and archives effectively for historical research.�

Know that understanding, writing, and doing history are inseparably connected

Use proper grammar, punctuation, and well-chosen words.� Study the elements of style.

Recognize the different types of historical writing (book reviews, historiographic essays, research papers [as journal articles], scholarly books)

Perceive uses and limitations of different types of evidence. Need illustrative examples in every category.

Become familiar with key indexes, bibliographic tools, and databases as defined in the booklet Guide to the Study of History at BYU.

Write a proposal or prospectus

Analyze audience and tone

Show basic competence in computer programs as prescribed by History Department

Explore relationship between Gospel and writing history

Ascertain how to place topic within its historiographic context

Learn to organize material effectively

Explain what history is and how it fits in with a liberal arts education and life

Enroll in Religion C261, Introduction to LDS Family History, soon after declaring major

Learn to write effective sentences and paragraphs and make smooth transitions

Explain what historians do and introduce students to career opportunities

Learn to write effective conclusions

Emphasize ethics of the historical profession and writing history

Learn to document accurately (notes and bibliography) based on Turabian�s Manual of Style

Learn to revise and edit

Learn to critique others� work

Level II

Gain a deeper understanding of narrower parts of the world, of countries, of time periods (both pre-modern and modern), of their distinctiveness and interconnectedness by reading monographs and scholarly articles

Master ability to evaluate historical works (understand historical significance, relevance and exhaustiveness of sources, appropriateness of methods, author�s perspective, persuasiveness of argument, etc.)

Hone research skills learned at Level I

Refine writing ability by writing research papers, historiographic essays, �position� papers, response papers, and book reviews

Be exposed to in-depth surveys of a variety of regional histories, approaches to history (political, social, intellectual, economic, etc.) cultural histories, chronological periods, and comparative analyses by reading monographs and scholarly articles

Face the ambiguity of evidence (primary sources) and the multiple interpretations that might be derived from the same source or types of sources

Use new specialized databases and sources

Gain added experience in writing through assignments that hone skills developed at Level I

Be cognizant of important events, historical figures, issues of class, race, and gender by reading monographs and scholarly articles.� Be alert to historiographic fashions.

Practice on a small-scale using primary and secondary sources to analyze events, developments, patterns, and trends

Demonstrate understanding of cause-and-effect relationships

Level III

(Seniors)

Grasp historical issues being debated by historians

Show mastery of ability to analyze and interpret documents and other sources (e.g., material culture, media) within the context of the culture that made them

Show ability to propose research project based on original sources

Demonstrate mastery of concepts and skills learned at Level II

Deepen understanding of the development of history as a discipline

Learn about publication process and how to prepare, write, and submit an essay for publication in a professional journal

Explore a historical issue and reconstruct its historiography; isolate an unanswered or controversial aspect of that historiography or historical debate for further study

Propose original research based on existence of relevant primary sources and on what is not yet known

Employ in-depth content knowledge about a specific area to history to write a 15-to-25 page senior research paper (a publishable historical essay)

Apply to a graduate or professional school or for a job

Be able to begin the process of analyzing larger epochs and movements, seeing comparisons and contrasts, and applying history to the human condition; consider the role of faith when writing the history of any religion

Use research skills to garner primary sources regarding topic; analyze the strengths and weaknesses of those sources and use them to write a brief monograph addressing the historical issue

Write with clarity and grace.� Demonstrate sufficient research and analytical skills.

Apply appropriate methods and theories

Work on a research project with a practicing historian.