Midterm+exam+study+guide


 * History 200 **
 * Fall 2012 **
 * Dr. Schuster **


 * Midterm Exam **

Answer each question in a brief essay. **Organization, clarity, coherence and development** will be considered in the evaluation. Needless to say, think and organize your thoughts before you write and always proofread.

 1. Historian Carl Becker argued that history combines fact and interpretation. He said that the historians who restate facts without the work of selecting and prioritizing would deprive human experience of all significance. Oakeshot also wrote about perspective and interpretation. Write a brief essay explaining what they meant and what they consider to be the job of the historian? 15 pts.

 2. We spent several sessions discussing the nature and importance of history. Discuss its **value and purpose** for individuals and society, according to Zinn, Oakeshot and Stearns. 15 pts

 3. Why does Kishlansky argue that analyzing or “reading” a primary source is not a simple task. What kinds of questions should you have in mind while reading the document? Why does Kishlansky argue for different __levels__ of questions? 10 pts

4. Define and explain the differences between the three categories of source materials: primary, secondary and tertiary. List **three kinds** [not 3 titles] from each source group. 5 pts.

5. What is the task of each of the introductory paragraph and topic sentence in an essay and how do they aid the reader and the writer? 5 pts.

6. What should an opening paragraph contain? 5 pts.

 7. Explain the purpose of an outline in writing an essay or research paper. 5 pts.

 8. Write a brief essay addressing what has surprised or interested you most about the work of being a historian as we have discussed it in this course. How have your views or attitudes changed (or not) about being a historian or about teaching history? This should be a thoughtful response based on readings and class discussions so it would be wise to reread the central texts about doing history that started our course. 15 pts

 9. Foner argues that the record of history, which may include the production of new knowledge, changes in part because of contemporary events and issues or, as he says, all history is contemporary history. Explain what he means and provide some examples. 10 pts

Question 10 will ask you to identify whether several texts are primary or secondary sources. 8 pts

Question 11 asks you to identify the various parts (author, title, journal, year, page number, editor, publication, report, etc.) of several footnotes. 8 pts