Course Schedule

Week 1: Introductions

Monday
16 January

MLK Day Teach-In & Day of Service

Attend your choice of Justice Dialogues and Service Projects.
Wednesday
18 January

Introductions

Complete for Class Today:

  • Read the syllabus carefully and come to class with any questions.
  • Reminder: please bring your laptop/device to class on Friday.
Friday
20 January

Historians & Historical Practice, Part I

*Posting to our Class Blog & Wikipedia Dashboard – please bring your laptop or device to class*

Complete for Class Today:

  • NA “Introduction: Contentious Friends in the Western Hemisphere”
  • Thomas Holloway “Latin America: What’s in a Name?” (password-protected additional readings page – arp)
  • Rampolla, “Reading Actively in History”
  • “Reading Well to Discuss Well“

Blog Post (Post by Sunday, January 22 at 8pm):

  • Write a short post introducing yourself to the class (being careful NOT to include your last name or other identifying information to protect your privacy.)  What would you like to learn about US-Latin American relations this semester?  Please tag your post “Introductions”.

Week 2: Looking South, Looking North

Complete by Friday

This Week’s Wikipedia Training

Complete before class on Friday, January 27:

  • Read “Editing Wikipedia” & “Evaluating Wikipedia” (linked from our course Wikipedia Portal)
  • Complete the first two training Modules: “Wikipedia Essentials” & “Editing Basics”
  • Leave a message on a classmate’s Talk Page
Monday
23 January

Historians & Historical Practice, Part II

*Wikipedia Project Guidelines & Class Portal*

Complete for Class Today:
Wednesday
25 January

The U.S. Considers Latin America

Complete for Class Today:

  • NA #4 Frederick Pike “Wild People in Wild Lands” (arp)
  • NA #2 Josiah Strong “The Anglo Saxon & the World’s Future”
  • Rampolla “Working with Sources”

Blog Post (Post by Thursday, January 26 at 8pm):

  • These two primary sources from your readings for Friday by Rodó and Bolívar, although written over seventy years apart, both reflect on the relationship between Latin America and the United States What common tropes do you see?  What differences?  Make sure to cite page numbers for all quotes.
Friday
27 January

Latin America Considers the U.S.

Complete for Class Today:

  • NA # 3 José Enrique Rodó Ariel (1900)
  • Simón Bolívar “Letter to Coronel Patrick Campbell” (1829) (arp)
  • Rampolla, “Using Primary Sources”

Week 3: Evaluating Sources

Monday
30 January

Workshop: Wikipedia Editing Basics

**Please bring your laptop/device to class**

Complete for Class Today:

Blog Post (Post by Tuesday, January 31 at 8pm):

  • Read the Wikipedia article for either “Latin America-United States Relations” or “History of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States.”  For your blog post, write a 3-4 paragraph critique of your chosen article, considering the following questions:
    • What perspective does the article represent?
    • Is each fact referenced with an appropriate, reliable reference?
    • Is everything in the article relevant to the article topic? Is there anything that distracted you?
    • Is the article neutral? Are there any claims, or frames, that appear heavily biased toward a particular position?
    • Where does the information come from? Are these neutral sources? If biased, is that bias noted?
    • Are there viewpoints that are overrepresented, or underrepresented?
    • Check a few citations. Do the links work? Is there any close paraphrasing or plagiarism in the article?
    • Is any information out of date? Is anything missing that should be added?
    • Tag your post “Wikipedia Critique.”
Wednesday
1 February

Completing Preliminary Research

*Please bring your laptop/device to class*

Complete for Class Today:

Wikipedia Assignment (Complete by 8pm on Thursday, February 2):

  • Pick any Wikipedia article related to our course themes.  Click to the talk page, and write two comments/suggestions to improve your chosen article.   Be sure to sign your feedback with four tildes — ~~~~.
Friday
3 February

Historiography: Historians Consider the Monroe Doctrine

*Primary Source Essay Guidelines*

Complete for Class Today:

Blog Post (Post by Sunday, February 5 at 8pm):

  • Even in this seemingly straightforward narrative overview of U.S. political history, Hoganson’s “Introduction” to American Empire makes a historical argument.  What is Hoganson’s thesis?  What reasons and evidence does she use to support it?  What acknowledgements and responses to other historians does she make?  **Make sure your blog post includes a quote from the text, properly cited and introduced.**

Week 4: The American Empire

Complete by Sunday

Blog Post: American Empire Intro

Post By Sunday, February 5 at 8pm:

  • Even in this seemingly straightforward narrative overview of U.S. political history, Hoganson’s “Introduction” to American Empire makes a historical argument.  What is Hoganson’s thesis?  What reasons and evidence does she use to support it?  What acknowledgements and responses to other historians does she make?  **Make sure your blog post includes a quote from the text, properly cited and introduced.**
Complete by Wednesday

This Week’s Wikipedia Training

Complete before class on Wednesday, February 8:

  • Wikipedia Training “Sources & Citations”
  • Add one to two sentences to your choice of a course-related article.  Show evidence for your addition with a citation to a reliable source.
Monday
6 February

The American Empire: Historical Context

Complete for Class Today:

  • American Empire: “Introduction” 1-32
  • Rampolla “Quoting & Documenting Sources”
  • If you have not done so already, make an appointment to come see me during office hours ASAP.
Wednesday
8 February

American Empire: U.S. Interests

Complete for Class Today:

  • American Empire: Documents “The US in an Age of Empire” & “Missionary Endeavors” 35-59
Friday
10 February

Writing Workshop: Peer Review

Complete for Class Today:

  • Bring two printed copies of your primary source essay to class for peer review.  Make sure to include page numbers.
Complete by Sunday

Blog Post: Potential Wikipedia Articles

Post By Sunday, February 12 at 8pm:

  • Propose 2-3 potential articles that you can tackle for your Wikipedia Article assignment.  What content gaps do you see?  What reputable sources exist to back up your added content?  For articles that already exist, check the Talk page to see what other Wikipedians might be doing. For articles that don’t exist, explain how your proposed article meets the Wikipedia “notability” guidelines.
  • Before class Monday, comment on three peers’ blog posts.

Week 5: Designing A Research Project

Monday
13 February

Designing a Research Project

Complete for Class Today:

  • Rampolla, “Writing a Research Paper”
Complete by Tuesday

Blog Post: Digital Primary Sources

Post By Tuesday, February 14 at 8pm:

  • Find a digital exhibit featuring primary sources related one of your proposed research topics. How does the website present its materials? How reliable is it? What is the central message of the exhibit? Do not repeat materials already posted by a classmate. Please tag your post “primary source”.
Wednesday
15 February

Writing Workshop: Primary Sources for Latin American & Latin@ History

Complete for Class Today:

  • Rampolla “Quoting & Documenting Sources”
  • Daniel Cohen & Roy Rosenzweig.  “Exploring the History Web.”  Digital History
Friday
17 February

American Empire: 1898

**Primary Source Essay Due: upload PDF to Moodle before Class**

Complete for Class Today:

  • American Empire: Documents “Co-opting the Cuban Revolution” & “Military Conduct” 60-89
Complete by Sunday

Wikipedia Assignment: Finalize Wikipedia Article Choice

Wikipedia Assignment (complete by Sunday, February 19 at 8pm):

  • Complete the Wikipedia “Sandbox” and “Plagiarism” training.
  • Finalize your choice for your Wikipedia Article. On the Students tab, assign your chosen topic to yourself. In your sandbox, write a few sentences about why your article is important, and what you plan to contribute.

Week 6: Historiography

Monday
20 February

Library Research Presentation with Denise Monbarren

  • McCoy Lab, Andrews Library LL1

*Bring your laptop/device to class*
Complete by Tuesday

Wikipedia Assignment: Preliminary Sources

Wikipedia Assignment: By 8pm on Tuesday, February 21:

  • Drawing on the research strategies reinforced in class today, compile a list of relevant, reliable books, journal articles, or other sources. Post that preliminary bibliography to the talk page of the article you’ll be working on (if you’re editing an existing article), and in your sandbox. Make sure to check in on the Talk page to see if anyone has advice on your bibliography.
Wednesday
22 February

Historiography

*Impossible Subjects Book Analysis Project*

Complete for Class Today:

  • Eric Love “Santo Domingo” from Race over Empire (arp)
  • Sign up for your Impossible Subjects group on Moodle
Complete by Thursday

 

Blog Post: Draft Research Annotations

Blog Post (post by Thursday, February 23 at 8pm):

  • Write two research annotations for your project: one for a primary source, and one for a secondary source.  Tag them “research annotations.” Post comments on at least three classmates’ drafts.
Friday
24 February

Historiography

Complete for Class Today:

  • McCook “The World Was My Garden” (arp)
  • Navarro-Rivera “The Imperial Enterprise and Educational Policies in Colonial Puerto Rico” (arp)
  • Rydell “The Pan-American Exposition: Buffalo 1901” (arp)

Week 7: TR to FDR

Complete by Sunday

Wikipedia Assignment: Ngai Talk Page Ideas

Wikipedia Assignment: Post by Sunday, February 26 at 8pm:

  • As you read the introduction to Ngai’s book, think carefully about how to present this award-winning book to the Wikipedia community.  How might we organize our article into sections? Following the conventions of talkpage etiquette, share your ideas on the Impossible Subjects Talk page.
Monday
27 February

Impossible Subjects: Introduction

Complete for Class Today:

  • Impossible Subjects “Introduction”
  • Pay careful attention to your reading, making notes of Ngai’s argument and sources.  How does Ngai think her book contributes to the historiography?  What scholarly conversations is she engaging?
Wednesday
1 March

The Regime of Quotas & Papers

Complete for Class Today:

  • Impossible Subjects, Part 1 intro “The Regime of Quotas & Papers” and ch 1 “The Johnson-Reed Act of 1924” 15-55
Friday
3 March

TR to FDR

**Annotated Bibliography Due: Upload pdf to Moodle by 4pm**

Complete for Class Today:

Week 8: Impossible Subjects

Monday
6 March

Deportation Policy

Complete for Class Today:

  • Impossible Subjects, ch 2 “Deportation Policy” 56-90
Complete by Tuesday

Wikipedia Post: Lead for your Article

Wikipedia Assignment: Post by 8pm on Tuesday, March 7:

  • Write an outline of that topic in the form of a standard Wikipedia article’s “lead section.” Post it in your sandbox if you are creating a new article, or on a new section of the “talk” page of an existing article.
Wednesday
8 March

Filipino Migration & the Invisible Empire

Complete for Class Today:

  • Impossible Subjects, Part II Intro: Migrants at the Margins of Laws and Nation” & ch. 3 “From Colonial Subject to Undesirable Alien” 93-126
Friday
10 March

Braceros & “Wetbacks”

*Posts to Ngai Wikipedia entry must be finished by today. Upload your individual project memo to Moodle by 4pm.*

Complete for Class Today:

Homework for Spring Break:

  • Keep working on transforming your article into a complete first draft that you think qualifies for “good” article status. Get draft ready for peer-review on Wednesday, March 29.
  • Ask a Content Expert to review your draft!  Click the “Get Help” button in your sandbox to request notes.

Spring Break

Week 9: The Cold War

Monday
27 March

The Cold War

Complete for Class Today:

  • NA: Intro Part IV “Cold War Arrives in Latin America” 125-128
  • NA #14 Trask, “The Impact of the Cold War of U.S.-Latin American Relations, 1945-1949”
  • Wikipedia “Peer Review” Training
Wednesday
29 March

Writing Workshop: Peer Review of Wikipedia Articles

*Please bring your computer to class today.”

Complete for Class Today:

  • Post a full draft of your Wikipedia article before class.
Complete by Thursday

Wikipedia Assignment: Respond to Peer Review

Wikipedia Assignment: Post By Thursday, March 30 at 8pm:

  • Read Editing Wikipedia pages 12 and 14. Return to your draft or article and think about the suggestions. Decide which ones to start implementing. Reach out to your instructor or your Content Expert if you have any questions. Respond to the peer review you’ve received from classmates, content experts, and/or other Wikipedians.
Friday
31 March

Workshop: Pecha Kucha Planning

Complete for Class Today:

  • Garr Reynolds “Presentation Zen” (arp)
  • Pecha Kucha: Get to the Power Point in 20 Slides
  • Come to class today prepared to workshop your Pecha Kucha ideas.  You can have a draft set of 15 slides, or you may still be working out your communication strategies on paper.  Think ahead about your central argument, evidence, and take-away message.

Week 10: Guatemala

Monday
3 April

Kennan & The Cold War Menace

Complete for Class Today:
Complete by Tuesday

Wikipedia: Post Your Article to the Mainspace

Wikipedia Assignment: Post by Tuesday, April 4 at 8pm:

  • Now that you’ve improved your article in response to reader suggestions, post your new article to the mainspace.  Note: most of you have already done this by making your edits to your  articles, so you’ve met this requirement already!
Wednesday
5 April

Guatemala

Complete for Class Today:
Friday
7 April

Contemporary Cultural Trends

Complete for Class Today:

  • NA Part VII: Contemporary Cultural Trends 299-345
Complete by Sunday

Wikipedia Assignment: Post Your Slide

Wikipedia Assignment: Post By Sunday, April 9 at 8pm:

Week 11: Student Research, Part 1

Monday
10 April

Wikipedia Presentation

*Wikipedia Assignment Due*
Wednesday
12 April

Pecha Kucha Presentations

Blog Post (due before class on Friday):

  • Respond in depth to two of your classmates’ research presentations.  What did they do well?  What could they improve?
Friday
14 April

Pecha Kucha Presentations

Blog Post (due before class on Monday):

  • Respond in depth to two of your classmates’ research presentations.  What did they do well?  What could they improve?

Week 12: Student Research, Part 2

Monday
17 April

Pecha Kucha Presentations

Blog Post (due before class on Wednesday):

  • Respond in depth to two of your classmates’ research presentations.  What did they do well?  What could they improve?
Wednesday
19 April

Pecha Kucha Presentations

Blog Post (due before class on Friday):

  • Respond in depth to two of your classmates’ research presentations.  What did they do well?  What could they improve?
Friday
21 April

Pecha Kucha Presentations

Blog Post (due before class on Monday):

  • Respond in depth to two of your classmates’ research presentations.  What did they do well?  What could they improve?

Week 13: The World of Mexican Migrants

Complete by Sunday

Blog Post: Oral History Methodologies

Post By Sunday, April 23 at 8pm:

  • After you complete Monday’s readings: How do Shopes and Hellman approach oral history?  What do these two scholars say you have to keep in mind using these sources?  How might you apply these techniques in your own research?
Monday
24 April

Oral Histories

Complete for Class Today:

  • Mexican Migrants “Introduction” (1-16) & “Note on Methodology” (233-242)
  • Linda Shopes “Making Sense of Oral History” from Oral History in the Digital Age
Complete by Tuesday

Blog Post: Research Essay Drafts

Post By Tuesday, April 25 at 8pm:

  • Reflect on your first draft of your research essay.  What are the strengths of your argument?  What work remains?  What kind of feedback would be most helpful as you move forward in the writing process?
Wednesday
26 April

Writing Workshop: Research Paper Drafts

Complete for Class Today:

  • Bring two paper copies of your research paper to class for peer review.
Friday
28 April

I.S. Symposium

Complete for Class Today:

  • Attend at least two sessions related to class themes.

Week 14: The World of Mexican Migrants

Complete by Sunday

Blog Post: Oral History & Public History

Post By Sunday, April 30 at 8pm:

  • Part 1: Analyze your choice of oral histories from Hellman’s “The Rock.”  What does this case reveal about our semester-long discussions of Mexican migration? Part 2: How could you use Wikipedia or another digital tool to educate readers about this history? BE CREATIVE.
Monday
1 May

The World of Mexican Migrants: The Rock

Complete for Class Today:

  • Mexican Migrants “The Rock” 17-64
Wednesday
3 May

The World of Mexican Migrants: The Hard Place

Complete for Class Today:

  • Mexican Migrants “The Hard Place”
Complete by Thursday

Blog Post: Semester Lessons

Post By Thursday, May4 at 8pm:

  • What are the three most important things you learned this semester?
Friday
5 May

Conclusions

*Please bring your computer for course evaluations.*

In addition, please complete your separate evaluation of the Wikipedia projects we completed this semester.

Upload Final Project Research Paper & Revision Memo by 4:00pm on Friday, May 5