Final Project 1101

Introduction

Produce a project that is the equivalent of 500 words (2 pages, double spaced) that demonstrates:

  1. Your understanding of how freshwater was accessed, used, or made meaning with in the period 0-1400 CE.
  2. Your ability to use a digital humanities tool we’ve learned this semester (distant reading, numerical data literacy, GIS, art analysis, podcasting, or metadata).
  3. Your ability to find and draw evidenced-based conclusions from quality historical sources.
  4. Engages a 2023 audience on why your item is worth considering and how it relates to modern life.

Purpose: You are creating this project to show a future employer that you can research and present history in an effective way.

Audience: The vice-president of marketing at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.

Final Product

  1. Pre-writing submitted in your class spreadsheet.(Your invitation to the spreadsheet is in your Normandale email and a link is on the schedule.)
  2. A bibliography of all sources, using the Chicago Manual of Style format. (Zotero bib can help.) You’ll need five or more sources (one primary) for this project.
  3. 1st draft that is either 500 words or the equivalent amount of analysis in your format.
  4. 2nd plate revision that improves your draft.
  5. Dessert Reflection on your experience in this class for the entire semester.

NOTE: I am eliminating one subject, Roman aqueducts, from your possible topics. Why? I’m so tired of reading projects on them, and it is not fair to students if a faculty does not want to read about your topic. NO ROMAN AQUEDUCTS!

Options

Form

Your final product addresses a fresh water person, place, idea, object or idea in the period 0-1400 CE. It can take any of the following forms:

  1. A two page analysis.
  2. A less than three-minute podcast
  3. A less than three-minute video
  4. A slide deck (power point)
  5. A story map.

If you wish to use another communication form, please check with me.

Individual or group (3 or fewer students)

Students may work on their own or in groups of up to three. Groups will produce work that is the aggregate of the requirements of individuals. For example, a group of three writing a paper will need to write 1500 words, or six pages equivalent of work.

Groups need to create a shared Assignment file with track changes Office or Google . You will use this shared space for your work, but you will _post your final work to your individual Assignment files.__

All group members are expected to share in the work equally even if they chose to do different types of work.

Steps in your project

  • Appetizer: Submit your topic, one primary source and one secondary source (you need five sources for the final project, but only two to start), and what you think the historical significance of your fresh water person, place, idea, object or idea in the period 0-1400 CE to the class spreadsheet. Offer a constructive comment on another student’s topic. Only our class has access to this spreadsheet, and everyone can see what everyone else has written. Your invitation to the spreadsheet is in your Normandale email and a link is on the schedule.

  • Write a complete draft of your project. If you are doing a video or podcast, write the script for your production. Write your draft in your Assignment file and submit by Wednesday at 10 pm of week 16.

  • Edit your draft to improve its focus, brevity, and sources. Edit in your Assignment file so I can see your improvements.

  • Finalize your final project in your Assignment file by Tuesday of Finals Week, December 12th. Be sure you’ve a complete bibliography of all sources. Double check to be sure all words are you own, unless properly cited and quoted.

Checklist of Requirements and Grading Criteria

[ ] Project contains 5 quality sources with at least one primary source.
[ ] All sources pass a SIFT evaluation and included a named expert, and credible citations
[ ] Final project engages a 2023 audience on why your item is worth considering and how it relates to modern life.
[ ] Project moves beyond summary of facts to draw evidenced-based conclusions from quality historical sources for the importance of your object (historically or to contemporary discussions of water)
[ ] Is written with standard professional English (no errors in spelling, capitalization, or punctuation).
[ ] Explicitly uses a digital humanities tool learned this semester.
[ ] Demonstrates improvement from the 1st draft to the final draft.

A note on submission dates

Appetizer- Spreadsheet submission: Monday, December 4 at 10 pm

1st Plate: Draft in Assignment file: Wednesday December 6 at 10 pm

2nd Plate: Final Project in Assignment file: Tuesday, December 12th at 10 pm.

Dessert: Final Reflection on the entire class: Tuesday, December 12th at 10 pm.

Questions?

I strongly encourage use of the questions discussion board on D2L and reviewing the discussion boards for the appetizers, which contain many sources. While your projects will be unique to you, the challenges you face and overcome will be useful to all to observe. As usual, I’ll answer all inquiries in whatever form they come (email, phone, DM, general chat, carrier pigeon, SMS, etc.)