white history

Objective: Formulate a specific, arguable historical question and outline a comprehensive plan to answer it, selecting a final project medium that best serves your argument and intended audience.

Instructions: Your final project for this course will not be strictly limited to a traditional research paper. You will have the opportunity to present your historical research through a medium that aligns with your professional or creative goals.  The world is your oyster as far as topics go (pick something that interests you), but you need to be able to ask a good historical question/historical questions about it and you need to have access to relevant primary and secondary sources to write about. In fact, try to think of it as a historical problem or question that you want to answer/interpret/solve rather than just a "topic." 

For this assignment, you must submit a 2- to 3-page proposal that outlines your research trajectory. Regardless of the final format you choose, your proposal must address the following four sections:

1. The Historical Question State your specific research question clearly. Ensure it is a question that requires an argument and analysis, not just a timeline of facts. Briefly explain how you narrowed this down from a broader topic.

2. The Significance (The "So What?") Explain why this question matters. How does answering it help us better understand the historical period, the people involved, or the broader historiographical debate?

3. Format and Methodology Declare which medium you will use for your final project and justify why it is the best vehicle for your specific argument. Choose one of the following:

· Traditional Research Paper: A standard 6-8 argumentative academic paper.

· Historical Podcast Episode: A fully scripted and recorded 11-15 minute audio narrative complete with historical framing, primary source integration, and a clear analytical thesis.

· Video Essay / Presentation: A 9-12 minute recorded visual presentation or documentary-style video essay utilizing visual primary sources to construct an argument.

· Open Educational Resource (OER) Module / Digital Exhibit: A curated digital collection of primary sources, paired with analytical introductions, contextual essays, and non-traditional assessment questions designed to teach your topic to a public or student audience.

4. Preliminary Bibliography Provide a correctly formatted ( Chicago Manual of Style) preliminary bibliography containing at least:

· One (1) primary source you plan to analyze.

· One (1)   secondary source that provides historical context or scholarly arguments related to your question. Provide a 1-sentence annotation for each secondary source explaining how it helps your project.