History 353 Y

This is a lecture course, though because the class is rather small, there will be plenty of opportunity for class discussions. Students are expected to come to class having read the assigned materials, and are encouraged to offer perspectives as well as to ask questions. Regular attendance is required. 10 % of your grade is reserved for class participation. This grade will also reflect your performance on four map quizzes. These will be given on the following dates: 7 October, 18 November, 3 February, and 9 March.

The first assignment is a critical book review and is worth 20 % of your final grade. It is due in class on 2 December 1999. You must have an extremely compelling reason to ask for an extension. The late penalty is 2 % per day, and no paper will be accepted after 9 December. The review should be approximately 10 pages long, or 2500 words. Books should be chosen from the list provided (all books deal with the period that falls between the establishment of the Polish state in the tenth century to the partitions of Poland in the late eighteenth century). Further instructions will be provided in class.

The second essay is a research paper and is worth 30 % of your final grade. It should cover a topic from the nineteenth or twentieth centuries, and is due in class on 30 March 2000. Again, a 2 % per day penalty will apply to late papers. No papers will be accepted after 6 April. The second-term paper should be approximately 12 to 15 pages long. Your research paper topic must be approved. To that end, you must present an essay proposal, including a preliminary bibliography. You must also include a page-long precis of an article that you will use for your essay. The outline, bibliography and precis are due no later than 10 February. This assignment is worth 5 % of your final grade. Further instructions will be provided in class The final exam will be held during the regular exam period (17 April to 5 May 2000), and the exam will be worth 35 % of your final grade.