{"id":3363,"date":"2021-08-27T17:41:29","date_gmt":"2021-08-27T17:41:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/hist-117pinsker\/?page_id=3363"},"modified":"2026-01-21T15:19:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T15:19:13","slug":"final-close-reading-project","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/hist-117pinsker\/assignments\/final-close-reading-project\/","title":{"rendered":"Final Close Reading Project"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Due April 20 (initial post) \/\/ May 4 (final project)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The highlight of this semester will be a multi-media close reading project that students will undertake to analyze an important document from early American history.\u00a0 A list of possible documents will be provided to students by Prof. Pinsker. <strong>By Monday, April 20<\/strong>, students must choose their text and post their initial brief summary of the document along with a list of at least three leading secondary sources about the document, its author, or the time period. By <strong>Monday, May 4<\/strong>, students should post a close reading analysis essay at the course site that covers about 4-6 pages double-spaced (800 to 1,200 words) and includes Chicago-style footnotes and a handful of properly captioned and credited images.\u00a0 \u00a0Students must also embed inside their post a companion short video featuring about 1-2 minutes of a multi-media reading of their assigned text (using their own voice-over with companion images and music). \u00a0Additional information will be available on the assignment guidelines at the course site. Projects will be graded on depth of analysis, research effort, and quality of prose. Late projects will not be accepted without special approval and penalties.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Annotated Guidelines<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/hist-117pinsker\/possible-close-reading-documents\/\">List of possible documents<\/a> (updated occasionally)<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Prof. Pinsker will register everyone in the class at the course WordPress site and will provide in-class tutorials on using the platform.\u00a0 Here are <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/hist-117pinsker\/wordpress-instructions\/\">additional instructions with screenshots<\/a> as well as <a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/hist-117pinsker\/files\/2022\/12\/Handout-117-Blog-Posting-Instructions.pdf\">Handout &#8211;117 Blog Posting Instructions<\/a>.\u00a0 Always remember to set your publication status as PRIVATE.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Historical close readings focus on analyzing text, context and subtext.\u00a0 See <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/hist-118pinsker\/files\/2010\/09\/HANDOUT-How-to-READ-Like-a-Historian-1.pdf\">this reading handout<\/a> from the Methods Center for further guidance.\u00a0 But also just remember that the same advice about crafting a <\/em><em><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/hist-117pinsker\/files\/2011\/08\/HANDOUT-How-to-Write-a-Thesis-Statement1.pdf\">thesis statement<\/a><\/em><em> and t<\/em><em>aking care with formatting your\u00a0 <a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/hist-117pinsker\/files\/2011\/08\/HANDOUT-How-to-Use-Footnotes2.pdf\">footnotes<\/a><\/em><em> that you received when writing your earlier essays still applies.\u00a0 If you have any Chicago-style formatting questions, remember to consult <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chicagomanualofstyle.org\/tools_citationguide\/citation-guide-1.html\">the online guide<\/a>.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Sample outline:<\/em>\n<ul>\n<li><em>TOP OF POST &#8211;Provide link to primary source, full title and byline (optional), embedded video<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Introduction (1 paragraph, open with a snippet of quotation or striking narrative vignette + brief overview and then interpretive thesis statement)<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Text summary (2-3 paragraphs, summarize nature, format and content of text) [1-2 images]<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Context background (2-3 paragraphs, put key text points into historical context, especially regarding time period, author, and audience, using outside secondary source research) [1-2 images]<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Subtext analysis (2-3 paragraphs, analyze author&#8217;s intentions, using variety of sources) [1-2 images]<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Closing (1 paragraph, provide an elegant return to opening insight)<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>BOTTOM OF POST &#8211;Chicago-style footnotes (brackets), no bibliography required<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><em>There are numerous close reading essays and videos in the <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/hist-117pinsker\/student-hall-of-fame\/\">Student Hall of Fame<\/a> but here is one prize-winning student model to consider:<\/em>\n<ul>\n<li>Jordan Schucker,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/hist-117pinsker\/2021\/12\/03\/frederick-douglass-the-color-line-1881\/\">Douglass\u2019s Color Line (Fall 2021)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><em>Note from these examples that images do not require footnotes, but merely captions (brief descriptions) and credits (abbreviated source information, like Library of Congress, provided in parentheses).\u00a0 It is also helpful online to make images clickable so that readers can see directly where you obtained them (just add URLs to the images when editing inside WordPress)<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Research effort<\/strong>\u00a0is critical in an assignment like this.\u00a0 You can find high quality academic sources via our\u00a0<strong>online library catalog<\/strong>\u00a0or through database resources such as\u00a0<strong>JSTOR<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>America: History &amp; Life<\/strong>.\u00a0 Take advantage of\u00a0<strong>Google Books<\/strong>\u00a0as well for its full text search capability and extensive snippet view. The most important reference source starting point, however, is\u00a0<strong>American National Biography Online<\/strong>\u00a0(available through the library database finder.\u00a0 Also make sure to c<\/em><em>onsult the resources at our course site and the <a href=\"https:\/\/libguides.dickinson.edu\/history\">History research guide<\/a>\u00a0from the library.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>And here are some student models to rely upon for the companion videos:\u00a0<\/em>\n<ul>\n<li>Forbes,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wevideo.com\/view\/2749685470\">Frederick Douglass, Mission of the War (1864)<\/a>\u00a0(Summer 2022)<\/li>\n<li>Jordyn Ney,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wevideo.com\/view\/2749843394\">Sojourner Truth\u2019s woman\u2019s rights speech (1851)<\/a>\u00a0(Summer 2021)<\/li>\n<li>Gracie Perine,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wevideo.com\/view\/2747416798\">Anna Dickinson, Perils of the Hour (1864)<\/a>\u00a0(Summer 2022)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><em>For detailed written instructions on producing these videos in the free online platform WeVideo, please see <a href=\"https:\/\/housedivided.dickinson.edu\/sites\/teagle\/we-video-instructions\/\">this page<\/a>.\u00a0 And below is a short video tutorial on using <strong>WeVideo<\/strong>.\u00a0 Please note that WeVideo has paid options, but anyone in this course can sign up for a free account and have more than enough time (up to 5 minutes per month) for this assignment (which requires about 1 to 2 minutes of video). For those who want to use other video production software, such as <a href=\"http:\/\/&lt;iframe width=&quot;560&quot; height=&quot;315&quot; src=&quot;https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-nXXTuxfbbM&quot; title=&quot;YouTube video player&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; allow=&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture&quot; allowfullscreen&gt;&lt;\/iframe&gt;\">iMovie<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/7GREeD2icUo\">Windows MovieMaker<\/a>, please consult those video tutorials at the House Divided YouTube channel &#8211;but also please remember that you will have to then post your video at your own YouTube channel before you can embed it at the WordPress course site.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-YqFO2wMPP4\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Projects will be graded on depth of analysis, research effort, and quality of prose. Late projects will be penalized up to 5 points per day.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>REMEMBER TO SET YOUR PUBLICATION STATUS AS PRIVATE.\u00a0 Prof. Pinsker will make the best posts public (with permission) and add them to the Student Hall of Fame.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Don\u2019t underestimate the importance of integrating your quoted evidence with some degree of fluidity.\u00a0 Awkwardly inserting quotations is one of the hallmarks of mediocre undergraduate essays.\u00a0 Consult\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/hist-117pinsker\/files\/2011\/08\/HANDOUT-How-to-Use-Quotations.pdf\">this handout<\/a>\u00a0from the methods center for a range of good tips.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Also, please guard against plagiarism.\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/hist-118pinsker\/files\/2010\/09\/Handout-Plagiarism-2.pdf\">Remember our discussion from early in the semester<\/a>.\u00a0 Never write your own words while looking directly at your sources, especially secondary sources \u2013unless you are quoting them.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>And finally, always remember to proofread your work by printing it out and reading it aloud, slowly. See our methods handout on\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/hist-117pinsker\/files\/2011\/08\/HANDOUT-How-to-Proofreed.pdf\">How to Proofreed<\/a><\/em>\u00a0<em>[sic]<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Due April 20 (initial post) \/\/ May 4 (final project) The highlight of this semester will be a multi-media close reading project that students will undertake to analyze an important document from early American history.\u00a0 A list of possible documents &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/hist-117pinsker\/assignments\/final-close-reading-project\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":373,"featured_media":0,"parent":3310,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-3363","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/hist-117pinsker\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3363","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/hist-117pinsker\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/hist-117pinsker\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/hist-117pinsker\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/373"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/hist-117pinsker\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3363"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/hist-117pinsker\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3363\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5181,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/hist-117pinsker\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3363\/revisions\/5181"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/hist-117pinsker\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3310"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/hist-117pinsker\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3363"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}