Due Feb 10 // March 3 // March 31 // April 14, 2025
Students will submit four (4) research journal entries (2-4 pages each or about 500 to 1,000 words per entry), posted PRIVATE at the course website. These narrative essays will detail efforts to meet assigned research tasks. Each journal entry should include Chicago-style footnotes and 2 to 3 images, properly captioned and credited. Entries will be graded on research effort, depth of analysis and quality of prose. Late entries will be penalized up to 5 points each day.
Entry #1: Book Reviews (Monday Feb. 10 by 5pm)
The first entry will describe book reviews from an academic historical journal provided by Prof. Pinsker.
Entry #2: Wayside Markers (Monday, March 3 by 5pm)
The second entry will analyze the effectiveness of one or more historic wayside markers either on campus or in Carlisle.
Entry #3: Ancestry.com or newspaper database (Monday, March 31 by 5pm)
For the third entry students will use either Ancestry.com or one of the library’s historical newspaper databases (or both) to conduct targeted research on a possible subject for their final project.
Entry #4: Archival Research (Monday, April 14 by 5pm)
The final journal entry must describe an archival research trip to the College Archives or elsewhere conducted for the biography project.
Student models
These are fine examples of student research journal entries but please note that the parameters of previous assignments were different than the 2023 edition.
- Fiona Clarke, Chenoweth Brothers (Class of 1868)
- Amanda Donoghue, Carlisle Indian School (CCHS)
- Tom Forte, Fifteenth Amendment in Carlisle (CCHS)
- Leah Miller, Dead Ends (Creswell and New Lincoln Letter)
- Rachel Morgan, Photographic Research
- Becca Stout, Entries on Dickinson janitors
Additional Guidelines
- Unlike other writing assignments for this course, research journal entries are personal and can use first-person pronouns effectively. They are also more informal and while they need clear openings and some structure, they do not require ordinary interpretive thesis statements. Always remember that you are trying to write a narrative about your own research journey –with all of its unexpected turns and occasional dead ends– in a manner that might help inspire future students to persevere in their efforts.
- These journal entries require Chicago-style footnotes. Keep footnotes limited but (as always) make sure that you are formatting the footnotes correctly. For further guidance, see the library’s Chicago-style guide, using footnote examples. And here is the special Archives guide to citing its sources.
- Don’t underestimate the importance of integrating your quoted evidence with some degree of fluidity. Awkwardly inserting quotations is one of the hallmarks of mediocre undergraduate essays. Consult this handout from the methods center for a range of good tips.
- Also, please guard against plagiarism. Remember our discussion from the very first day of the semester. Never write your own words while looking directly at your sources, especially secondary sources –unless you are quoting them.
- And finally, always remember to proofread your work by printing it out and reading it aloud, slowly. See our methods handout on How to Proofreed [sic]