Taking introductory history courses and writing analytical essays are not the favorite activities of most first-year university students. Undergraduates, seemingly, would rather enroll in classes that pertain only to their majors or job-preparation regimen. If forced to take General Education Program (GEP) courses, students typically favor those…

Much research work on teacher feedback has concentrated on the perceptions of students and teachers on feedback, but few studies have addressed the extent to which students respond to their teachers' written feedback, particularly at the tertiary level. This study analysed the extent to which students made appropriate revisions based on the…

Describes an assignment that bridges the gap between research on disciplinary discourse and the curricular goals of a first-year composition course, which, in this case, was linked with a section of first-year history. (TB)

Describes the development of a course to teach undergraduates the historian's craft through the use of short, provocative books. Lists the books used in the course and how they were used. Discusses student writing assignments using archival materials that allow students to put their learning into practice. (DSK)

This study was aimed at finding effective ways of organising peer assessment of written assignments in the context of teaching history at university level. To discover features yielding optimal results, several peer assessment designs were developed, implemented in courses and their learning outcomes evaluated. Outcomes were defined in terms of…

Discusses the use of primary texts to introduce students to the period of reconstruction after the Civil War. Shows how texts can be used not only to illustrate the feelings and beliefs of the time, but also to engage students in debates over the correct uses of primary sources. (DSK)

Offers an assignment designed to arouse students' interest in U.S. government. Expounds that students choose a political novel and then must address three topics in their papers: (1) plot and political themes; (2) relevant parts of lecture and textbook; and (3) accurate/inaccurate depiction of politics in their novel. (CMK)

Explores how social-studies student teachers think about and write about history through an examination of their historical thinking, use of sources, and writing. Focuses on constructing historical accounts from multiple sources. Discusses common patterns in thinking and writing. Suggests way to improve student teachers' engagement with historical…

Describes a method for integrating writing into history classes. Suggests keeping writing assignments short and simple, rather than assigning a long paper that will be a burden to the instructor during grading. Discusses journal writing, pretest writing exercises, and microthemes written on a single index card. (DK)

Focuses on how to utilize films and television documents and incorporate analysis of these materials within the history classroom. Describes an approach that is applied to traditional historical documents. Explains that teachers must provide background materials to encourage critical analysis. (CMK)

Explains an Internet project, used in a college history survey course, with which students posted group position papers to a discussion board. States that the project stimulated debate, discussion, critical analysis, and peer review. Provides student responses to the project and excerpts from student papers. (CMK)

Describes an assignment in an undergraduate course on Roman history for junior and senior history majors in which students create their own 15-page textbook using primary sources. Explains how each class session developed student analysis of primary sources. (CMK)

Describes a project for a history survey course where students visit a historic site and write an essay that identifies a broad theme in history relating the site to the theme; the students must also reflect upon their own learning process. Discusses the merits of the project providing student responses. Gives an appendix. (CMK)

Contends that, in acquainting history students with the concept of how people viewed their world, the idea of periodization becomes suspect. Asserts that the film, "The Return of Martin Guerre," is a significant learning resource for students of the Renaissance and Protestant Reformation. (CFR)

Increasingly, students in public schools, colleges, and universities are exposed to United States history and literature via commercial and cable television and the motion picture industry. If students are going to use videotapes of historical and literature-based films as short cuts to learning, then faculty are obligated to structure videotapes…