The Historian's Craft

The Historian's Craft

Course Overview

This course provides an introduction to the historian’s craft, exploring the diverse meanings and methods of modern historical interpretation. Its ultimate goal is to train students to become more effective consumers and producers of historical writing. As readers of history, students will learn to recognize authors’ arguments, assess their use of evidence and reason, and place their work within its historiographical context. As writers of history, students will learn to identify important historical questions, locate and critically analyze primary source materials, and communicate original historical interpretations in clear prose.

Sample Syllabus