School End

Just finished my last final! What a relief, all you students out there know exactly what I'm feeling right now. Don't get me wrong, I love school. But there comes a time when you are more than ready for it to be over.

Took two classes this semester (Fall 2008) both at San Jose State, and both fulfill requirements for my goal of a Master's degree in American History.

The first class is Methodology, it is also my first Graduate level class. The professor focuses on things we should know to make it though the program, and even though I have taken many undergrad classes (5 at SJSU) I learned tons. She taught us how to evaluate lots of different kinds of primary sources, like movies, book reviews, foreign works, fictional stories and the like.

She also taught us how to really read a scholarly work and get a lot out of it. If I might summarize for a moment . . . All to be done before reading the book like normal
*Really look over the book over, read the cover, the dedication, the reviews, everything. Look at the picture that is chosen for the front page, why was it chosen?
*Look at the index and see if certain names or phrases keep recurring (actually this was my idea) if you see a pattern or the same name indexed you might want to Google it and get some background on this person/place or thing so you will understand it when the book you are reading refers to it.
*Read the introduction, maybe twice. Find the purpose of the book. Who is the author mad at? (this occurs more than you think) What niche does the author think their book is filling? Who does the author think the reader is? What is the thesis statement? (write this down as you might change your mind as you read the book)
*Look through the table of contents, what is the tone of the book? You can tell lots from chapter headings.
*Read reviews about the book (she didn't want us doing this at this point as she didn't want us to be influenced while we were learning)
*Read the conclusion. Yes, I know a big no-no normally. But these are history books, we already know what happened. The author should restate the thesis and wind it all up here.

Once you have done all this, and made notes while doing it, you can proceed with the book. I know this seems like a lot, but you will gain so much more knowledge about what you are reading this way. It will also stay with you longer, and you have notes for later.

As I proceed with my Masters we spend lots of time reading books, and writing essays using only primary sources. I think if I had heard this advise years ago (and taken it to heart) I would be so much farther along with my knowledge.

The assignment for this class was to use primary sources to find and discuss nationalism. We could be very vague with the topic. Listening to my fellow students they were very varied, Jane Austin, 9/11, Chinese Olympic torch bearers, Malcom X, Greek, Baseball ect . . . All very interesting.

I reviewed the Macon Daily Telegraph from Georgia from Jan 1 - Jan 16, 1865. I figured they were about to lose and most people knew this. Lincoln had just been reelected, Sherman and friends had marched to the sea and the government was discussing arming black slaves to fight for them offering them their freedom if they did. So this was a very very low point for the Confederates. I reviewed what the editor was publishing in his paper. Quite a mix, some positive, some attacking the South for not getting along. Some articles were just bragging about their wins, and downplaying the loses. The editor seems to have been trying to hide how bad it really was, but reading between the lines you could tell they were totally demoralized.

Very interesting topic, wish I were a better writer to do it justice.