LIBS 304 Research Project
The American South has been subjected to numerous labels, perspectives, criticisms, stereotypes, etc. Since 1865, the region and its people have struggled with their past and their future. Outsiders have tried to reconstruct the South in numerous ways, but still find a deep appeal to life below the Mason Dixon line as evidenced by their growing immigration into Southern states. Northern crusaders condemn us and judge us while Southern locals use a range of tactics to downplay past sins. We are frequently dismissed as dimwitted and strange, slothful, uneducated, inbred, etc. The region as a whole has been labeled as benighted; Southern writers frequently address the moral challenges such a term implies. Of course, many Southerners play into those stereotypes, whether through an intent to deceive or as an act of defiance. As the South vainly tries to cling to a lost vision, it has sacrificed or corrupted many of the positive aspects of Southern character and culture. Consequently, the South has remained a mystery or a puzzle to many. We have been conquered, pacified, re-educated, and currently we are being unwritten. Even Southerners who support the social changes experienced over the last 100+ years may feel anxious about what these changes mean for “Southern culture” and how we will identify ourselves going forward.
All of this angst leads us to ask, What is the South? or, What is life really like in the South?
1. Choose a particular Southern state(Atlanta Ga) and research its journey from 1865 to present day. In the course of your investigation, you should consider how that state has addressed the necessary social and political changes that began after losing the Civil War. You may focus your investigation on a particular time frame if you like: the Reconstruction period, the Civil Rights era, or the New South (think deep rather than wide). You may also elect to compare two different eras, but you must focus on substantive changes. If it helps you limit your inquiry, you can focus on politics, civil rights, social norms or traditions, economic elements (think employment and education).
Expectations:
1. Identify a clear thesis. Discussing a position is usually more effective than simply spewing data. Think about what YOU would like to know and consider how to turn that into an investigation. You are NOT looking solely for writers who support your opinion; you are looking for works that challenge your opinion, whether they confirm or dispute your view. Sometimes it’s helpful to begin with a question: what if . . ., how did . . ., why would . . ., etc. Whichever option you pick, inform it with a specific point of view. If you need help, talk with me.
2. Conduct your research. This step might take place before you identify a clear thesis, but it can’t occur until you have some idea of what interests you. First, you want to see what kind of material exists and how broad the pool or base is. For example, if you can’t find any academic discussions of your idea, maybe you need a new idea, or if everybody is saying the same thing, maybe your idea is not a good choice. Both of those problems might also suggest that you have framed your question poorly. If you find that you’re having trouble finding source materials, talk with me. As you research your idea, you want to look for writers who support and those who contradict. You will need both key positions represented in order to compose an effective discussion.
3. Because this is a junior level course, I think that expectations should be high. Plan a 7-10 page essay supported by at least 5 credible academic sources. If necessary, your essay may extend to 12 pages your sources may increase to 10. Keep in mind that how we define a “source” makes a huge difference–for example, a single book might be a source or a chapter within that book might be a source, depending on how you use your evidence. Again, if you have problems or questions, talk with me.
4. Sources: Do NOT “google” your research. Be academic in your pursuit. Use academic materials from credible locations, such as the library, academic journals, databases, etc. I have already provided a list of books available in e-formats for free. You might find some of these helpful. You can also find materials on the Documenting the American South website, also provided for you. The campus library subscribes to a number of very fine databases that you have free access to, such as JSTOR (among others). Online sources are perilous at best. If you find something online (apart from the locations named in these expectations), I urge you to talk with me before you commit to using it. I urge you to check credentials; just because someone got published doesn’t mean s/he is an expert. Know who that author is and where his/her authority rests.
5. Citations: Because I am an English major, I use MLA formatting. You might be more familiar with APA formatting. Either choice is acceptable, but be consistent once you choose. All borrowed content must be correctly quoted and cited; failure to do this will result in unhappy consequences. Your essay will be submitted through SafeAssign to check for plagiarism, and you will have an opportunity to revise your work if there is a problem. Moreover, you are to submit an original essay, not a cut-and-paste of source materials. In the SafeAssign step, you will receive an “originality report.” Check it–if the percentage of borrowed content is above 30%, you need to revise your work and resubmit. I want to know what you think and what you have learned–not a regurgitation of someone else’s work.
