Purpose: the summaries are on readings and, at times, videos, we will discuss in class. Writing the summaries will facilitate discussions on class and reinforce---as well as enforce---reading comprehension.

I. General Instructions

Description: these short writing assignments consist of a summary of specific articles, book chapters or books assigned in the course reading, or videos viewed in class. (See course schedules for due dates and specific assignments.)

A. Format

1. Length: each summary should be short and to the point. Articles do not require more than a page; books can be done in two, depending upon the individual student's skill. Excessive length is not a virtue, but a couple of sentences is not enough.
2. Include the following on each:

• Your name, date, and the course number
• The name of the author, the title of the work, properly cited (i.e., books underlined or italicized, articles in quotations, journals - when you have the cite - underlined or italicized.) With articles or chapters from books, include the page numbers. See III. below for examples of proper citations. For readings that are provided on internet course links and which do not have full citation information, these rules are relaxed. Provide a title and author.

3. Typed, double-spaced. No e-mail or hand-written submissions will be accepted.

1. What type of reading/source this is: i.e., an article from a book or journal, a document, a memoir, novel, documentary films, feature film, etc.

2. The "the essential facts of the work:"

• a concise statement of the author's, protagonist's (-- i.e., in an interview the person interviewed), or director's argument, theme or purpose in writing or producing the work. *If it is a document or documents, remember: it was written by a human being, and you can address the question of intent: what was the purpose of the institution or government (for example, the UN or the PLO, the British government, the American consul, etc) responsible for producing the document?
• a brief description of the information upon which the author/protagonist/director or producer bases their writing or film, or in some cases, the historical sources the author uses. (The latter requires looking at the notes. How can you describe the sources if you don't look to see what they are, right?) If you quote, use quotation marks and page numbers in parentheses.

The summaries are not graded like a paper, but you receive points for them. They are evaluated on how accurately you follow the instructions above; the lucidity and clarity of your writing; your understanding of the reading as demonstrated in your writing; and the effort you have expended on the assignment.

THE FOLLOWING MISTAKES WILL COST YOU POINTS (pay attention here! These are common, stupid mistakes that make me very cranky).

• Calling a non-fiction book a novel. (Memoirs, autobiographies, biographies, oral histories, etc. are NOT novels.) One point for each  misuse.
• Misuse of certain words: effect vs. affect; it's vs. its; there vs. their.

You must cite the sources properly; this is part of the study of history. Most information needed will be easily available from the source itself, either provided by me on reserve readings, or contained within the books and articles themselves. If the source is nontraditional (such as a video or unpublished document) use common sense and provide as much as is known and provided: titles, author or maker of the work, date and place of publication or production, if known.

Below are models and examples.

For full information on citing sources, go to www.ithaca.edu/library/course/turabian.html
 

1. Proper citation of an article or chapter from a book. Author's name, title of article or chapter in quotations. Book is italicized or underlined with editor(s)' or author's name, place of publication, name of publisher, date of publication.

Ex.

Daphe Patai, "U.S. Academics and Third World Women: Is Ethical Research Possible?" from Women's Words: The Feminist Practice of Oral History, edited by Sherna Berger Gluck and Daphne Patai. London: Routledge, 1991.

Ex.

Hagob Hagopian, "An Armenian Truck Driver in Iran," from Struggle and Survival in the Modern Middle East, edited by Edmund Burke, III. Berkeley: University of Berkeley Press, 1993.

2. Proper citation of an article from a journal. Author's name, title of article in quotation marks, journal's name italicized or underlined, volume number, issue number, date in parentheses and page numbers.

Ex.

Mark J. Gasiorowski, "The CIA Looks Back at the 1953 Coup in Iran," Middle East Report 30, no.3 (fall 2000), 4-5

Ex.

Ellen Fleischmann, "Crossing the Boundaries of History: Exploring Oral History in Researching Palestinian Women During the Mandate Period," Women's History Review 5, no. 3 (October 1996), 351-371.

3. Proper citation of a book. Author's name, title of book underlined or italicized, place of publication, publisher, date of publication.

Ex.

Ahdaf Soueif, The Map of Love. New York: Anchor Books, 2000.

Ex.

Michael Gorkin and Rafiqa Othman, Three Mothers, Three Daughters. Berkeley: University of Berkeley Press, 1997. [History 333: note that your book may have different publication details than my copy. This gives you an example, though, of how to cite a book.]

4. Proper citation of an unpublished interview. Person interviewed, name of interviewer, place and date of interview (if known).

Ex.
Sa'ida Jarallah, interviewed by Ellen Fleischmann, Jerusalem, Apr. 19, 1994.