MLO 7 Historical Analysis

MLO 7: HISTORICAL ANALYSIS

Ability to actively engage our complex multicultural pasts by integrating historical understanding with historical thinking skills.

What does this mean?

History goes beyond knowing dates, names, and places (although knowing historical data is important). To actively engage the past, students need to integrate historical understanding with historical thinking skills. Historical Analysis develops skills needed to formulate questions, marshal evidence, do critiques of historical interpretations, and construct a historical analysis with rigor and imagination. Students will participate in the on-going project of uncovering the diversity of the past through the comparative study of different peoples, classes, political tendencies, and regions as well as the formation and shifts within structures of cultural, economic, and social power. Exploring historical ideas and experiences fully requires sensitivity to varieties of documentation. Students will learn how to read, listen, and view a spectrum of evidence from written records and oral accounts to photographs, music, and films. By taking a critical approach, students will also learn how to evaluate varying historical interpretations.

Criteria for Assessment

Completion of the U.S. Histories and the ENGCOM ULRs are required prerequisites.

Historical Understanding
NOTE: The criteria for historical understanding are made up of general statements about what all students are expected to learn. It is the responsibility of the professor of a course with built-in assessment for MLO 7: Historical Analysis or the student seeking independent assessment to specify the particular content and curriculum of the historical topic or period to be addressed.

Does the portfolio demonstrate knowledge of the historical issues, interests, processes, and events that helped shape the period or topic under study?

Does the portfolio demonstrate knowledge of the spatial and temporal dimensions of history, including relevant geography, timelines, and patterns of continuity and change in which historical developments have unfolded?

Does the portfolio demonstrate a comparative understanding of the cultural, political and social differences/similarities between various groups within a historical context and in relationship to structures of power?

Does the portfolio demonstrate historical understanding based upon the best, recent historical scholarship and the utilization of a spectrum of primary sources?

Historical Thinking Skills

Does the portfolio demonstrate the ability to examine, compare, and evaluate varying historical interpretations?

Does the portfolio demonstrate the ability to differentiate between historical facts and historical assertions?

Does the portfolio identify central historical questions for the period or topic under study?

Does the portfolio take independent positions on historical questions, grounded in knowledge of current historiography and relevant primary evidence? Does the portfolio incorporate categories of class, ethnicity, gender and race into its analysis of structures of cultural, economic and political power?

Integration of Historical Understanding and Historical Thinking Skills

Does the portfolio demonstrate the ability to write historical essays which take a comparative and analytical approach to our multicultural past, are cogently written, reflect knowledge of relevant secondary and primary sources, and are footnoted according to the Chicago Style Manual?

Pathways
In order to demonstrate successful completion of MLO 7, students can choose to fulfill course-based assessment or sign up for independent assessment and submit a portfolio.

Course-based Assessment

HCOM 346 - African American Life and History
HCOM 351 - Modern World History
HCOM 352 - History According to the Movies
HCOM 353 - California at the Crossroads
HCOM 354 - Whose America? Contested Memories in Public History
HCOM 356 - Multicultural History in the New Media Classroom
HCOM 359 - Sexuality, Law and Cultural Histories
HCOM 365 - Chicano/a-Latino/a History
HCOM 445 - Slavery and Race in the Americas
HCOM 451 - Transnational Migrations

Independent Assessment

A portfolio must successfully demonstrate fulfillment of all of the criteria and standards for MLO 7: Historical Analysis. It is the responsibility of the student to frame the period or topic of study, defining the specific areas of historical understanding. The portfolio must include a research prospectus for the project, an annotated bibliography of contemporary articles and books on the period or topic, and a twenty page historical essay that incorporates a spectrum of primary evidence. Students also need to include one of the following additional components as part of their portfolio: an appendix of visual evidence, a multimedia presentation, a public history exhibit, a video or a CD-ROM presentation.

For further information, please see Procedures for Independent Assessment.

MLO 7: Historical Analysis Assessment Standards
(A level of 3 is necessary to fulfill the built-in assessment).

5. Exemplary
The portfolio meets all of the criteria stated above. The work demonstrates an in-depth and complex integration of historical thinking and historical understandings. The work reveals a highly motivated engagement with the period or topic under study; individual initiative is taken in raising informed, historical questions and actively pursuing their answers. The portfolio fully incorporates temporal and spatial approaches to history in the rich identification and analysis of patterns of continuity and change. A thoroughly developed comparison of the differences/similarities between social groups within their historical contexts reveals a sophisticated comprehension of the multicultural dimensions of our past. The historical analysis reflects a comprehensive review of relevant secondary historical literature, sensitivity to differing interpretations, and a firm grasp of the differences between historical assertions and facts. The portfolio also critically interprets a full spectrum of primary materials in the re-presentation of the past. All sources are cited according to the appropriate citation style. Written and oral communication projects are focused, organized, and skillfully presented according to the applicable writing and speaking conventions. Errors in spelling, punctuation, mechanics, and usage are rare.

4. Very Good
The portfolio meets all the criteria stated above. The work demonstrates a consistent integration of historical thinking and historical understandings. The work reveals a strong engagement with the period or topic under study; individual initiative is taken in raising sound historical questions and actively pursuing their answers. The portfolio incorporates temporal and spatial approaches to history, identifying but not fully analyzing patterns of continuity and change. A comparison of the differences/similarities between social groups within their historical contexts reveals a well-grounded comprehension of the multicultural dimensions of our past. The historical analysis reflects a thoughtful review of relevant secondary historical literature, sensitivity to differing interpretations, and a firm grasp of the difference between historical assertions and facts. The portfolio also critically interprets a wide spectrum of primary materials in the re-presentation of the past. Almost all of the sources are cited according to the appropriate citation style. Written and oral communication projects are focused, organized, and competently presented according to the applicable writing and speaking conventions. Errors in spelling, punctuation, mechanics, and usage do not impede understanding.

3. Satisfactory
The portfolio meets most of the criteria stated above. The work demonstrates an adequate integration of historical thinking and historical understandings. The work reveals sufficient engagement with the period or topic under study; some initiative is taken in raising standard historical questions and pursuing their answers. The portfolio appreciates temporal and spatial dimensions of history, partially identifying, but inconsistently analyzing patterns of continuity and change. A partial comparison of the differences/similarities between social groups within their historical contexts reveals a basic comprehension of the multicultural dimensions of our past. The historical analysis reflects some review of relevant secondary historical literature, some sensitivity to differing interpretations, and a basic grasp of the differences between historical assertions and facts. The portfolio also interprets a modest spectrum of primary materials in the re-presentation of the past. Most sources are cited according to the appropriate citation style and their format contains few errors. Written and oral communication projects are focused, adequately organized, and competently presented according to the applicable writing and speaking conventions. Errors in spelling, punctuation, mechanics, and usage do not impede understanding.

2. Needs Improvement
The portfolio meets some of the criteria stated above. The work may demonstrate the need to integrate historical thinking and historical understandings more than has been submitted. The work may need to reveal more engagement with the period or topic under study; more initiative may need to be taken in raising historical questions or pursuing their answers. The portfolio may need a general appreciation of the temporal and spatial dimensions of history, and identifying analyzing patterns of continuity and change. A greater comparison of the differences/similarities between social groups within their historical contexts may be needed to comprehend the multicultural dimensions of our past. The historical analysis may desire more relevant secondary historical literature, greater sensitivity to varying interpretations, and a greater need to display the difference between historical assertions and facts. The portfolio may need to interpret a greater number of primary materials in the re-presentation of the past. Most sources may need to be cited and their format may need correction according to the appropriate footnote style. Written and oral communication projects may need more focus, better organization, and to be more competently presented according to the applicable writing and speaking conventions. Errors in spelling, punctuation, mechanics, and usage impede understanding.

1. Needs Considerable Improvement
The portfolio meets only a few of the criteria stated above. The work needs to integrate historical thinking and historical understandings more than has been submitted. The work needs to reveal engagement with the period or topic under study; more initiative needs to be taken in raising historical questions or pursuing their answers. The portfolio needs to appreciate the chronological and spatial dimensions of history, and identify patterns of continuity and change. Comparison of the differences/similarities between social groups within their historical contexts and comprehension of the multicultural dimensions of our past needs focus. The historical analysis needs greater attention to secondary historical literature, sensitivity to varying interpretations and to grasp the difference between historical assertions and facts. The portfolio needs to interpret primary materials in the re-presentation of the past. According to the appropriate citation style, sources need to be cited and their format needs to be corrected. Written and oral communication projects needs better organization and to be more competently presented according to the applicable writing and speaking conventions. Errors in spelling, punctuation, mechanics, and usage impede understanding.