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Syllabus for Spring Semester 2013 Instructor: Barbara Truesdell, Ph.D. S604 - Topics in Library and Information Science TOPIC: Oral History 3 credit hours Class meets: 5:45-8:30 p.m., Tuesday Classroom: LI 036 Instructor’s Office: Weatherly Hall North, Room 122 Office Hours: M, W 5-6 p.m. and by appointment Instructor’s Phone: 855-2856 Instructor’s Email: barbara@indiana.edu Rationale: Libraries and archives are often approached by the communities they serve to be the institutional home of oral history projects. The librarian or archivist is relied upon to help define an oral history project, provide background research on the project, assemble resources, develop a list of interview questions, identify potential interviewees, train interviewers, create products, and house the resulting interviews. This course will provide students the foundation and skills they will need to create successful oral history projects for the many constituencies they will serve in their professional lives. We will draw upon skill sets they are already learning in other SLIS courses—doing research, working with the public, managing records, creating exhibits, and developing online resources from primary sources. While there are courses exploring the related methodologies of fieldwork and ethnography offered on campus, oral history is distinct in its content, focus, and practical applications. This course is designed to prepare librarians and archivists for the real world experience of conducting an oral history project. Course Description: This course combines readings, writing assignments, in-class exercises and discussion, and a semester-long oral history project to provide students with a foundation in the field’s literature and the practical skill sets needed to successfully conduct an oral history project from idea to product. Prerequisites: None. Course Syllabus: A. Course Content and Objectives: The content of this course will explore the history, theory and practice of oral history to provide students with the knowledge and skills to develop and conduct oral history projects. The class format will combine lectures by the instructor with student-led discussion of assigned readings and in-class exercises to practice skills applicable to oral history projects. Students will work in small teams to develop and conduct an oral history project over the course of the semester from a theme provided by the instructor. Each team will give periodic oral updates on their project to the class and turn in “benchmark” assignments over the course of the semester. Each team will also present a group-created product using the interviews and supporting data at the end of the semester. Each student will also be responsible for two in-depth writing assignments: a comparative, critical review essay on three thematically related oral history sources, due at midterm, and an in-class essay exam drawing upon the practical experiences of the oral history project and the semester’s readings during finals week. By the end of this course, students will be able to:

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1. Identify the major themes, debates, and areas of study in oral history literature. 2. Define an oral history project topic. 3. Utilize research methods to develop the topic’s scope and focus. 4. Understand the ethical and legal issues associated with oral history research. 5. Prepare and conduct an oral history interview. 6. Apply current oral history processing and preservation techniques. 7. Evaluate and apply methods of access to oral history interviews in a product for the public. 8. Understand the value of oral history as a primary historical source. B. Course Assignments and Grading: Attendance and participation: 20% Success in this course relies upon regular attendance to build knowledge and skills, so attendance will count as part of the participation grade. Students will be expected to come to class prepared, contribute to class discussions based on the weekly readings, ask questions or contribute to discussion during the lecture segments of class, and participate in the in-class exercises. Students will volunteer to lead the discussion on assigned readings for each class over the course of the semester, providing a brief summary of the major ideas in the reading and posing questions to facilitate class discussion. Midterm: review essay: 15% The midterm review essay will focus on three sources that draw heavily on oral histories to explore a topic (e.g., the 9/11 attacks or a biography of Hoagy Carmichael or a history of Pullman porters). Each student will be responsible for finding one scholarly book, one scholarly article, and one product in another medium intended for a general audience (a website, museum exhibit, documentary, etc.) that address their chosen topic. Students will submit their topic to the instructor on January 22 and their three sources to the instructor on January 29 for approval. The student will then write a review essay of 4-5 pages (double-spaced) comparing and critically evaluating the three sources, which will be due February 26. Team oral history project: 50% The organizing theme of the team oral history project will be “Bloomington Cares”: a study of the city’s philanthropic volunteer organizations, a list of which can be found on the City of Bloomington website at https://volunteer.truist.com/cobvn/org/dir-A-1.html. The interviews collected for this project will be accessioned into the oral history archive of the Center for the Study of History and Memory; copies of the interviews will also be deposited in the University Archives. Each interviewee will receive a copy of his/her interview. The interviews and product will also be offered to each team’s organization as a resource. Students will be divided into teams. Each team will choose an organization as the focus of their oral history project, and throughout the semester, each team will be guided through the practical steps of doing an oral history project. Each team member will be responsible for completing one interview as part of the team’s project, which will include transcription, accessioning, and creating an entry into the Center’s EAD finding aid for the project using Oxygen software. Each team will create a product about the organization they are studying using the oral histories and associated research they have collected over the semester. Each team will give an oral presentation on their product to the class during one of the last two class meetings, and be prepared to discuss their project with the class. Part of the team presentation will be each student discussing the use of their interview’s data as part of the

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product. Each of the benchmark assignments due throughout the semester will move the project forward and be part of the project grade. The benchmark due dates and brief descriptions are as follows:

January 15: Complete CITI online research ethics training. Students will use the “Social/Behavioral Researcher” training option and turn in a printed confirmation of their successful completion of the training. The training is accessed with the student’s IU username and password at http://researchadmin.iu.edu/EO/eo_citi.html. January 22: Each team will turn in a one-page rationale on their chosen organization for their oral history topic and be prepared to present a brief rationale to the class. January 29: Each team will turn in a list of primary and secondary sources that will inform their oral history interviews and contribute data to the team’s final product, and each team should be prepared to discuss their sources with the class. February 5: Each team will turn in a completed IRB form specific to their topic and be prepared to discuss their responses to the form’s questions. February 12: Each team will turn in a list of prospective questions for their project, and be prepared to discuss their list with the class. February 19: Each team will turn in a list of prospective interviewees and each interviewee’s assigned interviewer, and be prepared to discuss their choices with the class. March 5: Each team will turn in a one-page summary of their progress, and be prepared to discuss their progress with the class. April 2: Each student is responsible for accessioning their interview using the CSHM Access database and filling out an EAD file template for his/her interview for the CSHM archive’s online finding aid using Oxygen. April 9: Students turn in transcripts of their interviews, and teams sign up for their presentation date. April 16: Team presentations begin. Each team member will participate in the presentation of the final product, and the team should be prepared for discussion of their work with the class. April 23: Team presentations conclude, and all team interviews and products are handed in.

Final: in-class essay exam: 15% Through short essay answers to questions provided by the instructor, the final exam will provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate how they integrate the semester’s readings with the practical experiences of conducting an oral history project. The exam will be scheduled during finals week, the week of April 29.

C. Definition of Letter Grades: Letter grades have been defined as follows by student and faculty members of the Curriculum Steering Committee and have been approved by the faculty as an aid in evaluation of academic performance and to assist students by giving them an understanding of the grading standards of the School of Library and Information Science.

A 4.0 Outstanding achievement. Student performance demonstrates full command of the course materials and evinces a high level of originality and/or creativity that far surpasses course expectations.

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A- 3.7 Excellent achievement. Student performance demonstrates thorough knowledge of the course materials and exceeds course expectations by completing all requirements in a superior manner.

B+ 3.3 Very good work. Student performance demonstrates above-average comprehension of the course materials and exceeds course expectations on all tasks as defined in the course syllabus.

B 3.0 Student performance meets designated course expectations and demonstrates understanding of the course materials at an acceptable level.

B- 2.7 Marginal work. Student performance demonstrates incomplete understanding of course materials.

C+ C

2.3 2.0

Unsatisfactory work. Student performance demonstrates incomplete and inadequate understanding of course materials.

C- D+ D D-

1.7 1.3 1.0 0.7

Unacceptable work. Coursework performed at this level will not count toward the MLS or MIS degree. For the course to count toward the degree, the student must repeat the course with a passing grade.

F 0.0 Failing. Student may continue in program only with permission of the Dean.

Grades are assigned by individual instructors based on a combination of student performance measures developed for each course. Student achievement of course objectives is usually assessed through the use of multiple performance measures. For example, a combination of several of the following assessment methods is common: examinations, class participation, written assignments and exercises, research papers, or term projects. Other methods, depending on course content and objectives, may include in-class small-group exercises, oral presentations, field-based projects and field experiences, or case study presentations.

Effective Fall 2010: No course in which a student receives a grade lower than C (2.0) will be counted toward requirements for any SLIS degree. Any required course on which a grade lower than B- is received must be repeated; an elective course in which an unacceptable grade is earned need not be repeated, but it may be repeated or another course must be taken in its place. Repeating a course in which the student received an unacceptable grade or taking another in its place does not remove the credit points for that course from a student’s cumulative grade point average. All grades achieved in SLIS courses will be counted in the SLIS and IU GPA. Because a minimum GPA of 3.0 (B) is required for graduation, any grade below B must be balanced by another sufficiently above B to keep the GPA at the 3.0 level. D. Notice: If you are a student with a special need, please feel free to discuss it with the instructor. E. Late Submissions: Because the effective completion of the course relies on timely completion of all assignments, late submissions will not be accepted. If you foresee a problem with completing an assignment by the due date, please contact the instructor prior to the due date to discuss options. F. Academic Integrity: Any assignment that contains plagiarized material or indicates any other form of academic dishonesty will receive, at a minimum, a grade of F. A second instance will result in an automatic grade of F for the course. Penalties may be harsher depending upon the severity of the offense. There will be no appeals or second chances in instances of academic dishonesty.

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G. Schedule of Readings, Topics, and Assignments: Required Texts:

The Oral History Reader. Second Edition. Edited by Robert Perks and Alistair Thomson. Routledge, 2006. Recording Oral History, Second Edition. A Practical Guide for the Humanities and Social Sciences. Valerie Raleigh Yow. Sage, 2005.

January 8: Introduction to the course. Review syllabus and assignments. Identify teams for oral history

project. Discussion of initial considerations for choosing the team’s topic. Volunteers to lead discussion on readings for next week.

January 15: Oral history and its uses. Benchmark due: Student completion of the online CITI research

ethics training. Required: Yow, pp. 1-34. In Perks and Thomson: Paul Thompson, pp. 25-31; Alessandro Portelli, pp. 32-42. Rebecca Sharpless, “The History of Oral History,” pp. 7-30, in Thinking About Oral History: Theories and Applications, edited by Thomas L. Charlton, Lois E. Myers, and Rebecca Sharpless, AltaMira Press, 2008.

January 22: Defining and researching an oral history project. Benchmark due: Teams present their

chosen oral history topic. Students turn in their topic for the review essay. Required: Yow, pp. 33-67. In Perks and Thomson: Haley, pp. 14-24; Shopes, pp. 261-

270. Mary A. Larson, “Research Design and Strategies,” pp. 95-124, in History of Oral History: Foundations and Methodology, edited by Thomas L. Charlton, Lois E. Myers, and Rebecca Sharpless, AltaMira Press, 2007. David Lance, “Oral History and Project Design,” pp. 135-142, in Oral History: An Interdisciplinary Anthology, Second Edition, edited by David K. Dunaway and Willa K. Baum, AltaMira Press, 1996.

January 29: Oral history ethics and legal issues. Benchmark due: Teams present lists of primary and

secondary sources. Students turn in their three sources for the review essay for approval. Required: Yow, pp. 121-156. Linda Shopes, “Legal and Ethical Issues in Oral History,” pp. 125-159, in History of Oral History: Foundations and Methodology. K’Meyer, Tracy E., and Crothers, A. Glenn. “’If I see Some of This in Writing, I’m Going to Shoot You’: Reluctant Narrators, Taboo Topics, and the Ethical Dilemmas of the Oral Historian,” The Oral History Review, 34:1 (2007), 71-93.

February 5: Developing interview questions. Benchmark due: Teams complete IRB form for their topic.

Required: Yow, pp. 68-91. In Perks and Thomson: Terkel and Parker, pp. 123-128; Slim and Thompson et al., pp. 143-154; Finnegan, pp. 177-183; Walmsley, pp. 184-197. Mary Kay Quinlan, “The Dynamics of Interviewing,” pp. 23-36, in The Oxford Handbook of Oral History, edited by Donald A. Ritchie, Oxford University Press, 2011.

February 12: Identifying and contacting interviewees. Benchmark due: Teams present lists of

prospective questions. Required: Yow, pp. 188-219. In Perks and Thomson: Burton, pp. 166-176. Anna Green, “Can Memory Be Collective?,” pp. 96-111, in The Oxford Handbook of Oral History. Selma Thomas, “Private Memory in a Public Space: Oral History and Museums,” pp. 87-

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100, in Oral History and Public Memories, edited by Paula Hamilton and Linda Shopes, Temple University Press, 2008.

February 19: Resources for oral history interviews. Benchmark due: Teams present lists of prospective

interviewees. Required: In Perks and Thomson: Anderson and Jack, pp. 129-142. Paula Hamilton, “The Proust Effect: Oral History and the Senses,” pp. 219-232, in The Oxford Handbook of Oral History. Maria Nugent, “Mapping Memories: Oral History for Aboriginal Cultural Heritage in New South Wales, Australia,” pp. 47-63, in Oral History and Public Memories.

February 26: Interview skills, part 1. Midterm review essay due.

Required: Yow, pp. 92-120. In Perks and Thomson: Klempner, pp. 198-210; Allison, pp. 221-229.

March 5: Interview skills, part 2. Benchmark due: Teams turn in one-page report on progress.

Required: Yow, pp. 157-187. In Perks and Thomson: Roseman, pp. 230-243; Thomson, pp. 244-254; Blee, pp. 322-331.

March 12: Spring Break. Class does not meet. March 19: Interview processing and preservation.

Required: Yow, pp. 311-334. In Perks and Thomson: Swain, pp. 343-361. James E. Fogarty, “Oral History and Archives: Documenting Context,” pp. 197-226, in History of Oral History: Foundations and Methodology. Nancy MacKay, pp. 57-83, Curating Oral Histories: From Interview to Archive, Left Coast Press, Inc., 2007.

March 26: Transcription options and techniques.

Required: In Perks and Thomson: Frisch, pp. 102-114; Good, pp. 362-373; Mace, pp. 374-381. Elinor A. Mazé, “The Uneasy Page: Transcribing and Editing Oral History,” pp. 227-261, in History of Oral History: Foundations and Methodology.

April 2: Oral history analysis. Benchmark due: Students have completed filling out the accession

database and the EAD template for their interviews. Required: Yow, pp. 282-310. In Perks and Thomson: Kennedy, pp. 271-282; Borland, pp. 310-321; Stoler and Strasser, 283-309.

April 9: Oral history audiences and products. Benchmark due: Students turn in transcripts of their

interviews, and teams sign up for their presentation date. Required: In Perks and Thomson: Hardy, pp. 393-405; Sipe, pp. 406-415; Green, pp. 416-424; Kerr, pp. 485-495. Graham Smith, pp. 429-448; Schrum, Brennan, et al., pp. 499-516, in The Oxford Handbook of Oral History.

April 16: Team presentations. April 23: Team presentations. Benchmark due: All team products and interviews turned in. (Week of) April 29: Finals week. In-class essay exam due.

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H. Resources: The Center for the Study of History and Memory has an archive of oral history interviews that students can access as examples and as data for their oral history projects. The center has two digital audio recorders, a digital still camera, and a digital video camera for recording interviews, and two computer workstations for transcription of digital audio that students can use. The center will also provide its EAD template and two computer workstations for inputting the project’s oral history interviews into a project finding aid for the center’s archive.