SPRING 2005 SYLLABUS

IS 281. HISTORICAL METHODOLOGY OF INFORMATION STUDIES

DR. MARY NILES MAACK

INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS
1. To become familiar with historical methodology as a mode of disciplined, scholarly inquiry that
draws on both the humanities and social sciences.
2. To gain an understanding of major issues and themes in contemporary historiography as they
relate to the history of print culture and to the history of archives, libraries, documentation,
information science, and the information professions.
3. To develop a critical appreciation of the potential and the limitations of primary source material
relating to the history of print culture and to the history of archives, libraries, and the information
professions.
4. To gain experience in the rigorous, critical evaluation of historical writing.
ASSIGNMENTS (points)*
Critical Review
Review of two secondary sources (150 points)

Due Date
April 26

TERM PROJECT ASSIGNMENTS

Scope & questions (s/u to be emailed)**
April 12
Proposal (150 points)
April 19
Conceptual /contextual essay (200 points)
May 17
Paper presentation (100 points)
May 31, June 7 & 14
Final paper (400 points)
June 14
* unexcused late papers will be graded down by 10%
**no other assignments are to be emailed except by special arrangements
GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR PRESENTATION OF PAPERS & TERM PROJECTS:
All papers MUST be:
* Typed and proofed,
* PAGINATED and
* Stapled ( with a title page but no cover).
*FINAL PAPER should be placed in a brown envelope with a clasp
Stylistic requirements:
* Choose a style manual and use the SAME style throughout.
* Double-space text, single space indented quotes.
* Make appropriate use of first and second level subheadings.
* Use references embedded in the text
* include the bibliography of materials cited at the end
* FINAL PAPER should include a statement on sources and a chronology.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Professor Mary Niles Maack 232 GSE&IS Building
Office hours: Tuesdays 3:30 5:00; Thursday 11:00 -- 12:30 p.m.
UCLA home office (310) 475-7962 EMAIL: mnmaack@ucla .edu
WEBSITE http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/faculty/maack/ (note sample papers linked to IS 281)

_____________________________ASSIGNMENTS_____________________________

CRITICAL REVIEWS OF TWO SECONDARY SOURCES

DUE: Week 4-- (3 to 4 pages, 150 points)
Each book should in some way relate to the history of archives, libraries, books, reading,
publishing, information science or the development of the information professions. The
works you select may be either biographical or historical studies, or a work on
historiography.
You are encouraged to review works that will provide you with relevant background for
your final term project. Your review should be 750 1000 words and should address the
points outlined below. If you decide to do a historiography (Term Project Option 2A or
2B)_ your review should not be of one of the books you intend to analyze for your final
paper.
Points to Consider in the Analysis of Historical Writing
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Framing / theoretical and/or disciplinary perspective

Contextualization
Empirical Evidence / Documentation/ Examples given
Balance
Significance and appropriateness of conclusions
Presentation, Organization and Writing Style

TERM PROJECTS
For your term project you may either prepare a
RESEARCH PAPER (OPTION 1see pages 3 to 6) or a
HISTORIOGRAPHIC ESSAY (OPTION 2 see pages 7 to ).
In either case, it is important to plan your time carefully so that the project can be
completed by the end of the quarter. It is therefore essential to make certain early in the
term that you have access to adequate source materials.
If certain items you need are only available through interlibrary loan (ILL), you may be
able to receive them if you make your request by the second or third week of class.
However, you must not base your proposal on the hope of getting material critical to your
paper though ILL.

TERM PROJECT (OPTION 1):

RESEARCH PAPER OR RESEARCH PROPOSAL

You may investigate any topic related to the history of archives, libraries, books, reading,
publishing, documentation, information science or you may focus on the history of the
information professions. In making your selection be sure that :
1. Adequate documentation, including primary source material , is available at times
when you can do your research. Be sure that you will have permission to use relevant
collections.
2. There is enough material to merit a 15 - 20 page paper, but not so much as to be
overwhelming. If the relevant archival collections are large but have good finding aids,
you can work with a narrow topic.
Although you will be expected to use primary source materials, you must use appropriate
secondary sources to situate your topic in its social, cultural and political context -- both
locally and nationally.
OPTION 1-A. RESEARCH PAPER You should select a topic, an institution or an
individual about which you can prepare a brief, focused research paper. You must take
care to limit your choice to a well defined topic that can be researched and written up
within a seven week time frame. For example, rather than attempting to write a
biographical paper on Lawrence Clark Powell, you should focus on one aspect of his
workas founder of the UCLA library school, OR as head of the UCLA library, OR as a
key player in the book arts world of Southern California.
OPTION 1-B. RESEARCH PROPOSAL You may select a topic, an institution or an
individual about which there is substantial amount of primary source material information
available locally. Option 1-B can be used for a topic that is too ambitious to be adequately
researched and written up in 7 weeks. Your first step will be to provide background on the
topic (following the guidelines below for the contextual essay). You should then present a
justification for your proposed research, highlighting the significance of the topic, and
explaining the need for study by showing how the research you propose will contribute to
the existing scholarship in this area. In addition, you must examine the primary sources
available locally and discuss them in some detail, as well as indicating how you propose
to carry out research on this topic.
Option 1-B is recommended for those first year students who are interested in taking an
independent study next year to do further research on the topic, with the possibility of
developing it into a publishable paper or a Masters Thesis. The proposal is expected to
incorporate considerable background material, and a literature review; it should also 15 to
20 pages in length.

Assignment 1: SCOPE STATEMENT--(300-500 wordsungraded due Week 2)

(You should turn this paper in during class and also email it to mnmaack@ucla.edu;
PASTE THE TEXT INTO YOUR EMAIL MESSAGE
--do NOT send it as an attachment)
1. Scope Statement
1a. Provide brief background on the topic or individual you have chosen and explain
why that topic or individual is significant.
1b. Indicate the chronological limits of your paper.
1c. Suggest ways you might narrow or expand the topic if needed.
2. Sources (1 to 2 paragraphs)
Briefly discuss the nature and extent of primary source materials you intend to use.
By this point, you should have briefly examined any collection(s) of documents you hope
to use, and have verified that these materials will be ACCESSIBLE TO YOU at times
when you are free to use the collection.
Assignment 2: TERM PROJECT PROPOSAL ( due Week 3)
OPTION 1-A or 1-B (57 pages, 150 points)
1. Scope Statement (500750 words)
1a. Provide brief background on the topic or individual you have chosen and explain why
that topic or individual is significant (expand on 1a above).
1b. Indicate the chronological limits of your paper and give the reason that for your choice
of beginning and ending dates.
1c. Describe geographical or topical focus and/or limitations if relevant to your paper.
1d. Suggest ways you might narrow or expand the topic if needed.
2. Sources
2a. Briefly discuss the nature and extent of primary source materials you intend to
use. For Option 2, the primary sources will be the WRITINGS you have chosen for your
historiographical analysis ( This part should be 1 to 2 pages.)
2b. Prepare a bibliography of those published and unpublished PRIMARY source
materials that you have located; for archival materials you may list categories rather than
individual items (e.g correspondance,1920-1935; annual reports; photographs etc.)
2c. Prepare a second bibliography that includes published SECONDARY sources that
you plan to consult; you should include at least 6 to 8 books, dissertations, theses and
articles. For Option 2, the secondary sources will be other writings on historiography of
the period you are studying, and any background works on your author or topic.
3. Research Questions
3a. Frame 5 or 6 operational questions you intend to investigate. Be specific but flexible.
3b. For each question (or cluster of questions) indicate which of the sources above you
expect will provide answers to those questions.
4. Chronology
4a. List a few key dates relevant to your topic.
4b. Include on the list any major events that affected your topic.

Assignment 3: CONTEXTUAL / CONCEPTUAL ESSAY

Week 7 (910 page essay, 200 points)
1. INTRODUCTION / CONCEPTUAL PERSPECTIVE : ( 1-2 pages)
1a. Include here information from the SCOPE STATEMENT from your proposal, with any
changes, modifications or revisions you have made to the scope or focus of your project.
1b. Write a paragraph or two explaining your PERSPECTIVE in treating this topicwhy
is it important to you and what are your underlying assumptions. Also discuss how you
will SITUATE your paper in relationship to previous work and to the broader context in
which the events you are studying took place.
Some possibilities might include:
a narrative history of a public library during a particular period, relating its growth to
civic development and local history.
a biographical study focusing on certain aspects of an individuals career and analyzing
her/his contribution to the field.
a study of the foundation and development of an organization ( its goals, mission,
success, failures) in relationship to the broader social, cultural and political environment.
a study of a library building project examining the social & political dynamics that
surrounded the project.
an analysis of positions advertised in regard to changing requirements, expectations.

1c. OPTIONAL: IF you intend to use a particular THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK, model,

or methodology drawn from the social sciences or humanities indicate this as well.
Some possibilities might include:
a leadership model,
an analysis of gender issues in regard to an individuals life, to job advertisements etc.
a theoretical framework from the social sciences (such as diffusion theory)
content analysis for the study of published statements or documents
2. PRESENTATION OF THE CONTEXTUAL BACKGROUND 6 to 8 pages
2a. Provide relevant background information on the time period and the geographical
setting, highlighting those larger events that had a particular impact on your subject.
2b. Discuss how your subject fits into the larger history of events that were occurring in
the field (libraries, information science, archives, print culture) .
3. SCHOLARLY APPARATUS
3a. Include a complete bibliography of all sources cited. For direct quotations and
statistics ALWAYS give the source and dateeither by using footnotes/ endnotes or
parenthetical references in the text. You should also cite your source if you are
paraphrasing an authors ideas or statements.
3b. Include a revised or expanded chronology.

Assignment 4: CLASS PRESENTATION OF YOUR PAPER

Week 9, 10 OR 11
1. Prepare a presentation that discusses your research questions, the research
process, the nature of the sources that you used, and your key findings.
2. You may use Powerpoint or transparencies if you wish but this is not required.. Time
your presentation to be sure that you can cover your major points in 15 minutes
Assignment 5: FINAL PAPER

Week 11

PARTS OF THE FINAL PAPER FOR BOTH OPTIONS BELOW

1. Introduction -- include your scope statement and summarize your key research
questions
2. Body of the paper, with appropriate headings and subheadings; this will include the
conceptual/contextual essay as well as the presentation and analysis of materials that
you have drawn from primary sources.
3. Brief conclusion. You may analyze trends, and offer generalizations. However, be
sure that your conclusions have been adequately documented in the paper
4. An appendix that includes a statement on sources, noting weakness, strengths, and
areas where documentation may be lacking or fragmentary. This statement may be part
of your introduction or it may be included as an appendix.
5. A chronology of important dates as an appendix.
6. A complete bibliography of all sources cited (except for individual letters.)

TERM PROJECT (OPTION 2): HISTORIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY

If you do a HISTORIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY (either Option 2-A or Option 2-B), you will
work with published materials. Your object is to focus on HOW historians and/or
biographers document, present and analyze the topics on which they write. You should
also discuss the perspective or theoretical stance that is found in a given body of
historical research.
OPTION 2-A. You should select a topic, an institution or an individual about whom a
substantial body of historical and/or biographical literature exists. Your first step will be
the preparation of a chronological bibliography with very brief annotations. From this list,
select a few monographs for critical examination, as well as eight or ten significant,
scholarly articles. Your essay should analyze methodological and interpretive issues,
concluding with an assessment of the current state of historical knowledge concerning
this topic or biographee. Strengths, weakness and gaps in the literature should be
considered when dealing with a topic such as academic library history (e.g. what
institutions have been written about, which periods have been little studies).
Possible choices of topics for a paper might include:
An analysis of biographical studies on one individual:
Andrew Carnegie, Antonio Panizzii. William Morris (selective); Eric Gill as a
printer; Librarians of Congressinclude two or three (Ainsworth Rand Spofford &
Herbert Putnam, Archibald MacLeish--see list in syllabus)
An analysis of historical studies on a topic :
The Library of Congress (1800-1900; since 1900); the British Museum Library;
the National Archives; Histories of major public libraries; the American Library
Association; Historical writings on nformation science; Education for librarianship.
(see list in syllabus)
OPTION 2-B. You may choose to write an analytical intellectual biography of a well
established historian specializing in library or book history. You should first prepare a
chronological bio-bibliography that includes very brief annotations. Your essay should
include a critical analysis of all monographs and a least a dozen selected articles
authored by that individual. In addition to discussing the methodologies used and the
changing topics, issues and themes examined by this scholar, you should also assess
that individuals overall contribution to the field.
Library historians you might select include: John Cole, Phyllis Dain, Donald G. Davis,
Christine Jenkins, Edward Holley, Michael Harris, David Kaser, Pamela Spence Richards,
Jesse Shera, Margaret (Steig) Dalton, Wayne Wiegand (see list in syllabus)
For the field of book history, some possible choices include: Roger Chartier, Robert
Darnton, Elizabeth Eisenstein, Henri-Jean Martin.
(see list in syllabus)

Assignment 1: SCOPE STATEMENT--(300-500 wordsungraded due Week 2)

(You should turn this paper in during class and also email it to mnmaack@ucla.edu;
PASTE THE TEXT INTO YOUR EMAIL MESSAGE--do NOT send it as an attachment)
1. Scope Statement
1a. Provide brief background on the topic or individual you have chosen and explain
why that topic or individual is significant.
1b. Indicate the time frame for your paper.
1c. Suggest ways you might narrow or expand the topic if needed.
2. Sources (1 to 2 paragraphs)
Briefly discuss the nature and extent of primary source materials you intend to use.
Because a historiographic study is similar to literary criticism, your primary sources
will be the writings of the individuals whose work your intend to analyse. If you
choose a prolific author, such as Robert Darnton, or a person like William Morris about
whom a great deal has been written, your challenge will be to select key works for your
analysis or more sharply focus the topic (e.g. William Morris as a printer).
Assignment 2: TERM PROJECT PROPOSAL ( due Week 3, 150 points, 57 pages)
1. Scope Statement (500750 words)
1a. Provide brief background on the topic or individual you have chosen and
explain why that topic or individual is significant (expand on 1a above).
1b. Indicate the limits of your paper and give the reason for your choice of
works for your historiographical analysis as well time frame for the works included.
1c. Describe geographical or topical focus and/or limitations if relevant
1d. Suggest ways you might narrow or expand the topic if needed.
2. Sources
2a. Briefly discuss the nature and extent of the WRITINGS you have chosen for
your historiographical analysis ( This part should be 1 to 2 pages.) If your approach is
topical (e.g. the history of California libraries)
2b. Prepare a bibliography of those published PRIMARY source materials that
you have located;. If you will be analyzing selected writings of a given historian, your
should include a comprehensive bio-bibliography arranged chronologically to show
where the works you will focus on fit within that authors larger body of work.
2c. Prepare a second bibliography that includes published SECONDARY
sources that you plan to consult; you should include at least 6 to 8 books, dissertations,
theses and articles. For Option 2, the secondary sources will be other writings on
historiography of the period you are studying, and any background works on your
author or topic.
3. Research Questions
Frame 5 or 6 operational questions you intend to investigate. Be specific but flexible.
EXAMPLES:
What writers influenced x based on the works s/he cites?
How did xs choice of topics or theoretical orientation change over time?
How has the history of the American public library been influenced by trends in
social history since the 1960s.
4. Chronology
List a few key dates relevant to your topic or author.

Assignment 3: CONTEXTUAL / CONCEPTUAL ESSAY OPTION 2A or 2B:

Week 7 (910 page essay, 200 points)
1. INTRODUCTION : 2 to 3 pages
1a. Include here the Scope Statement from your proposal, with any changes,
modifications or revisions you have made to the scope or focus of your project.
1b. Write a paragraph or two explaining the nature of the historical or biographical works
you are analyzing. Indicate how you selected those titles that you will analyze in greatest
detail.
2. PRESENTATION OF THE CONTEXTUAL BACKGROUND 6 to 8 pages
2a. Explain how the scholarly PERSPECTIVE of the time period when these works were
written affected the way in which the topic(s) were treated. What were some of the
underlying assumptions and intellectual currents that influenced how the publications
within the body of work you are studying was framed. For this background you should
look at some of the works on HISTORIOGRAPHY listed in your syllabus.
2b. Also discuss how these works you have chosen for analysis were SITUATED in
relationship to previous and later works on the history of the field (libraries, information
science, archives, print culture) .
3. SCHOLARLY APPARATUS
3a. Include a complete bibliography of all sources cited. For direct quotations and
statistics ALWAYS give the source and date either by using footnotes/ endnotes or
parenthetical references in the text.
3b. Include a revised or expanded chronological bibliography listing all the works that fall
within the scope of your study.
3c. If you are treating a single author, include a brief chronology of his/her life.

Assignment 4: PRESENTATION OF YOUR PAPER Week 9, 10 OR 11

1. Prepare a presentation that discusses your research questions, the nature of the
writings that you analyzed, and your key findings.
2. You may use Powerpoint or transparencies if you wish, but this is not required. Time
your presentation to be sure that you can cover your major points in 15 minutes

Assignment 5: FINAL PAPER Week 11

PARTS OF THE FINAL PAPER FOR BOTH OPTIONS BELOW
1. Introduction -- include your scope statement and your key research questions
2. Body of the paper, with appropriate headings and subheadings; this will include the
conceptual/contextual essay as well as the presentation and analysis of materials that
you have drawn from primary sources.
3. Brief conclusion. You may analyze trends, and offer generalizations. However, be
sure that your conclusions have been adequately documented in the paper
4. An appendix that includes a statement on sources, noting weakness, strengths, and
areas where documentation may be lacking or fragmentary. This statement may be part
of your introduction or it may be included as an appendix.
5. A chronology of important dates as an appendix.
6. A complete bibliography of all sources cited and a chronological bio-bibliography if you
have chosen to do OPTION 2B.

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WEB RESOURCES FOR CALIFORNIA LIBRARY HISTORY

For information on selected archival resources and a bibliography of the Los Angeles, click on the
USC archives website: http://www.usc.edu/isd/archives/arc/ On this cite there is also a link to Los
Angeles Comprehensive Bibliographic Database which now consists of two important
bibliographies:
Los Angeles and its Environs in the Twentieth Century: A Bibliography of a Metropolis. compiled under
the auspices of the Los Angeles Metropolitan History Project; foreword by Mrs. Fletcher Bowron;
edited with an introduction by Doyce B. Nunis, Jr. Los Angeles: Ward Ritchie Press, 1973
Los Angeles and its Environs in the Twentieth Century: A Bibliography of a Metropolis: 1970-1990, with
a directory of resources in Los Angeles County. compiled and edited by Hynda L. Rudd; foreword by
Doyce B. Nunis, Jr. Los Angeles: Los Angeles City Historical Society, 1996. Published by the
University of Southern California with support from the Southern California Studies Center (SC2) and
The James Irvine Foundation

Kunkle, Hannah J. Bibliography of the History of Libraries in California. (Journal of Library History,
Bibliography No. 13 [1976]). From the earliest located citation through 1972. Digitized
with the permission of Florida State University and the University of Texas Press.
Available: http://www.calbook.org/resources/kunkle/index.html
Stauffer, Suzanne. Bibliography of the history of libraries in California, 19732003. Prepared
for the California Center for the Book. Manuscript copy available in the MIT Lab.
Carnegie Libraries in California http://www.carnegie-libraries.org/main.html
A great website with pictures and historical notes on Carnegie libraries throughout the state.
California Library Directory, 2003 http://www.library.ca.gov/html/main.cfmThe directory
connects you to library websites in California.

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