History 642
Fall, 2001

ASKING QUESTIONS

In history, as in many disciplines, the key to finding good answers depends upon asking appropriate questions. A primary focus of this course will be on discussions of the assigned readings. These discussions will be based on questions submitted by the students prior to the class sessions. Students will thus play a major role in shaping the content of this course and subjects that we choose to discuss.

To facilitate these discussions all students are required to submit questions based on the readings identifying the topics that they wish to talk about each week. All questions must be emailed to the instructor at: hist685@sfsu.edu no later than 9 a.m. each Monday. All student questions will then be posted to the course web page on Wednesday morning.  Please consult the web page prior to coming to class on Wednesday to see both your own questions and those of your classmates.

For this format to work best, it is essential that you think about and format your questions carefully and that they be designed to stimulate discussion. Before writing your questions, try to identify the central theme or argument of the chapter, article, or excerpt that you have read. This will give you guidance as to appropriate topics for discussion. Adhere to the following guidelines in composing your questions:

  1. You should submit a minimum of four questions each week.
  2. Questions must be based specifically on the readings. When readings are assigned from more than one text, article, or document you should ask at least one question from each source.
  3. Ask questions about things that pique your interest and that you will be interested in discussing in class. Questions should be directed not to the instructor, but to the class as a whole.
  4. Ask specific, rather than broad, general questions. Do not ask, for example, What was the counterculture? Ask instead, What were the major elements and causes that lead to the creation of a counterculture in the 1960s?
  5. Be sure to make specific reference to the readings in each question. Most good questions require at least two sentences. A good format for a question would be:

Charles Kaiser writes of March 31, 1968, “For an instant it seemed that idealists from every generation might actually join forces to stop the war, preserve the peace, discard the god of materialism, and change the world.” (129) What were the forces and factors that brought about this perception?  Is Kaiser overstating his case here? Is this a deliberate exaggeration?

  1. Don't hesitate to write much longer questions. You might, for example, use the question to express an opinion or to critique the author's opinion.

David Farber writes, "By the late 1960s, many young antiwar activists and others who were involved in a variety of social and political movements were in open revolt against what they considered 'the American way of life.'  They believed that the 'traditional' verities and 'traditional' values of American life were what  produced the war in Vietnam and racism... They advocated new identities, new dreams, and radical change."  But the forces creating the counterculture did not come from the political realm.  Many of those  who turned to drugs and religion were apolitical.  What was the connection between the counterculture and  the anti-war and civil rights movements?

  1. Feel free to raise factual questions (Who was S. I. Hayakawa? What was the Tonkin Gulf Resolution?) in class if the answer is not clear in the readings. However, do not submit questions that require specific answers as discussion questions. You might phrase a factual question in the following way:

It is not clear to me how the faculty strike was related to the Black Students Association demands and the student strike.  Can we discuss this in class?

  1. Try to identify possible conflicts or contradictions in the various readings and use them to formulate questions for discussion.

Charles Kaiser places Eugene McCarthy at the center of events in 1968 but Farber accords him a more  minor role. How does one account for this discrepancy?  Which interpretation is more accurate?

  1. Keep in mind that these questions are designed to stimulate discussions. Try to raise broad philosophical issues wherever possible or to relate the events of the 1960s to the events of today.

For examples of how graduate students handle this assignment see the following web site: http://bss.sfsu.edu/tygiel/hist790/default.htm