PastHistory

I have purchased almost every book assigned. Some I really regret spending the money on, others I have been able to use as sources for other classes. One quick comment about ILL - my school library has begun to check the books assigned for your classes against your ILL requests and if you are requesting a "textbook" they will cancel your ILL request. May not be the case at your school...

Thank you for the recommendations!

I am completing sort of an independent study thing (weirdly defined at my school, but it is similar to an independent study) that looks at various trends in history - specifically revisionist popular history versus more academic history. I have quite a few books on several of the topics I am looking at but I need to find better sources for WWII, particularly sources that dispute the "FDR knew" claims around Pearl Harbor. Any suggestions on books or articles (I can access JSTOR, etc.) from an academic/historian point of view would be appreciated! Thanks

Amazon is really the best I've found. Particularly if you take advantage of the Amazon Student program. One thing about the library...I tried to get some of my textbooks through inter-library loan because I knew I would have no use for them after the class (and I had no desire to pay $95 *used!* for a book I'd never read again). The library canceled all of my requests because they were textbooks. Apparently the school has a policy to do that and direct the student to the campus bookstore. Your school may be different...

When I discussed it with my advisor while applying, they told me that a lack of diversity in the educational field wasn't necessarily a deal breaker in all cases. It would be a shame to not apply to a school that was a good match for you just because you are worried about how it might appear to people in the future. Likewise, it would be a shame to apply to a school that you weren't enthusiastic about just because you wanted some diversity in your CV.

If the course interests you, take it. Due to cuts, not every class I have taken is directly related to my topic/interest area but I have found that each class has improved my writing and research. Also, it helps to take a step away from my topic and see other similar interactions in different historical periods/contexts.

I agree that it would be better to polish the old paper. Read through it with a (very) critical eye and identify where you think you can strengthen the research. Try to find new information to fill the gaps and then work on adjusting the writing style. You will save yourself infinite headaches by focusing on a topic you already know and improving your existing thesis rather than attempting to create a new sample from nothing.

It's not so much what you write, but how you write. A broad topic can be good, but if you have a narrowly defined topic, you can better highlight your ability to analyze and synthesize information, making your own historical arguments. Many of the people who apply to grad school send in generalized work...while there is nothing wrong with that, the fifteenth paper on the Civil War doesn't stand out from the fourteenth or the thirteenth one on the same topic. It's better to send in something that the ad comm will remember than submit a writing sample that will get lost in the shuffle. In my case, my writing sample was about a very specific group during a very specific time period in American history. The time period I focused on was only about 3 years.

Thank you all for the replies. Sorry it took me a little while to respond...having the flu during the summer is almost worse than in the winter. I've been doing a sort of "mini-historiography" this summer in terms of my research, but I hadn't really written any of it up in terms of a formal historiographical essay. I think I'm going to do that, though...thanks for the suggestion. It will probably make it easier for my committee to see how I am engaging with the material, especially (as you mentioned) the secondary sources. I am going to formalize the historiography and try to better characterize how my research will enhance the field (hopefully!). With the school break and my work schedule, I haven't been able to meet with my advisor about the proposal. The departmental guidelines are about a page long and really seem to deal more with font/margins/spacing than content. A lot of my research has been focused on the secondary sources trying to establish what they said and where they ignore the archival records. My particular topic was covered by quite a few individuals in the first half of the twentieth-century (it's a relatively recent topic, historically speaking), but not as much scholarship exists from the latter part of the century. Some other issues around my topic came to light in the "gap years" and I hope to connect it with the earlier scholarship. Thank you again for your replies...I appreciate it!

In history, 3 courses is about the max. My advisor will "allow" me to go over only if its a one weekend workshop or some sort of independent study that can be structured around my other classes. I have no idea what the work load is in computer science, but history is very heavy with reading.

My friends who were TAs last year took two classes in addition to TAing. They added in a few weekend workshops to fill out the credit load, but several times during the year, they each mentioned how much work it was. The grading/paperwork with the TA position was more time consuming than they thought it would be (and they each ended up with some rather demanding undergrads). 5 classes and TAing seems like a lot. Have you discussed the entire schedule with your advisor?

I am trying to put together my thesis proposal but the guidelines I am following are a little vague. Does anyone know where I can find a good example online, preferably for history? Most of the ones I keep coming across in my searches are in the sciences. Also, any advice from people already through this hurdle would be appreciated (stuff to include, leave out, how to format, etc). Thanks!

I have my regular pen and paper datebook that I use, but this past year, I also used Google Calendar synced with my phone for assignments and readings for classes. As I am never without my phone, it was helpful to have it all there. (I have an Android phone which syncs my emails through Google). I also use iStudiez Pro on the iPad to keep track of assignments for classes and set deadlines/reminders for myself.

I think it would be comparable to pen and paper in most instances. The trick would be to practice before classes begin to get comfortable with the programs. As I don't have the stylus, I have to resort to using my finger to write which is okay for quick notes, but a little tedious for an entire class! Two programs I have tried and like are: Penultimate - allows you to make individual notebooks so you can keep your different classes organized. $1.99 Noteshelf - allows for individual notebooks with more customization and you can export your files to both Dropbox and Evernote (I'm not sure if Penultimate does that as well). $4.99 And, since I mentioned it in my last post, GoodReader - $4.99

Just to toss in my two cents.... I found my iPad to be so useful, especially when it came to PDFs, this past year. I use GoodReader (the best program for PDFs, IMHO) and highlight, outline, draw and mark up my PDFs (maybe a bit too much!). I also found it useful to make notes on the PDFs as we discussed them in class. It was great to be able to quickly sort out my in-class notes from my reading notes. Additionally, I was able to highlight in different colors to make different points which in turn helped when it came time to write papers. Several other people in my class had Kindles (not sure which "edition"), but found them rather difficult to use for the PDFs we were required to read. I also found it very helpful to be able to access all the PDFs for the class at one time when I needed to reference something from an earlier reading. Anyway, I used my iPad last year and plan to use it again this year. I have taken short notes and started papers using the Pages app, but as I don't have a stylus for my iPad, I still use pen and paper for daily, in-class notes.

Your position as a TA would give them additional insight into your work, so it can't hurt. Whether it will allow you to get an edge over other applicants, I don't know. Some programs stick strictly to the defined admissions criteria. Others take additional factors into consideration.

I have my general area of focus and I have my advisor. We are putting together the rest of my supervisory group/committee. Right now, I have a very broad idea of what I am interested in, but I am not really sure how to begin narrowing that down to something thesis worthy or something that hasn't already been explored 150 different ways. I have a meeting scheduled with my advisor later this month (they have a huge project/event this week and next, so I don't want to pester) about the thesis, but I would absolutely love some advice from people who have been in my shoes, so to speak. How did you come to your thesis topic? Is there any advice you can offer in how I can narrow my interest down enough? Some others in my cohort seem to have such perfectly defined topics that I feel like I am already behind! Thanks!

I am ordering textbooks and wondered if anyone has ever used Biblio? A couple books I need are ridiculously priced on campus, $100+ on Amazon and still rather expensive on Half.com but much cheaper on Biblio. ??? For those who have used them, how does it work? Do they process my CC info like Amazon does with the marketplace or eBay does with Half or do they give it to the various booksellers? Any horror stories I should be aware of? Thanks!

I could use some advice...My grad school orientation is on Friday and I am at a loss as to how to dress. On the one hand, I think I should be comfortable, but on the other hand I want to make a good impression. How dressed up should I be? It is a department specific orientation and I am going to be studying and working around these people for the next couple of years so I want to make a good impression. I have a very nice pair of black dress pants that I could wear. I also have a pair of dark washed "nice" jeans that are not completely dressy but still nicer than what I would wear to clean out my garage. What about tops? I was planning on a t-shirt (no logos, designs, etc...just plain) and then either sweater/hoodie or a blazer? For shoes, I was planning on flats since we are supposed to take a walking tour of the campus, libraries, etc. Is that too casual? Thanks for any help! I haven't been this nervous about what I was going to wear in years!

Thanks

My friend is scheduling her GRE a little late (she's currently out of the country, so I am trying to help speed this along ). One of her applications has an October 1st deadline. What is the absolute latest she can take the test and still be sure her scores get in by the deadline? Thanks!

If you give your driver's license #, they can (depending on the state) pull your record from the DMV which should have your full legal name, address (mine is my permanent address where all important stuff is sent), your date of birth, your height, weight, eye color, hair color and other identifying information (including a photograph). He also wants the last 4 of your SSN which most places (banks, credit cards, etc.) use for identification purposes. While it may seem somewhat innocuous, people have had their identities stolen with a lot less information. If they want to rent the apartment, they will show it to you. Don't give the information.

The closer I get to August, the more nervous I become. I know, logically, that I was admitted because I have the necessary skills, drive and basic intelligence to pursue higher higher education but in many ways, I feel like a 6 year old on the first day of school. What if everybody else knows more than me? Understands more than me? I am dealing with serious butterflies and a big case of impostor syndrome! I registered for classes back in the Spring, so I already know what I'll be taking and what books I need to buy. The prospect of reading (at current count) 40+ books in one semester is freaking me out a bit, but I'm trying not to focus on that. There is supposed to be some sort of orientation before the semester starts, but details on that haven't been sent out yet. While I have my general topic area narrowed down, I still have no clue as to what I want to focus on. I also have to figure out what faculty I want to work with and plan out the next few years of my life in rapid succession. Well, seeing all this in writing has only made me more nervous! Good luck to all of the other new admits!

Thank you both so much for the advice. I've passed it along to my friend. I'll let you know once she finds out something definitive. Thanks, again!

Thanks. Unfortunately, the two people who handle the grad aid questions are on vacation this week. She'll give them a call next week. She submitted her FAFSA in January but didn't find out about the program hiccup until later. I know some people skip the fall and just enroll in programs in the spring so that's why we were wondering if her aid could be reconsidered for the spring term. She is taking a full credit load this fall, it's just not as an official student in the program. Thanks for your help