Fundamentals of a Good History Day Project Provided by National History Day in North Carolina Office of Archives and History N. C. Department of Cultural Resources www.nchistoryday.org

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Fundamentals of a Good History Day
ProjectProvided by National History Day in
North CarolinaOffice of Archives and HistoryN.
C. Department of Cultural Resourceswww.nchistoryd
ay.org
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Contents

• Narrative v. Analysis, 23
• Categories, 24
• Papers, 25-26
• Web Sites, 27-29
• Documentaries, 30-32
• Performances, 33-34
• Exhibits, 35-40
• Judging, 41-45
• Key Terms, 46-48
• Contacts, 49

• Basic Information, 3-4
• Getting Started, 5-6
• Developing a thesis, 7-8
• Doing Research, 9-13
• Creating a Bibliography, 14-17
• Creating a Process Paper, 18
• Developing Your Project, 19-22

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Basic Information

• Students will compete in either the junior or the
  senior division
• Junior Division is grades 6 through 8
• Senior Division is grades 9 through 12
• In all categories except historical papers, which
  is only for individuals, you may choose to
  participate as an individual or in a group of 2
  to 5 people
• Students from different grades may work together,
  but they must be in the same division

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Basic InformationWorking in Groups

• If you decide to work in a group, you need to
  think about whether those you are considering
  working with have the same work ethic and similar
  study/work habits. (For example some students
  like to be ready way in advance while others
  prefer working right to the deadline.)
• Make sure potential teammates have the same
  vision for the project. Will everyone want to
  continue to work on the project as long as it
  advances to another level or will they quit when
  the basic requirements are met?

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Getting Started

• Begin by reading the rules for all categories.
  You may download them at www.nationalhistoryday.or
  g/images/uploads/2009rulebook.pdf
• With approval of your teacher, you may choose a
  topic from world, national, state, or local
  history
• Your topic needs to relate to the annual theme.
  You may find theme information at
  http//www.nchistoryday.org/themes.html
• As you explore topics, make a list of how they
  may relate to the theme

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Getting Started

• Begin by doing preliminary research on a topic
  that interests you
• As an example we will use the Wright Brothers
  flight
• Examine some secondary sources such as a book
  about the Wrights or about aviation
• Secondary sources are ones that were written or
  created by someone who was not present at the
  event. They are important because they provide
  context and varied opinions of the event.

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Developing a Thesis

• You need to develop a main idea that will serve
  as the point or points you will prove in your
  project. The rest of your project will support
  your thesis statement.
• Your thesis may begin as a question for example,
  why was the first flight so significant?
• Eventually this question will be made into a
  statementyour thesis statement

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On December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright
accomplished the first powered flight at Kitty
Hawk, North Carolina. Even though it lasted only
12-seconds, it was the foundation for the
development of aviation as we know it today.
Sample Statement
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Doing Research

• Use both primary and secondary sources
• Use a wide variety of sourcesnot just the
  internet
• There is no minimum or maximum number of sources
  required. You should use as many as you need to
  prove your thesis statement and present various
  viewpoints. It is important to have some good
  primary sources.
• Primary sources are ones that were created or in
  use during the period being studied. They may
  include diaries, documents, oral interviews,
  published speeches, photographs, maps, music,
  newspapers, magazines, etc.

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Doing Research

• There are many good sources on the internet as
  well, but be sure to use reliable sites, such as
  those from government (.gov), university (.edu)
  or reputable organizations (.org)
• Evaluate all web sites, as well as all other
  sources, as to their reliability or their bias
• Do not rely on unsupervised sites like Wikipedia

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Doing Research

• As you examine your sources, keep track of them
  in a notebook or on note cards
• Record the information you will need to create a
  bibliographic entry
• Note whether it is a primary or secondary source
• Write down what important things you learn from
  the source

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Doing Research

• Write down questions it raises for you
• Ex Does the author have a bias or a particular
  point of view? Does it contradict another source
  youve seen?
• Write down quotations or main thoughts you might
  use in your project, and be sure to include page
  numbers
• In secondary sources, check the bibliography to
  see what other sources the author used that you
  might also examine

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Doing ResearchPlaces to Look

• School, public, or college libraries
• Archives
• Museums
• Historic Sites
• Local, State, or National Organizations
• Personal Papers or Photographs
• Personal Interviews

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Creating a Bibliography

• You will create an annotated bibliography using
  either MLA or Turabian style guide
• Divide your bibliography into primary and
  secondary sources
• Create an annotation for each sourcethe
  annotation should tell how that source was useful
  in understanding your project
• It should not be an overview of everything in the
  source

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Sample bibliography entries
Primary Sources
Edmonston, Catherine. Diary of a Secesh Lady The
Diary of Catherine Ann Devereaux Edmonston.
Raleigh North Carolina Division of Archives and
History, 1979.
From this source I learned how Mrs. Edmonston
viewed slaves on her plantation. It helped me see
how they were viewed as property rather than
people.
Secondary Sources
Franklin, John Hope. From Slavery to Freedom. New
York A.A. Knopf, 1947.
This provided me with a good overview of the
history of African Americans.
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Creating a Bibliography

• Tips
• Provide a complete citation. Someone reading your
  bibliography should know where to go and find
  that source based on the information you give.
• If you pull a primary source document from a
  secondary source, the main source should be
  listed under secondary sources. Use your
  annotation to explain that it included some
  primary source items.
• Do not list single photographs in your
  bibliography. List the source or website where
  the photo was found. If you have many instances
  of using a single photo and nothing else of
  substance from a source, create a separate
  section of the bibliography entitled Photo
  Sources and list them there.

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Creating a Bibliography

• Tipssample photo bibliographic entry
• The Nineteenth Century in Print. American
  Memory, Library of Congress. Online collection.
  http//memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpcoop/moahtml/mncho
  me.html
• This source provided a number of primary
  source images about 19th- century life that I was
  able to use in my documentary.
• Photo Sources
• Ku Klux Klan Parade, 1926 http//www.flickr.com/
  photos/32912172
• We Serve Whites Only, http//blog.joehuffman.org
  /content/binary/WhitesOnly.gif

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Creating a Process Paper

• Your process paper should be stapled to your
  bibliography. It should not exceed 500 words and
  it should tell
• How you chose your topic
• Where you did your research (in general terms).
  You might say I started at my school library and
  went to a university library, looked on the
  internet, etc.
• How you put your project together some basic
  facts like how you made your exhibit board, how
  you designed your props, what editing program you
  used, etc.
• How your topic relates to the theme

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Developing Your Project

• When you have a good grasp of your subject, and a
  sufficient number of good sources, you will
  choose how to present that information
• You may choose one of 5 categories historical
  paper, exhibit, performance, documentary, web
  site
• In all categories except historical papers, you
  may choose to participate as an individual or in
  a group of 2 to 5 people. Papers are individuals
  only.

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Developing Your Project

• Create an introduction that includes your thesis
  statement
• The body of your project should include the main
  ideas that you learned from your research and
  that support your thesis
• Demonstrating historical significance requires
  you to show change over time
• Include context (what the situation was before
  the event), describe the event itself, and
  explain how history was changed because of the
  event

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Developing Your Project

• Demonstrate that you have considered different
  views, including opinions that may differ from
  your own, about this event. Indicate why you
  think they are right or wrong.
• Remember to make the connection to the theme
  wherever you can without overdoing it. It is not
  good enough to mention it only in the
  introduction.
• Draw a conclusion that re-states the main ideas
  from your thesis statement

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Developing Your Project

• Create an interesting title, preferably one that
  indicates the connection to the theme
• If needed, use a subtitle to further clarify your
  idea
• Use the body of your project to show the evidence
  that supports your thesis

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Narrative vs. Analytical

• Your project must show analysis. It is not
  sufficient to just tell that things happen. You
  must explain why they are important.
• Narrative On December 7, 1941 the Japanese
  attacked Pearl Harbor.
• Analytical On December 7, 1941 the Japanese
  attacked Pearl Harbor, which brought the United
  States into the conflict and changed the outcome
  of the war.

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Categories

• Tips
• In choosing a category, think about your own
  strengths and interests but also think about
  which category best suits your topic. For
  example, if your topic does not lend itself to
  many images, you might want to think about a
  historical paper or performance, which do not
  need images, rather than documentary, which needs
  many.
• Once you decide upon a category, read the rules
  for that category periodically to make sure you
  are following them. Knowing and following the
  rules is your responsibility.

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Individual Category--Papers

• Historical papers are for individual
  participation only
• The title page should have only the title, the
  student name(s), and the category and division
• Do not put art or other things on the title page,
  and do not use a binder

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Individual Category--Papers

• Be sure to include footnotes or citations within
  your paper to give credit to the ideas of others
• The paper must be no less than 1,500 words and no
  more than 2,500 words
• Tips
• Proof, proof, proof your paper. Ask others to
  read it.
• Try reading it out loud to see how it sounds to
  you
• Be consistent in the tenses you use. Do not
  switch between past and present.
• See sample http//www.nationalhistoryday.org/Cate
  goryPaper.htm

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Individual and Group CategoriesWeb Sites

• May contain no more than 1200 student composed
  words
• Quotations, illustrations, charts, etc. not
  created by the student are not included in the
  word count
• Create the web site using the web site editor
  accessed at the NHD web site
• Home page should include student name(s), title,
  category, division, and a menu that directs the
  viewer to other parts of the project

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Individual and Group CategoriesWeb Sites

• All pages must be connected with hypertext links
  automatic redirects are not permitted
• The bibliography must be included on the web site
  but will not be included in the word count
• It may contain multimedia clips
• No clip should be longer than 45 seconds
• Clips should not contain student composed words

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Individual and Group CategoriesWeb Sites

• Tips
• Be sure that the project contains all of the
  elements of any good History Day projectthesis
  statement, body, conclusion
• Use images, charts, interviews, etc. to
  illustrate the points you will make using your
  1200 words
• Organize your web site so people may go to any of
  the tabs and still understand your pointin other
  words, they dont have to go in a particular
  order to understand it
• See sample http//www.nationalhistoryday.org/Cate
  goryWebsite.htm

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Individual and Group CategoriesDocumentaries

• Documentaries may be no longer than 10 minutes
• Your thesis statement should be obvious in the
  presentation. It should also have all the
  elements of any good History Day project.
• Include a brief list of sources at the end of the
  project
• Tips
• Create a story board that shows what
  illustrations will be used with each part of your
  script

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Individual and Group CategoriesDocumentaries

• Tips
• The strongest documentaries will have a voice
  narration and will make good use of documentary
  photographs and film clips (like those
  documentaries you see on PBS or History Channel)
• It is good to incorporate interviews with people
  who experienced the event or with experts
• However, use only as much of a clip as you need
  to support your point. The judges want to know
  what you know.
• Use all the time allotted to you. A 10-min
  documentary will have more info than an 8-min one
• See samplehttp//www.nationalhistoryday.org/Categ
  oryDocumentary.htm

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Sample Story Board
Sketch or Describe scene Opening shot of a bird in flight Outline script or voiceover For hundreds of years man dreamed of being able to soar like the birds Production Notes Fade to next shot
Sketch or Describe scene Outline script or voiceover Production Notes
Sketch or Describe scene Outline script or voiceover Production Notes
Sketch or Describe scene Outline script or voiceover Production Notes
Sketch or Describe scene Outline script or voiceover Production Notes
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Individual and Group CategoriesPerformances

• Performances may not be longer than 10 minutes in
  length
• Students are responsible for writing the script
  and creating any backdrops
• Tips
• Plan movements for each part of your play. Know
  where you will be standing, sitting or stooping
  for each part of the script. Think about facial
  expressions and gestures. You may want to use a
  story board similar to the one for documentaries
  to track these things.

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Individual and Group CategoriesPerformances

• Tips
• Keep sets (backdrops, props) as simple as
  possible. Remember you must be able to set them
  up and take them down by yourself.
• Costumes can be simple as well. For instance, if
  you change characters within your play, you might
  use just a hat or a shawl to indicate a new
  character. Transitions should be as quick as
  possible.
• To be successful in performance you must act.
  Project your words and show emotion!
• See sample http//www.nationalhistoryday.org/Cate
  goryPerformance.htm

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Individual and Group CategoriesExhibits

• Exhibits may be no more than 6 ft. high, 40
  inches wide, and 30 inches deep. Circular
  exhibits may be 30 inches in diameter.
• They may not have any more than 500
  student-generated words
• Brief citations citing sources and direct
  quotations from others do not count in the
  500-word limit

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Individual and Group CategoriesExhibits

• Tips
• Begin by writing five 100-word paragraphs that
  describe the significance of your topic. One
  should be your thesis statement, another your
  conclusion. The other words can be distributed
  among your labels to interpret your project.
• Do not use excessive quotations in your exhibit.
  Use only those items that will help you make your
  point.

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Individual and Group CategoriesExhibits

• Tips
• Do not use large blocks of text. An exhibit is a
  visual category, so you use a minimum of words
  and good illustrations.
• Make sure your exhibit is organized logically to
  make it easy to follow

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Individual and Group CategoriesExhibits

• Tips
• Choose words and illustrations carefully. Your
  board should not look cluttered.
• While tri-fold designs are most often used, you
  may use other designs as long as they do not
  exceed size limits.
• Use all the space allotted to you. A 6-ft exhibit
  will allow for more information in an attractive
  layout than will a 4-ft board.

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Sample Exhibit Layout(Tri-fold design)
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(No Transcript)
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Judging Projects

• Projects will be reviewed by qualified judges at
  each level of competition. Their primary purpose
  is to help you continue to learn from your
  experience.
• They will read your paperwork and view your
  project
• The judges will ask you questions about your
  project. They may ask specific questions about
  your topic or they may ask questions such as
  What was your most useful source?
• The judges will provide feedback to suggest ways
  to improve your project

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Judging Projects

• Your project will be judged on the following
  criteria
• Historical Quality60 of the score
• The project must demonstrate
• Historical Accuracy and Historical Significance
• Analysis and Interpretation
• Historical Context and Perspective
• Balance
• Solid Research using both primary and secondary
  sources

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Judging Projects

• Clarity of Presentation20
• Original, creative, well organized, interesting
• Written material is clear and grammatically
  correct
• Meets criteria for individual categories
• Adherence to theme20
• Clearly demonstrates a relationship to the theme
  throughout the project

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Judging Projects

• Tips
• Know your topic well. If you do, you should be
  prepared to answer judges questions however,
  the project should be able to stand on its own.
  Judges should be able to get all the essential
  information by looking at your project without
  you explaining it to them.

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Judging Projects

• Tips
• Participants in groups should be sure to
  contribute equally to the discussion. Dont let
  just one group member dominate the conversation.
  Judges want to know that all members participated
  and learned from the project.
• Know the rules and follow them. Points may be
  deducted for rules violations. For a copy of the
  rules see http//www.nationalhistoryday.org/images
  /uploads/2009rulebook.pdf

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Key Terms

• Historical Significancedemonstrates change over
  time. In order to know if something is
  significant in history, enough time must have
  passed for people to evaluate its significance.
• Primary Sourcea source that was created or in
  use during the time period being studied
• Secondary Sourcea source created by someone who
  did not experience an event first-hand

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Key Terms

• Bibliographya list of source materials that are
  used to research your project.
• Annotationan explanatory note that describes how
  each source in the bibliography was useful in
  learning about your topic. (Note it should not
  be a description of the content of the source.)
• Thesis Statementdeclares what you believe and
  what you intend to prove
• Plagiarismusing the works of others without
  proper attribution

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Key Terms

• Biasa particular way of looking at things that
  prevents unprejudiced consideration.
• Perspectivea particular point of view.
  Historical works should attempt to look at
  multiple perspectives.
• Contextbackground information what things were
  like before the event took place
• Student Composedtext the student has created to
  explain the project. Includes titles, subtitles,
  captions, etc. It does not include brief
  citations showing where an illustation came from
  or direct quotations.

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Need Assistance?Contacts

• If you have questions about rules or topics or
  need help finding sources, feel free to contact
  the state coordinator Jo Ann Williford at
  joann.williford_at_ncdcr.gov or by calling 919 807
  7284
• Additional information may be found at
• www.nchistoryday.org
• www.nhd.org