History Practicum
Love and Marriage in the Middle Ages
Time and Location
MWF 10:40-11:30
Flint 113
Description
What is history? Why do we study it? What skills do professional historians need to do there work? In this course, we will attempt to provide answers to those and other related questions, in a manner designed to introduce new History majors to the professional study of the discipline and to facilitate the development of skills in the practice of problem-centered history. The course is organized around the theme of “love and marriage in the Middle Ages,” which will be covered in lectures, readings, and discussions. At the same time, the goal of this course is to enable you to master a set of skills that are essential to what historians do: identifying and evaluating source materials; critical reading of primary and secondary sources; formulating research questions; documenting and writing papers. In short, this course is designed to provide both knowledge and skills that will serve you in your academic career at the University of Florida and in your professional career after graduation.
Required texts
- Conor McCarthy (ed.), Love, Sex, and Marriage in the Middle Ages. A Sourcebook. 2nd edition (London: Routledge, 2022); ISBN: 9780367706555; available as e-book through the University of Florida Libraries [hereafter McCarthy]
- Mary Lynn Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing in History. 10th edition (Bedford/St. Martin’s, Macmillan Learning, 2021); ISBN: 97813192444415 [hereafter Rampolla]
Assignments and grading policies
There is no attendance policy, but you are responsible for attending all lectures and reading the required texts. Class participation and preparation constitutes 35 percent of your final grade. Participation refers not only to regular attendance (despite the absence of a specific attendance policy), but also to your contribution to class discussions, to short-response papers, and a variety of other assignments over the course of the semester (e.g., exercises). Be aware that thorough preparation for, and active participation in weekly discussions is crucial for success in this course. Plan in advance at least two blocks of time (minimally 5 hours a week outside of class) when you can do the required reading and weekly writing assignments.
The Midterm and the Final represent 40 percent of your final grade (each for 20 percent). They will cover everything from lectures and readings, in both multiple choice and essay format. The remaining 25 percent of your final grade will be based on the writing assignments for every week. They are all due on the day indicated in the course weekly schedule.
The following scale will be used in determining your final grade
| Points | Grades |
| 97-100 | A |
| 93-96 | A- |
| 88-92 | B+ |
| 81-87 | B |
| 75-80 | B- |
| 68-74 | C+ |
| 61-67 | C |
| 55-60 | C- |
| 48-54 | D+ |
| 41-47 | D |
| 35-40 | D- |
| under 35 | E |
Required Policies
Students Requiring Accommodation
Students with disabilities who experience learning barriers and would like to request academic accommodations should connect with the disability Resource Center by visiting https://disability.ufl.edu/students/get-started. It is important for students to share their accommodation letter with their instructor and discuss their access needs, as early as possible in the semester.
UF Evaluations Process
Students are expected to provide professional and respectful feedback on the quality of instruction in this course by completing course evaluations online via GatorEvals. Guidance on how to give feedback in a professional and respectful manner is available at https://gatorevals.aa.ufl.edu/students. Students will be notified when the evaluation period opens and can complete evaluations through the email they receive from GatorEvals, in their Canvas course menu under GatorEvals, or via https://ufl.bluera.com/ufl. Summaries of course evaluation results are available to students at https://gatorevals.aa.ufl.edu/public-results.
University Honesty Policy
UF students are bound by The Honor Pledge which states, “We, the members of the University of Florida community, pledge to hold ourselves and our peers to the highest standards of honor and integrity by abiding by the Honor Code. On all work submitted for credit by students at the University of Florida, the following pledge is either required or implied: “On my honor, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid in doing this assignment.” The Honor Code (https://www.dso.ufl.edu/sccr/process/student-conduct-honor-code) specifies a number of behaviors that are in violation of this code and the possible sanctions. Furthermore, you are obligated to report any condition that facilitates academic misconduct to the appropriate personnel.