Goal: To get students to think critically about democratic
participation in the United States while familiarizing themselves with
the library and archival records.
 
Summary of goals: This
assignment should teach students how to use archival records to answer
a research problem.  Students will read portions of Webb’s Unobtrusive
Methods (chapters 3 and 4) to think about ways of using archival
records.  Students will learn about using archival records as an
unobtrusive method through working in small groups in and out of class,
culminating in a final paper and in-class presentation.  Time will be
set aside in each class for students to meet.  Additionally, there will
be a meeting with me halfway through the assignment to work out any
potential problems that may have come up.  Essentially, students are
expected to learn about archival records as an unobtrusive method
through first-hand experience.  Students are also expected to learn
about low voter turnout in the United States. 

Breakdown of objectives:

            -to use unobtrusive methods for research

            -to acquaint students with the library

            -to acquaint students with archival records (govt, courts, communications, etc.)

            -to understand a particular phenomenon (low voter turnout)

            -to do group work

            -to write a well-researched paper

            -to present findings to the class

 
In
class explanation of assignment:  Divide the class randomly into
groups.  Explain that each group will have four weeks to complete the
assignment.  Using library records, each group will try and explain why
there is such low voter turnout in the United States.  Each group will
be divided into the following groups based upon archival source used:
actuarial records, political records, judicial records, and mass media.

Explain
to students that later this week we will take a library tour to see all
of the records that are available to you.  Though not all of the
material will be necessary in your final paper and presentation, you
will find that the resources in the library will aid your research
immensely.  You are encouraged to make extensive use of the library. 
In other words, do not GOOGLE!  Internet research can be seen as
complimentary to your own use of the library, but is not the purpose of
this assignment.  Failure to use the library’s records will result in
automatic failure. 

Explain to students that they should read
pdf versions of chapter 3 and 4 in Webb’s Unobtrusive Methods before
the next class in order to understand their own particular archival
source. 

Communicate to students that I expect great work from everyone. 

Explain
to students that I will set aside time in the next two weeks within
class to meet with each group on an individual basis to see their
progress/troubleshoot any problems that may have come up.

Assignment
(printed and to be given to each student): The United States is in a
crisis with low voter turnout.  Currently, about half of the adult
voting population actually goes to vote in the United States.  If
election turnout increases a few percentage points it is seen as a
miracle.  Mirroring trends seen around the world, though devastatingly
worse in the United States, political participation in the democratic
process through elections is in a state of decline. 

Using your
particular archival method, your paper and in-class presentation should
answer why election turnout is so low in the United States and what the
effect might be on our culture.  Each of the particular methods
assigned to each group will have a different interpretation of why
there is low voter turnout in the United States.  Additionally, each of
your archival sources will be able to explain low voter turnout in a
way that the other sources records do not indicate.    

It is
important that you use archival sources from the library to answer your
question.  Additional sources may be necessary, though they are not
required.  Your presentation and paper is to give an in-depth view of
low voter turnout in the United States.  In particular, your
presentation will want to answer why there is such low turnout, what
may be causing low voter turnout, how low voter turnout is a problem,
and what steps can be taken to address the problem.  You are not
expected to answer all of these questions since each of your methods
may address 1 or 2 of these questions.  But for whatever source you
use, you are expected to address each question as fully as possible. 

Each
group is expected to do an in-class presentation as well as turn in a
final paper in four weeks.  The project will culminate in a class
presentation approximately 15 minutes long, with a few minutes left for
questions.  Students should address the problem of low voter turnout. 
Additionally, each group should spend a few minutes discussing the
benefits and downsides of using their archival method for this kind of
research.  It is important that every student in the group present in
class.  The group should also expect to turn in a 10 page paper to me
summarizing their findings. 

Later this week, we will take a
library tour to see all of the records that are available to you. 
Though not all of the material will be necessary in your final paper
and presentation, you will find that the resources in the library will
aid your research immensely.  You are encouraged to make extensive use
of the library.  In other words, do not GOOGLE!  Internet research can
be seen as complimentary to your own use of the library, but is not the
purpose of this assignment.  Failure to use the library’s records will
result in automatic failure. 

In two weeks I will meet with each group individually during class to troubleshoot and problems that may have come up.

Students
are expected to meet with their groups outside of class to write the
paper and work on the presentation.  Additionally, I will set aside
some class time for you to meet in your groups to work on the project.

Oftentimes
working in groups students encounter difficulties working with other
class members.  You are encouraged to work out any disagreements you
might have within your own group.  If the problem is not resolved
afterward, please meet with me personally.  You will personally not be
penalized if one group member fails to perform the assignment.

On
the day each group will give a final in-class presentation, everyone
will take a few minutes to rate each other group member’s work in
class.  This grade will result in 15% of the final grade for the
project.
 

Grading for Final Project:

            Archival Research: 30%

            Your own comments grading each other group member: 15%

            Class Presentation: 30%

            Final Paper: 25%

The
final project is worth 30% of your final grade in this class (30%
midterm, 30% final, 10% attendance/participation).  Do not slack off on
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