Academic Matters

Career Guide for History Majors -- To assist students thinking about majoring in history or for history majors concerned about finding employment after graduation, I have assembled a few observations about career options for those with a BA in history.  The article includes a downloadable and printable map to help students consider their alternatives after graduating.

Finding Primary Sources -- The pointers in this essay provide students with ideas for locating a variety of primary sources for their research papers.

The Historiographical Essay -- Undergraduate or graduate students about to write a historiographical essay may find this introduction helpful.

"I Don't Know What to Write!" -- Read this article if you have a writing assignment and are staring at a blank page.

"I'll Never Read All of This!" -- If you are feeling overwhelmed with your reading load, add this article to your reading list.

Life after the Demise of a European Studies Track -- If you are a UWF student interested in European studies, this article contains some crucial information.  Even if you are not a UWF student, there may be some useful pointers about planning your academic program to position yourself for admission to graduate or professional programs in European affairs or to gain employment that deals with Europe.

Preparing for Graduate Studies in History -- Undergraduates who are interested in applying to MA and PhD programs will want to read this article that provides insights into the process of selecting a university for graduate study and preparing the application.

Studying Foreign Languages -- Many history majors intending to obtain graduate degrees must have one or two foreign languages.  This article addresses the benefits of speaking foreign languages, when to begin studying them, and how to learn them effectively.

Taking Essay Exams -- The suggestions in this article may help relieve some of the stress associated with taking essay exams and help improve the quality of essays.

Taking Notes -- The suggestions here will help you take effective notes when reading, while in the classroom, and during meetings.

Writing Short Papers -- Tackling a short paper is not difficult, assuming that students complete all the readings for the assignment, that they effectively use their time, and that they follow some of the useful pointers in this article.

Writing Research Papers -- If you are about to write a research paper, these suggestions may help to make the project manageable.