Course info

Bibliography of Africa

This course is designed for two groups: graduate students in the humanities and social sciences studying Africa and interested library science students.  We will focus on the identification and evaluation of African studies reference sources and library techniques as a foundation for in-depth research. Sources covered will be in all formats, including print, microform, and electronic resources. The course can be taken for either 2 or 4 credit hours, however M.A. students in African Studies take the course for 4 credit hours.

Class sessions will consist of a mixture of lecture, discussion, and hands-on examination of sources and databases.  We will have guest lectures and visit some campus libraries. Students will be expected to purchase and use the following textbook through the semester.

 This course is designed for two groups: graduate students in the humanities and social sciences studying Africa and interested library science students.  We will focus on the identification and evaluation of African studies reference sources and library techniques as a foundation for in-depth research. Sources covered will be in all formats, including print, microform, and electronic resources. The course can be taken for either 2 or 4 credit hours, however M.A. students in African Studies take the course for 4 credit hours.

 Class sessions will consist of a mixture of lecture, discussion, and hands-on examination of sources and databases. 

♦ We will have guest lectures and visit some campus libraries.

♦ Students will be expected to purchase and use the following textbook through the semester

Requested book:

Kagan, Alfred & Atoma Batoma Reference Guide to Africa: A Bibliography of Sources. 3^nd ed. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014.

 

Scholars of Africa must know how to correctly format bibliographic citations as well as evaluate sources.

Students are expected to master these skills. Please use one of the two documentation styles thoroughly explained in The Chicago Manual of Style (16th ed., 2010), which is available in print in many libraries and online through the Library Gateway.  Students are encouraged to purchase a copy for on-going consultation.

 

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY -- 50% of grade

Each student will prepare a useful annotated bibliography. This assignment has several purposes. It should be on a subject that interests you and that will likely have application to your future research. The successful project will demonstrate your ability to find and use databases, indexes, bibliographies, and other reference materials to find appropriate materials exactly on your research topic.  It will also demonstrate your ability to organize materials in a coherent manner using standard bibliographic formats, and to write substantive annotations. Although abstracts are now available online from many databases, students will be expected to examine sources and write original annotations. Note that copying abstracts without attribution constitutes plagiarism, grounds for dismissal from the University of Illinois.

 

Students taking the course for 2 credit hours will compile a minimum of 50 scholarly citations with descriptive annotations. Those taking the course for 4 credit hours will compile at least 100 scholarly citations with descriptive annotations. (Avoid articles from popular magazines and newspapers. Your bibliography should include a table of contents and an introduction discussing the importance of your topic describing scope, arrangement, and format. It is also helpful to describe your search strategy noting any special problems encountered along the way.  Include a list of the databases, indexes, bibliographies, and other reference materials consulted. Don’t forget the general sources listed in Chapter 1 of the Reference Guide to Africa. 

 

Note where you first found each citation.  Use a code to refer back to your list of sources.

Proposed topics should be thoroughly discussed and then approved by the instructor. The scope of the project and its organization must be well defined for a successful outcome. Please continue consultation throughout the semester as necessary. To be sure that you are on the right track, introductory materials and sample citations with annotations will be due in the third week of September. In addition, introductory materials and 20 formatted and organized citations with annotations will be due in mid-October. The project will be due on the last day of class.

Prepare a nearly comprehensive work on a narrowly defined topic. 

Selective bibliographies (the “best” or most easily available sources) will NOT be accepted. Make sure you include materials by African authors published in Africa and elsewhere!

Submit interlibrary loan requests early!

 Turn in 2 full copies on the last day of class. Note well that extensions will only be approved in the case of true emergencies. One copy will be graded and returned to you with comments. The second copy will be kept on file in the Africana Unit.

 EXERCISES -- 10% of grade

All students will complete 2 exercises on print and electronic resources during the first half of the semester. They are due not later than one week after relevant class sessions. Late assignments will be downgraded.

SOURCE EVALUATIONS -- 40% of grade

All students will evaluate and present 2 specific sources to the class during the first part of the course. Written presentations should be handed in immediately after the oral presentations. See “Part One: General Sources” in the textbook.

 Each student will evaluate and present specific sources to the class throughout the second part of the course; 10 sources for those taking the course for 4 credit hours or 5 sources for those taking the course for 2 credit hours. Written presentations should be handed in immediately after the oral presentations.  See “Part Two: Subject Sources” in the textbook.

 Plan ahead and pick your subjects and dates wisely.  Choose and hand-in your proposed list of 12 or 6 sources at or before the time noted on the class schedule. 

 CLASS ATTENDANCE

Graduate students are expected to be responsible and considerate of their fellow students and their professors.  If you are scheduled to do a class presentation, please make every effort to come to class.  If you will not be able to attend due to illness or other emergency, please e-mail or phone Professor Batoma so that other arrangements can be made to cover your materials.  Students are expected to come to class on time. If you must be late for a legitimate reason, be sure to notify Professor Batoma in advance. 

Late arrivals disrupt classes.