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History: Prof. Fujita's Assignments

A guide to research on historical topics

Book Review Assignment

A guide to help find resources for Professor James Fujita's history courses. 

Professor Fujita’s courses:

  • HIST 151: World History to 1500
  • HIST 152: World History since 1500
  • HIST 281: American History I (to 1877)
  • HIST 282: American History II (after 1877)

Book selection requirements:

  • Pick any topic that falls within the time frame of the class. This includes books about people or events.
  • The book should focus on history and be nonfiction with college-level reading. It must also be a secondary source.
  • A minimum of 200 pages of the actual content is needed, not including appendices, bibliographies, glossaries, indexes, full-page maps/pictures, or notes.
  • The book may be in print or ebook format.
  • Please see Professor Fujita to approve your selection. 

Book genres to avoid:

  • Literature
  • Scripture
  • Philosophy
  • Autobiography

Please refer to your current course syllabus for requirement updates.  

Primo

Search for books and other materials in the library collection, as well as articles, e‑books, and videos from the library's research databases.

Or go directly to Primo Search for more options.

Suggested Titles

http://go.hawaii.edu/4CA

This Google Sheet lists suggested book titles for Prof. Fujita's book assignment. This is a selected list. Many more titles can be found by using Primo Search

The titles are organized by course sections labeled in the tabs at the bottom of the sheet. Each column can be sorted to assist in your search. (Upon opening the document, lists are sorted by time period.)

Note: You must still obtain Professor Fujita's approval of your book selection.

Contact the Reference Desk for assistance finding other titles.

Selecting a Research Topic

  • Choose a topic that interests you. This is the most important step!
  • Start broad first, then narrow down your topic. Remember to keep it simple!
    • If your topic is too broad, you may find too much information
  • The 5Ws (Who, What, When, Where, Why) can be used to help select a research topic
  • Who: Famous or Infamous People
  • Examples:
    • HIST152- Jack the Ripper (London Serial Killer)
    • HIST282- Henry Ford (Founder of Ford Motor Company)
  • What:  Historical Events
  • Examples:
    • HIST281- The American Civil War (1861 - 1865)
    • HIST282- The Wall Street Crash of 1929
  • When: Specific Years or Time Periods
  • Examples:
    • HIST152- Japanese Edo Period (1603 - 1868) 
    • HIST151- European Crusades (1096 -1291)
  • Where: Geography or Significant Places
  • Examples:
    • HIST151- The Giza Pyramids 
    • HIST282- The Pentagon
  • Why: For what reason did this happen?

 

  • Tip: The 5Ws relate to each other and can be used to write your paper. Start with one and fill out the rest for additional research ideas when writing your paper.
  • Example: The Giza Pyramids (Where)
    • (Who) built the pyramids?
    • (What) are the pyramids? What do they look like? What are they made out of? 
    • (When) were the pyramids built? What year were they constructed? 
    • (Why) were the pyramids built?