HUMN510 - The Ancient World

All students majoring in the humanities should have a mastery of online research methods; these include researching appropriate primary resources through the Web, belonging to relevant professional discussion forums, and understanding the relevant literature for this course so that they can do required assignments involving research. Faculty must actively encourage students to:

• Demonstrate the proper techniques for conducting advanced online historical research, with initial focus through The Online Library.
• Locate and evaluate online primary and secondary source materials.
• Identify errors and apply corrective measures in online historical research methodologies.
• Explore existing literature and digital archives in support of research interests.

As indicated by successful completion of research and writing requirements, students should also demonstrate proficiency in Web navigation, including exploration of the evolving environment of the “Invisible College, primary resources, historical research sites, and such advanced web applications as:

• Web 2.0: H-Net offers the most established forum for scholarly communications, but may be augmented by other discussion groups, blogs, wikis, or Second Life-type of experience.

Graduate students should explore the research holdings of The Online Library and their ability to support research needs. Each student will be required to write on particular research issues, with specific attention afforded to:

• Online Scholarly Journals: Students will identify and monitor the key refereed journals in their research area as part of their ongoing scholarly portfolio; and
• Electronic Books/Subject Clusters: Students will identify key texts or clusters or resources (e.g., Praeger Security International) in their research area and explore the electronic researching ability for such genre as a complement to print-based immersion.
• University libraries, including the APUS Online Library, national libraries, and college professors have created major sites with information resources, links to other trusted sites, and electronic networking potential. Students will determine appropriate archival repositories and government agencies for their research interests. Students are expected to learn about archival research and the use of

government documents, but also advanced Web tools like Encoded Archival Description, finding aids and associated online searching tools for government and academic sites. While certainly not inclusive – as the student is expected to conduct their own independent research.

REQUIRED TEXTS

All required texts are available online, as listed below. You may also find links to the required texts in the Resources folder. If you prefer printed versions, there are many available translations.

Aristotle. Poetics

http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/poetics.html

Foster, Benjamin R., editor. The Epic of Gilgamesh.

Online text: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/11000/11000-8.txt

Homer. The Odyssey.

Online text: http://classics.mit.edu/Homer/odyssey.html

The Holy Bible.

Online text: http://www.biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible

Ovid. Metamorphoses.

Online text: http://etext.virginia.edu/latin/ovid/trans/Ovhome.htm

Plato. The Republic.

Online text: http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/republic.html

Sophocles. Oedipus Rex.

Online text: http://www.enotes.com/oedipus-rex-text/oedipus-rex

Virgil. The Aeneid.

Online text: http://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Latin/Virgilhome.htm

Other readings as assigned.

RECOMMENDED REFERENCES (For All Humanities Majors)

• Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 6th ed. NY: The Modern Language Association of America, 2003.

Accessible through The Online Library.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The Department of Humanities requires conformity with the traditional MLA Handbook.