Greetings. Grad students in His 5000 are writing historiography papers about general questions or issues (as above). I have met with each to hash out some parameters (some these–U.S. in Central America, the Frontier–are still quite broad). I have suggested that they contact a professor or two (listed) with specific expertise in the area to help them refine their focus, understand the issues, and provide some direction on a crucial bibliography.(My general rule: if they don't have historians debating/disagreeing, they don't have a historiography paper or subject. These are historiography, not research papers, so there has to be a full literature on the subject.)
I am asking them to do the following in their papers: define a subject or question, suggest the major approaches to the question (schools of thought) with specific examples (quotations by historians showing argument or method), position themselves by evaluating relative merits of what is argued in a few key works, and search and provide a bibliography of further works about this.
I have suggested that they consult/analyze at least one historiographical review essay, two key books, four articles, and six book reviews, and append ten additional works that they have not consulted or consulted only briefly, but which they know through reviews, other articles–to be relevant to their argument.
Any pointers, direction, helpful summations you might give them will be much appreciated.