HIS 111
Unit 1: Introduction

Ruins of Ancient Babylon; photo courtesy of Sean O'Neill.
See some of his other photos taken while serving in Iraq.

 

What you must do in this unit (There is a lot to do to get started.)

• Familiarize yourself with the Patterns of World History textbook and plan when assignments are due. Some weeks you will have more work to complete than other weeks; so plan ahead! Students often have asked me about the purpose of the textbook in the course. Let me offer two points. 1st, we can't cover everything in world history, and so the textbook helps provide the linking material between the topics that we cover in each unit. The textbook also offers information about each of the topics that we do cover in the course. 2nd, the textbook is a good starting point to help you answer the key terms and questions to consider for each unit of the course. And finally, 3rd, the textbook is a big help in studying for the timeline on the final exam, and also for the maps on both exams.
• Review NOVA Online policies and procedures and the course requirements for this course.
• Check out all of the course assignments and materials.  Pay particular attention to the details of the midterm and final exams. See the information on Canvas in the exams module.
• For further course and contact information, please read your Instructor's Welcome on Canvas.
• Watch the short introduction video. You can also watch my short video on why it is not that terrible that you have to take a history survey course.
• Make sure that you have read the information on the course assignments and grading. This is very, very important.
• Since the use of proper grammar, spelling and style are an inherent part of each assignment in this course, please take a moment to check the course writing resources available in Charlie's History Writing Center for more information.
• Study the Questions to Consider and the Key Terms for this unit. These are important for your midterm and final exams--you might want to take a look now at the exam information.

• Submit the required Introduction paragraph (10 points).
• Post an informal introduction to the other students in the class on the discussion board (5 points).
• Take the Syllabus Quiz in Canvas. (10 points extra credit) This is a short, 10-question orientation quiz that you must take and pass with a score of 9/10 before you can continue in the course. If you must, you can retake the quiz more than once.
• As an exception to the course one item submitted per day, you should complete all three of these on the same day.
• NOTE that you must complete and submit the introduction paragraph to avoid being removed from the course on your First Assignment Due date. See your course schedule for the exact date.

• Watch the short video on developing a time management schedule for your course work. Please be realistic about your work, family and course obligations when you sign up for an online history course. If you are working fifty or sixty hours a week and taking a full load of courses, then you are going to have trouble finding enough time to study.
• Watch the short video on asking questions in your course.

• You may listen to some further general introductory remarks from Professor Evans' HIS 101 course.  Even though the remarks were made for a Western civilization course some years ago, they are equally applicable to this world civilization course now.
• Read some short remarks on Why Do We Teach and Study Western Civilization; or World Civilization, or Why Study Any History?
• Check out Professor Campbell's short video, Is History B.S.? or his Is Western Civilization B.S.?
• We also have a list of history associations available.
• Begin to review for the map portion of the midterm (unit 8) and final (unit 15) exams.  Now is a good time to begin to study and prepare.  Please check the Blank World Map and the Map items, a list of the geographical places, features and areas that you will be expected to locate on a blank map for the tests.  Check some recommended sources for map study.
• If you've ever wondered what exactly a history professor does, then have a look at Professor Evans' short video.

• For 10 points of extra credit, review this entire course website, check the online NOVA Online student orientation and submit any questions that you might have in canvas.  This must be done in unit 1 of the course to receive credit.
• For up to 10 points of extra credit, comment in a long paragraph on the perspective of time displayed in Carl Sagan's Cosmic Calendar (also in slightly different versions at The Cosmic Timeline or The Timeline).  You can also watch this on YouTube. (well worth watching!) Here is a link to another actual timeline of the universe.
• For up to 10 points of extra credit, comment in a long paragraph on the remarks relevant to the characteristics of "civilization" according to François Pierre Guillaume Guizot.

• Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to explain the structure of the course and the format and requirements of the main assignments and exams.