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What is the History Fair?

Pre-Ap Texas History has a MANDATORY History Fair Project. The topic changes each year. It follows the guidelines set by the National History Fair. We will begin the second week of school and will conclude a week before the 2 weeks grading period.

Every year National History Day frames students’ research within a historical theme. The theme is chosen for the broad application to world, national or state history and its relevance to ancient history or to the more recent past. This year’s theme is Conflict and Compromise. The intentional selection of the theme for NHD is to provide an opportunity for students to push past the antiquated view of history as mere facts and dates and drill down into historical content to develop perspective and understanding.

Click links below

Researching your topics:

To narrow down your topic, click on the appropriate link below

World Topics

U.S Topics

Texas Topics

Where to begin:

A. Explore the various categories by reading the category guides:

Exhibit
Individual Documentary
Group Documentary
Historical Paper
Individual Website
Group Website
Individual Performance
Group Performance

B. Look at winning examples from the National History Day Website

C. Choose a topic and category. In order to have sufficient historical perspective.

D. Think about how your topic and category is connected to the NHD theme. Answer the questions about your topic and category on the History Day Topic Approval form. (This can also be submitted by clicking the History Day Topic Approval Form link)

E. Research your topic. Start with an internet search and then read about your topic. That's right, find and read an entire book that was written about your topic. Historians call this "historical context." Think about it: It is much easier to build a jigsaw puzzle, and to see where the individual pieces fit, when you know what the finished picture looks like.*

H. Submit the History Day Topic Approval form. Be prepared to defend your topic and category choices.

Topic Selection 2018 - Click this link - Google Form

Research your topic

A. Read Successful Research: Understanding the Big Three to identify and locate primary, secondary, and tertiary sources. Begin your research with tertiary sources but move quickly to secondary and primary sources.

B. Begin your research. Start with the list of important research tools.

C. Begin searching for contacts for an interview and locations of museums, libraries, or archives you can visit.

Important Checklist

The starting lineup is a great place to start, but they can't always win the game for you. These sources will help you finish the game. (in no particular order)

Define the Theme and choose a topic
Try putting it in your own words
Brainstorm and write down all the words associated with the theme.
Complete the Topic Selection Form
Review the sources, internet sites, other areas to gather information
Find a variety of sources for your topic
Save, Review, Read and Evaluation if it works with the theme. Use Google Docs and create a folder titled "History Fair".
Begin a rough draft of the process paper
Explain how the entry was chosen
Explain how the research was conducted
Explain why you chose this particular category
Outline the steps necessary to complete your project
Explain how your project relates to the theme
Write the Annotated Bibliography
Select the type of presentation category
Evaluate your project

Bibliography

Read the instructions in the History Day Annotation Bibliography Guidelines. Pay close attention to the rules for tertiary sources. As you research, compile a bibliography in NoodleBib. Annotations will be added later.

A. Read the citation guides for each database. This will help you correctly identify the different types of documents contained in each database, properly cite URLs and label sources as primary or secondary.

Why Wait to Annotate?

NHD requires an annotation for each of the sources in your bibliography. While it is tempting to annotate as you research, here are some reasons not to.

1. Your annotation must explain how you used the source and how it helped you understand the topic. Competitive entries have comprehensive, well thought-out responses to these questions. You will not be able to provide a high quality answer to either of these questions during the preliminary stages of research. You may not be able to answer either of the questions about most of your sources until your project is completed.

2. Your final product will not use all of the sources that you find. Don't spend time annotating sources that you might not use.

3. Students who qualify for the Lone Star Regional History Day competition will have plenty of time to write thoughtful annotations prior to the competition.

Process Paper

Please have paper in Chicago/Turabian style with 12pt size, with word count
Your child is required to prepare a History Fair project, which will be due the week after Thanksgiving Break. This is a requirement for being in Pre-Ap
The project must include an annotated bibliography, process paper and a final project.
Each student will give a brief presentation and will be asked a series of questions regarding their project in class.
The annotated bibliography must include 10 sources. MLA citation guides and examples will be provided to help with this portion of the project. It must be seperated by primary and secondary sources.
The process paper must have a title page and should consist of no more than 500 words. It is a description of the ways in which the student researched and developed their project. I will provide your child with an outline and samples that may help the student write the report.