2.IV.2000:  Hey Gators! Guess What! Only about four weeks to go.  Then the semester is over.  It has gone fast.  But there is a lot more to do.  Now that we have had few weeks to settle in after Spring Break I want to make some suggestions.  For those of you in HIS 3463, don't fall behind.  The key reading is Kuhn's Structure of Scientific Revolutions.  Try to get to it soon.  Read it twice.  Think about how it applies to the course.  As promised from Day One, your Last Take-Home Essay will turn on how well you understand Kuhn and how his views help you organize and interpret the course.  Now is the time to integrate the course readings.  Ask yourself how they all fit together.  Budget time each week to read through each book we have read with one question in mind:  How does this fit and what does it mean?  Come to firm conclusions, critical and creative, that you can defend with good arguments and sound evidence.  Take time now to find the best citations to support you views.  You may want to start drafting your final essay now.  Make a start now rather than put it off.  That would help you focus your efforts.  In any case, don't let up until the the fat lady is dead.  The most difficult and important part of the course has yet to come.  Students in NDF have a similar challenge.  We have had a marvelous opportunity to study three extraordinary figures who have become nothing less than cultural icons.  Your job is to ask how that happened.  To arrive at an answer you can support and defend in your Last Essay, you must find patterns of similarity as well as notable and telling differences.  You need to come up with your own list of questions about who these individuals were.  How they saw themselves.  How they wished others to see them.  How others viewed them during their life time as well as how and why later writers have portrayed them as they have.  So that is that.  As time flies by, I wish you all good luck but must insist that luck is not what is needed.  You know what to do.  Cheers, H.  14.III.99:  Welcome Back Gators!  Hope you had a good Spring Break, that you are all rested and full of energy.  You know why.  Check out the syllabus.  It's time to get serious about the next couple of months.  That's all that's left.  Then it's over.  So don't fall behind.  Take a close look at the work that remains for all of your classes.  Then check out your calendar and start plotting things out.  Please be sure you make time for my class.  It will be a challenge for the stretch.  It will take real effort on your part.  But it should also be fun.  So, welcome back to the last stretch, Gators. 6.IX.99 - Happy Labor Day!:  Speaking of labor, this will be a difficult semester for most of us. The good news is that we appear to have survived the first two weeks!   CONGRATULATIONS!  A few points will serve as reminders:  1).  For HIS 3463, by now you should have all of your books, given them a general overview, and by now you should have read all of the material at this WebSite at the Teaching Resources button. This is required reading that should now be completed. You will be tested on the material. The most important bit of advice that I have is to follow the mantra. If you don't know the mantra, you haven't read the appropriate materials at this WebSite. 2).  For HIS 3930, The Scientific Revolution, the Primary Readings are now available at Gator Textbook. The cost, I was told, is $45.00 (nearly 700 pages). If you have question, contact Gator Textbook or Custom Copies. Several HIS 3930 students were confused about the Critiques.  The Critiques are to be 500 - 750 words (approximately 3 typed pages). More importantly; as Critiques, they should be issue-driven and based on analysis (NOT book reviews based on narrative and filled with description).  The Critiques are discussed on the syllabus and there are several pages at this WebSite on How to Write a Critique.  This is an important skill and central to what we hope to achieve in our seminar. Students may also find several pages on How to Survive a Colloquium.   Questions? Please E-Me or see me in Office Hours.  In the meantime, don't forget the Mantra [No. 1]: When in doubt:  Come to class; Read the syllabus; Read Ahead; If you have any questions: Ask.  Understand and do all the stuff on the WebSite. So, Congratulations on surviving the first two weeks!  Stick with the program.  Do not fall behind in lectures or in the readings. By all means, if you have concerns, E-Me at the button on the opening page.  Good luck in the new semester!  Organize your calendar now! Work hard each day to make it memorable and rewarding. 14.VIII.99:  Students --Welcome Back to Gainesville!  If you are an entering Freshman, a special welcome to the University of Florida and what is lovingly known as 'Hogtown.'  Take time to become familiar with the University. Get a map, walk around campus, find your classrooms in advance of the opening week.  You will find that cozy little Gainesville will mushroom in size by about 30 percent as nearly 40,000 students return, all of them trying to fit in the same parking spot.  Also, as another tip, students enrolled in my courses are encouraged to review this website with particular care.  The syllabi for my courses are listed under the button 'Current Courses.'  Students are also encouraged in the strongest terms to read through the relevant sections found under the button 'Teaching Resources.'  Important information, which will be required reading, can be found there on Reading & Writing, taking exams, and other tips on how to survive in a university setting.  Welcome Back.  If you have questions or concerns in advance of our first class meeting, please feel free to contact me by e-mail by clicking the button on the opening page. I have received several email questions about Fall Courses.  If you have questions please feel free to contact me by clicking the email button on the opening page.  Also, please note that students are required to read all appropriate material at this WebSite regarding courses, Teaching Resources, etc.  Do this immediately and review the WebSite regularly and as required. For information about Gator Textbooks and a map to the store (3501 SW 2nd Avenue, Suite D; Phone: 374-4500) click the WebSite: http://www.gatortextbooks.com  If you need a map to find Customcopies click the WebSite: http://www.customcopies.com/map.html Incoming students enrolled in HIS 3463 and HIS 3930, please note that texts are available at Gator Textbook, as is the Study Guide for HIS 3463 and eventually (no hurry) the Reader for HIS 3930.  Please note that the Reader for HIS 3930 (The Scientific Revolution) will not be needed, nor will it be available, for several weeks. For further information about any of the courses, please see the syllabi by clicking the button on the HomePage:  'Current Courses'. Good Luck -- And Welcome Back! 2.IV.99:  Happy-Post-April-Fools Day!  I decided to wait until after that great day to add a message to the Bulletin Board.  The reason?  No fooling:  Time is short.  What follows are a few suggestions for how to survive the next few weeks.  That is to say, we have turned the corner.  Classes are over in a matter of a few weeks.  In all of my classes, the quantity of reading increases slightly and, above all, the difficulty increases.  It is important to stick with the program.  To be specific, HIS 3463:  It is critical to read Kuhn's Structure of Scientific Revolutions with great care.  You should read it at least twice or until you understand the particulars and the nuance of his thesis.  But the real challenge is to apply his model to our course.  That will require integrative thinking, that is critical and creative thought.  I will do what ever I can to help.  But you must do your part.   The same holds for SHC.  Understanding Kuhn will be a challenge.  Putting the entire course together will be at least equally difficult.  See the syllabus at this site to confirm details about the last essay.  Here's the question:   On the basis of your critical understanding of Kuhn's Structure of Scientific Revolutions, write a critical and synthetic essay drawing together the various themes and issues of the course.  Your essay must be critical and analytical.  It must draw on issues from the readings and it must be supported with specific examples and appropriate citations to defend your carefully stated thesis.  Good Luck. Finally students in NDF have their own challenge.  As we have discussed in class, your job is first to come to an understanding of Freud. Finally, in the Last Take-Home Essay, the task is to draw together you views on Newton, Darwin, and Freud and to understand how they help you arrive at a better understanding of science, history, biography, and the creation of cultural icons and social heroes.  A precise question will appear at this website following the completion of your Freud paper.  In the meantime, my best advice to those in the NDF class is that you re-read the books for the course and study your notes.  Start now in developing an outline and collecting relevant citations from the secondary and primary sources that we have read.  Above all, remember that each student must integrate appropriate biographical materials from two major studies of the figure (Newton or Darwin or Freud) you selected at the outset of the course.  If you have questions, by all means ask.  Don't delay your preparations. Finally, as a reminder, the His-Sci Chat-Page may now prove particularly useful.  If you have thoughts and questions that you wish to air, give it a try.  It seemed to work particularly well around Mid-Term.  It should work especially well now.  This is an excellent way to extend your out-of-class learning.  You know what to do.  Good Luck Gators.  Hang in there. 21.III.99:  Well well.  Only four and a half weeks to go.  Then the semester is over.  It has gone fast.  But there is a lot more to do.  Now that we have had a week to settle in after Spring Break I want to make some suggestions.  For those of you in HIS 3463, don't fall behind.  The key reading is Kuhn's Structure of Scientific Revolutions.  Try to get to it soon.  Read it twice.  Think about how it applies to the course.  As promised from Day One, your Last Take-Home Essay will turn on how well you understand Kuhn and how his views help you organize and interpret the course.  SHC students should not rest easy either, even though the books have grown thinner.  It's now time to put all of these Great & Big Ideas together.  Now is the time to integrate the course readings.  Ask yourself how they all fit together.  Budget time each week to read through each book we have read with one question in mind:  How does this fit and what does it mean?  Come to firm conclusions, critical and creative, that you can defend with good arguments and sound evidence.  Take time now to find the best citations to support you views.  You may want to start drafting your final essay now.  Make a start now rather than put it off.  That would help you focus your efforts.  In any case, don't let up until the the fat lady is dead.  The most difficult and important part of the course has yet to come.  Students in NDF have a similar challenge.  We have had a marvelous opportunity to study three extraordinary figures who have become nothing less than cultural icons.  Your job is to ask how that happened.  To arrive at an answer you can support and defend in your Last Essay, you must find patterns of similarity as well as notable and telling differences.  You need to come up with your own list of questions about who these individuals were.  How they saw themselves.  How they wished others to see them.  How others viewed them during their life time as well as how and why later writers have portrayed them as they have.  So that is that.  As time flies by, I wish you all good luck but must insist that luck is not what is needed.  You know what to do.  Also, on a related matter, I again encourage each of you to see me in Office Hours if you have any difficulties.  If you prefer, please feel free to use the His-Sci-Chat to share questions and comments.  Cheers, H.  PS:  For those History Majors among you looking for an interesting but difficult course for next Fall, check out the course on the HIS 3930 - Scientific Revolution. 14.III.99:  Welcome Back Gators!  Hope you had a good Spring Break, that you are all rested and full of energy.  You know why.  Check out the syllabus.  It's time to get serious about the next couple of months.  That's all that's left.  Then it's over.  So don't fall behind.  Take a close look at the work that remains for all of your classes.  Then check out your calendar and start plotting things out.  Please be sure you make time for my class.  It will be a challenge for the stretch.  It will take real effort on your part.  But it should also be fun.  So, welcome back to the last stretch, Gators. 1.III.99:  Spring has sprung for Gaines-burgers... in the meantime, stick with the program until classes ends on Friday.  Then relax and return with lots of energy!  Have a good Spring Break,  ah, Gators.  PS:  If anyone is going to Palatka, please let me know.... H 26.II.99:  Spring Break is almost upon us!  That's good, but it also signals the semester is coming to an end.  We all need to stick with the program.  All of my classes have an increasing amount of reading and, in general, the difficulty of the reading also increases.  A few announcements.  The HIS 3463 class will move toward a conclusion which has Thomas S. Kuhn's book at the center of things.  If time permits, it is strongly urged that students read ahead and, in particular, that they read Kuhn at least twice before the last week of class.  Science History Change participants are advised that the schedule changes we discussed are now incorporated on the syllabus found at this WebSite.  Check it out and plan your semester accordingly. Newton Darwin Freud participants are reminded that the Darwin Panel is scheduled for this coming Wednesday; the Darwin Paper is due, as scheduled, next Friday, 12.00 Noon 5 March, 4131 Turlington Hall (Main History Office).  The question is as follows:  Compare and contrast the character and contributions of Darwin and Newton.  Specifically, how did Darwin's personal qualities, habits, and behavior affect his work?  Be specific. (Here emphasis should be given to Darwin by assuming that the reader has some knowledge of Newton but knows little about Darwin). Good luck. 16.II.99:  This is a busy semester.  A couple of observations.  The HIS 3463 class took the Mid-Term last Wednesday; exams will be returned and discussed in detail tomorrow.  Overall, the class did fairly well.  Overall, the IDs were very good, and they show increased improvement, in part, I think, due to the Web offerings.  There seems to be less confusion, for example, about retrograde motion and stellar parallax!  On the other side, there is still need for improvement on the essays.  To be sure, we all need more practice writing.  But there are general principles that can be learned and should be put into practice.  For details, you know where to look (check the Teaching Resources button. Spend some time there).  As to the NDF and the SHC, my observations and best advice turn on the same issue.  It is critical to both of classes to come prepared after a 'close reading' of the book (and/or articles) assigned for the class.  I strongly urge students to read (and yes, re-read as necessary) the section on How to Take Notes from Readings and also How to write a Critique.  Both exercises are based on the same principles.  Here's the skinny:  When you read, read 'actively' with a pencil.  Make appropriate marks in your book and also keep a separate sheet of notes with page numbers and key words or concepts.  It is also a good idea (depending on how you work best) to make sparing use of 'post 'ems' so you can find your way back to key passages.  So, after your 'close reading of the text, how does this work in discussion?  Easy to say, hard to do.  When we do a group discussion of a shared reading, we begin at the beginning, go to the end, then stop.  The easiest way is to impose the mantra on the book.  If you don't know the mantra you are  in big trouble.  Then impose the mantra on each chapter.  In practice, we then go through the book, page by page, to see how we can help each other learn from the book.  What is remarkable?  What is troubling?  What was beautifully written?  What was penetrating?  Creative?  What was unclear?  Silly?  Arrogant?  Unfounded?  Snobby?  You get the idea.  The main point is that we can learn from each other in our seminar-style discussions.  To do that, we all need to come prepared with a few simple principles in mind so we can follow time-honored seminar practices.  It is not easy to do but it is easy to understand.  We have two very good groups.  I would like us all to work together to improve our seminar skills.   Ah, right then.  Go Gators... 7.II.99:  Things are starting to pick up pace.  By mid-semester we will all be tired, by the end of the semester we should be totally exhausted.  At least those of us with the program.  HIS 3463 has a Mid-Term Exam this week.  There is no magic about how to do well.  If you have been coming to class, doing the reading, and above all, you have been thinking, all that remains is paying attention to good study habits and making sure you have practiced writing in the 'Blue Book Mode' -- if you haven't, I suggest you give it a try.  Practice writing the IDs and the Essay with an egg timer.  This is my best advice.  For those few who have chosen not to get with the program (passing details like attendance, for example) I wish you the best of luck in the exam.  You will need it.  As for Science History Change, we are well on our way in what promises to be a very demanding but exciting semester.  The readings and the topics could not be better.  We also have an excellent group.  But keeping up with the reading and writing will be a challenge for the best students in the class.  I'm very impressed with a number of the comments that we have had and I look forward to ever better-prepared discussions.  The same holds for Newton Darwin Freud.  Can you imagine a better trio to consider?  Here we need well-prepared readings that use analysis but which also aim to move toward more synthetic concerns.  It is time to start cross-fertilizing the readings.  What are the big questions that relate to understanding these dead guys?  What questions might apply to all three?  What questions are unique?  What is similar, what is different?  Knowing the questions is the first step in trying to get good answers.  Overall, my best advice for all classes is to stick with the program.  You know the rules and you know what is assumed as minimum effort in your class.  Quizzes, of course, are an omnipresent possibility.  I will ask about Web materials as well as any assigned readings.  Come to class prepared and everything will be all right.  Finally, I want to note here that the His-Sci-Chat has been really rocking.  There are some superb questions coming up.  We have some obviously bright members of our group.  It is an excellent way to extend our learning beyond the classroom.  I know I've had fun so far.  Thanks to all participants. 28.I.99:  Students interested in learning how to make citations in their papers are urged to visit the following sites.  They include printed sources as well as electronic citation.  For further information and specific guidelines, see the new click at this WebSite in Teaching Resources/ Reading & Writing/ How to Make Citations.  Hope this helps.   Chicago Manual - Examples of Citation & Reference Electronic  -  Chicago & Other Formats Electronic  - How to Cite Web & Electronic Texts Chicago U. Pr. - Chicago Manual of Style - Q&A 27.I.99:  Again, some general guidelines, some specific announcements.  HIS 3463 - His-Sci-Intro:  Yup.  Things are still going very well!  From what I can tell, most of you are with the program.  Good thoughtful questions.  We are still a bit behind schedule, but I have built in some 'flex' to account for that.  Again, what should you be doing?  Keep up with the reading assigned for the calendar day, schedule personal time to begin reviewing all of the reading and your notes.  The Mid-Term is nearly upon us. Some of you will fail, no doubt.  To prepare, read the section at the WebSite on how to take a Blue Book Exam.  It will be difficult, particularly if you haven't taken such an exam before.  Stick with the program.  Learn your mantras.  As for all classes, finish Row 3 at this WebSite.  Yes indeedy, there will be Quiz-Action on this material.  Newton - Darwin - Freud:  Tonight was an OK class.  What is needed are more synthetic questions.  Yes, you need to keep the 'how to read' and 'apply analysis' Mantra in mind.  But it is also important to press the synthetic questions.  Start with:  So what?  What is the big deal here?  Who really cares about Newton?  Take it from there.  Almost everyone will smile at such questions.  But why?  These questions should prompt some counter-questions.  Questions should come popping out of your head.  Make a page of questions.  Develop skill in asking yourself questions.  If you can't frame a good question you will get nothing but bad answers.  Worse, you won't be able to evaluate the answers.  How to do this?  Again, there are Guidelines at this WebSite on how to prepare for our discussions and your Critiques:  See Teaching Resources/Reading & Writing/ How to Survive (and related clicks, e.g., How to Write A Critique).  Finally, another repeat reminder, check out the new click for Newton Darwin, Freud.  Don't forget, there may be some quizzes on the readings.  I'll ask you to write a short essay on what you have read.  If you're not prepared everyone will know.  You will feel like a worm.  I'll write your Mom.   Science  History  Change: I was very pleased with our discussion, our very first.  It will get even better if we work together.  What is important is to come prepared and to recognize that this is a very demanding course.  It will also be fun and enlightening if we stick with the program.  That means taking responsibility for assignments and picking up on A-bomb size hints, like read the WebSite (Need a picture:  I supplied one.  And yes, check the Bulletin Board regularly - did I mention that?).    It will require some effort and a modest amount of discipline.  If this seems strange or bizarre, you might consider another line of work.  But our last meeting was pretty good.  Keep it up.  I think we have a good group.  So what now?  You know what to do.  Happy face goes here X.  Go Gators. 21.I.99:  General announcements for all classes, specific announcements for each class. HIS 3463 - His-Sci-Intro:  Things are going very well!  Some excellent questions have come up.  What should you be doing?  Keep up with the reading assigned for the calendar day announce on the syllabus.  If the lecture and syllabus are out of sync, stick with the syllabus timetable for the  reading.  Also, stick with the topic in the Study Guide.  The Study Guide is self directed.  If the topic fits, read it.  The Mantra-2:  When in doubt, read the syllabus; read the WebSite; ask questions; read ahead.  As for all classes, finish Row 3 at this WebSite by the end of this week.  There will be Quiz-Action on this material.  Newton - Darwin - Freud:  Good class.  It will get even better.  It is critical that everyone come to class well prepared, that each of you have read the material with Mantra-1 clearly in mind, that you have prepared questions, that you have noted important sections in the text(s) to discuss.  Because a major component of our class is seminar-style discussion, the onus is on each member of the class to be prepared and to participate.  It is important that participation is informed and thoughtful.  That will depend on developing important skills you may not have exercised in previous classes.  There are Guidelines at this WebSite on how to prepare for such discussions:  See Teaching Resources/Reading & Writing/ How to Survive (and related clicks, e.g., How to Write A Critique).  The question for your first Critique Essay (750 words) is as follows:  'What was Newton's chief contribution, his chief conflict, and why is he held in such esteem today?'  Your Critique Essay should follow the Mantra in so far as it must use analysis not narrative.  It should be issue driven with a beginning, middle, and end.  You should have a thesis, a set of clearly stated objectives, a clear structure, and you should be particularly mindful of your argument and evidence.  Given the size of the task, however, your Critique-Essay must also be synthetic.  You will have to choose your themes with great care because there is not much space.  In leaving a great deal of important material out of your essay, you will be selecting and therefore interpreting.  You need to justify your interpretation with carefully selected evidence and appropriate examples to illustrate your thesis.  Depend heavily on very short, very telling citations. What you include will say a great deal about how carefully you have read the material and how well you understand the issues.  As discussed in class, all Critiques are due the Friday following the Panel Discussion.  The Newton Critique is therefore due Friday, 29 January 1999, 12.00 Noon, 4131 Turlington Hall (History Department Office, first desk).  Again, see the updated syllabus for details.  Also, check out the new click for the 'Big Guys' -- id est, Newton Darwin, Freud.  Anything of interest on the WWW can be found there, not to mention some other stuff by my favorite author.  If you find any other cool stuff on the WWW, please let me know. Science - History - Change:  First, and importantly, the space gurus have assigned us a new room (where the temperature is guaranteed to be below 96F with a tad of air circulation, a place where all of the chairs and tables are not bolted to the floor!  Cool.  NB:  All of our remaining classes for the semester, beginning with our next class (Monday, 25 January) will be in room  2305 Turlington Hall.  Although everyone is required to check this WebSite at least once each week, no doubt some students will not received this basic information.  So please pass the word.  Finally, as announced in class, the first Critique was due 12.00 Noon, Wednesday, 20 January (ten days, not seven, following our first meeting).  If you have not handed in your Critique of Frankfurt (yes, entire book) please hand it in at 4131 Turlington Hall (History Department Office, first desk).   More generally, students need to read the syllabus and take responsibility for assignments.  This is a very demanding course.  It will require not only a strong intellectual effort but your complete personal attention.  Finally, for all classes:  All students are encouraged to join the His-Sci-Chat Discussion Group.  To join, click the button on the opening page HIS-SCI DISCUSSION and follow the instructions.  Some classes are required to join.  Check your syllabus.  This electronic gizmo connection is particularly useful for classes that meet only once each week.  In theory, it allows for better communication.  But good communication takes at least two.  Everyone has a responsibility.  So here are some Guidelines.  First, I will not accept anonymous email messages.  Second, we all expect basic courtesies in our exchanges.  Third, we prefer that participants read the syllabus for themselves and take responsibility for other appropriate materials at this WebSite.  Skinny:  To save yourself embarrassment, take responsibility for yourself and your  education.  Do your homework.  Good questions betray an informed curiosity not laziness.  Learn to listen, read, and write critically.  Get with the program and do not fall behind.  That said (after you have read the syllabus, the WebSite material, and the assigned material in question), if you have an informed question, please ask. If you have a thoughtful question or concern, chances are others do too.  Good questions help everyone.  As I say elsewhere, good questions keep the entire enterprise afloat. Finally, finally, if you are interested in cutting-edge computer techniques, keep an eye on the WWW page.  Go to the front page and then to Teaching Resources/Reading & Writing/then to the Computer & Learning.  I frequently add new and terribly cool clicks.  They will require Shockwave and possibly other free down-load software.  You will have more fun if you have big speakers.  If you know of other cool clicks not on my page, please let me know. 18.I.99:  Just a brief reminder:  As announced in all classes at our first meeting, each student is responsible for checking this WebSite (at least once each week) and all students are encouraged to join the His-Sci-Chat discussion group.  Some classes are required; check your syllabus.  I will not mention again the importance of the mantras.  On the matter of electronic communication, a few quick considerations.  I just had a bad email experience (Gee Whizz!) the only one in over a year.  To be clear, I will not accept, respond, or transmit anonymous email messages, and if necessary, I will monitor and enforce minimal human courtesies in all group exchanges.  Such rudiments aside, in an academic community we also like to assume that our exchanges are minimally informed about matters that raise our passion.  I wince mildly in mentioning the importance of a certain civility we associate with University life.  We can all learn from each other.  And if we can't be good to each other, we should at least learn to listen. 15.I.99:  Congratulations!  We seem to have survived the second week of classes!  We need to continue to plan for future survival.  Things change fast.  So a couple of announcements and suggestions.  First, perhaps most pressing, there has been no word as yet regarding a change of room for the Monday night class, SHC.  Hence (unless I notify you here next week) plan to meet there again (in the bowels of the bunker) until the room-assigning  gurus get around to offering us one of the dozens of obviously empty rooms in Turlington Hall.  If the weather continues as last week, I suggest you bring salt pills to avoid the effects of heat and zero ventilation.  Second, more generally, for all classes, a few reminders and a little good-hearted preaching.  First, remember the Hatch Mantra:  When in doubt:  Read the syllabus; ask questions; read ahead.  Don't slack off or you will surely get whacked.  More specifically, as we have discussed, do the reading for the week in advance of the lecture and, further, do so even if we may have fallen behind schedule.  Second (of part two), if you have a reader or study guide, do the appropriate readings by exercising your judgment.  If it is a topic that applies to the topic at hand, read it.  Do not worry about reading ahead by mistake.  OOPS.  Gee Whizz!   read ahead!  Rather, if you read too much, think of it as money in the bank.  Finally, notably for NDF and SHC, check out the 'Current Courses' button for your course.  I have updated and modified the syllabi.  Specifically, I have expanded and clarified the sections on the pace of correlated reading, that is, I have become painfully clear about what reading when.  Otherwise, I trust things are moving smoothly, things are doing OK.  Wasn't Gainseburger beautiful today?  I'm impressed with the excellent quality of students in my courses this semester and questions that have been asked.  Keep up the good work.  Don't goof off but find time for fun too.  In the meantime, if you have an academic question, please e-me.  Otherwise, just work hard and follow the mantras.  If you don't know the mantras, you are indeed in very very big trouble.  You should have read the entire third row by the end of next week.  If you haven't read the third row by then you will surely die.  Well, you will at least be less of a human being, right?  Maybe you should just feel a little guilty.  Maybe you will just loose quiz points.  Maybe you will read it just because it's there.  Maybe you will learn something useful, something you had not expected, even if by chance.  Maybe it's all trash.  Maybe.  And maybe offers are more interesting and useful than veiled threats.  But enough.  What do you think?  What would you rather be doing right now?  Indeed, what do you like most about your life?  What would you like to change about yourself?  How would you do it?  Just asking.  Oh yes.  Have a nice day. And keep thinking about stuff.  Is there a God?  Could Mighty Mouse beat up Superman?  And what sort of unit is Goofy anyway?  Mickey is a mouse, and Pluto is a dog!  Do you really think Goofy is a dog too?  And what about us?  All all human beings really equal?  Know any?  What's the difference between a stop sign and the law of gravitation?  Between scientific 'knowledge' and historical 'knowledge'?  And is there a real truth about things?  Is all truth and are all claims to truth of equal value?  How are truth and values related?  What about the relation between knowledge and culture?  Can we say truth changes?  How about reality?  Do you know reality or only illusion?  How do you know the world?  How do you know fellow humans?  Will the Vikings win the Super Bowl?  Is there a Categorical Imperative?  What is gravity?  How does the description of gravity relate to our personal experience of gravity? What do you think about when you play with magnets?  Can you explain attraction?  Is matter really inert?  Are mass and energy inter-convertible?  How do you know?  What do you know best?  Cheeseburgers?  Tacos?  The Pythagorean theorem?  Euclid?  Your Mom?  Yourself?  What do you know best about yourself?  Your thoughts?  Your body?  How do you know these things?  Can you communicate them?  What are you most certain about?  Is certainty important?  Is seeing just a psychological phenomenon?  Come come.  Well now.  Did Adam have a belly button?  How many stones in a pile?  How can a geometrical point have magnitude without dimension?  Just kidding.  How silly!  Hmmm.  Have a deeply cool weekend.  Check out the new stuff on the Sci-Rev Resources button.  Check out the new click on Newton Darwin Freud AKA The Big Guys.  [Happy Face goes here:  X] 8.I.99: Greetings New Students and Welcome to the Teaching Bulletin Board! First, congratulations on surviving the first week of classes. Second, congratulations on finding this WebSite. For those who have not yet gotten books for the semester, do so immediately. Information about what books to get can be found at this WebSite. Click the button on the opening page 'Current Courses' then follow the signs. How to get the books is discussed below: Where and how to find the store(s) with web clicks and a map or two. More specific comments: Students in HIS 3463: A good general discussion today. Make sure that you keep up with reading regardless of where we are on the syllabus. Students in Newton Darwin Freud, make certain that you become very familiar with the relevant material at this WebSite. Specifically, spend time reviewing the N-D-F links. You will be held responsible for that material. Your reading assignment is to begin by reading half of the Newton materials in the Reader; then begin reading the primary materials in the Cohen & Westfall book, the Introduction and the first two primary selections. Students in Science, History, Change, obtain the books immediately and spend several hours surveying and reviewing them. Become acquainted with each text and what each author is up to. Then begin Frankfurt, which you should have nearly completed by our next meeting, which is next Monday night. A critique will be due the following week despite the fact that we will not have class given the MLK holiday. So, there you have it. We have had a busy week but things should start to calm down quickly. Make sure you are with the program. No doubt this will be a long and difficult semester for many of you. My advice is simple. Plan ahead. Begin early. Do not fall behind. Read the syllabus. If you have questions, ask. Above all, review all of the materials in the third row on the opening page. You will be held responsible for knowing that material. It will take time and effort so begin now. Finally, make certain that you check this WebSite at least once each week, particularly this Teaching Bulletin Board. Have a great weekend. One way to that end is to start now. Commit yourself to a semester of focused and disciplined effort. Good luck and, hey, go gators.... 23.XII.98: Incoming students - Please note that texts are available at Gator Textbook, as is the Study Guide for HIS 3463 and eventually (no hurry) the Reader for Newton Darwin Freud.  Please see the syllabi for these courses by clicking the button:  'Current Courses'.  For information about Gator Textbooks and a map to the store (3501 SW 2nd Avenue, Suite D; Telephone: 374-4500) click the WebSite: http://www.gatortextbooks.com   If you need a map to find Customcopies click the WebSite:  http://www.customcopies.com/map.html Finally, as time permits, it is strongly advised that you begin early by spending appropriate time becoming familiar with this WebSite.  Here you will find important information about your course and other useful information and guidelines concerning writing, reading, studying, and hints on how to take exams and write essays. 17.XII.98 - Thursday: Congratulations Graduating Seniors!  Enjoy the wrap -up ceremonies and best of luck to you out there in the rest of the world.  If you have made the best of University Life you will be well prepared for what follows.  To those of you returning in the New Year, have a good Holiday break.  Try to read a couple of good books, avoid fatty foods, take a few long walks, and tell your parents and family that you appreciate them.  Also, watch MP's the Meaning of Life.  And don't eat the salmon.  Cheers.   H.  9.XII.98 - Wednesday: Regular classes are over.  Gee Whizz!  If the fact seems difficult to believe (or if you feel a great sense of relief) just think about what's left!  For all of that, let me wish all of you the best of luck on the final days of Dead Week and especially in surviving Finals Weeks.  Finally, I want to confess that I have been a lucky Professor this semester.  I have enjoyed both HIS 2463 and HIS 3930.  Two of the best classes that I have taught in recent memory.  No kidding.  Thanks for working hard and for paying attention.  The future?  I hope you will keep in touch, maybe even take one of my other courses.  If I don't see you, my parting advice:  Work hard, play hard, ask questions.  Don't forget that time is short. 2.XII.98 - Wednesday: Not long to go in the semester.  Best strategy?  Stick with the program.  Start to review your notes every day from beginning to end.  Ask yourself questions.  Keep a regular schedule and plan out your work with clear priorities.  Schedule in some fun too.  Along the way, if you have time, check out my new clicks on Boulliau's Conical Hypothesis.  Go to Research Projects, then to Boulliau, then to Planetary Hypothesis.  If you don't have Flash you can down load it free of charge.  Then turn up the volume and concentrate on what the motions mean!  Cheers! 25.XI.98 - Wednesday:  Happy Thanksgiving!  Have a good time!  See you next week when we enter the final stretch of the semester. 18.XI.98 - Wednesday:  HIS 2463:  Keep focused on the larger issues about the world and how we know it, especially new themes about the world system, about continuity and revolution.  Hint:  As but one example, think about Boulliau:  Was he revolutionary?  Was he conservative?  How do such terms apply to the figures we have studied?  What figures, if any, have aimed at novelty?  Keep thinking about gravity:  What is it?  How do you know?  Why do you believe what you believe about gravity?  HIS 3930:  As we discussed Tuesday evening, we will have an open attendance policy for our next meeting.  Please come prepared with any questions and concerns that you may have about your paper.  As a reminder, the Presentations will be of two kinds, each running 4-5 minutes each.  For each paper there will be a 'Peer Presentation' and a 'Writer's Presentation.'  Each seminar participant will critique at least one fellow participant's Research Essay, 4-5 minutes, as we discussed.  This presentation will address questions of the thesis, objectives, structure, evidence, and the general effectiveness of the writing.  The 'Writer's Presentation' should address these same issues and, in addition, how the topic was selected, specific difficulties encountered, and finally, what could be done (by way of additional research and different kinds of evidence) to improve the essay.  Copies for each participant should be available by 12.00 Noon the Monday before the Presentation date at 4131 Turlington Hall.  Everyone is expected to obtain their copies of each essay by Monday at 1pm in order to have time to read them with care for the seminar discussion.  Total Presentation time for each Research Essay is 15-20 minutes.  Kindly take this opportunity seriously by attending well prepared and by providing thoughtful and informed comments, criticism, and suggestions.  If you have not made such presentations in the past, spend an appropriate amount of time in preparation.  You must time your comments carefully to fit the 5 minute slot; you must be well organized and clear.  Several hours of practice would not be inappropriate.  Finally, for questions of format for the Research Essay, see the appropriate materials at the WebSite regarding Endnotes, Bibliography, etc. (e.g., use the Chicago Manual of Style). Good luck!  I look forward to good discussions and helpful comments.  If you have questions or concerns, review this WebSite.  If questions persist, please e-me. 11.XI.98 - Wednesday:  HIS 2463:  As we move toward the end of the semester, it should be clear we are dealing with a number of specific issues in astronomy and cosmology (the so-called Debate on World Systems) and not least, larger issues about the nature of nature and the problem of knowledge.  These are difficult and important topics.  Pay particular attention to the relation of knowledge and belief and issues of evidence.  And don't forget your magnets.  Think about magnets and action-at-a-distance. Stare at your thumb.  HIS 3930:  We are getting close to Research Essay time.  I have talked with most of you about your topics.  Keep at it.  If you have problems in finding and narrowing your topic, see suggestions below.  In the meantime, for next week, read the following materials for your Critique: Newton & the Newtonian World (pp 517-616); A New Order?  All Was Light? (617-628). Keep an eye on the 'Big Picture' & the eternal verities.  For example, how do the letters Newton exchanged with Hooke compare with those he exchanged with Bentley?  Answer for yourself the usual simple question:  So What?  If you don't have an answer you don't get it.  Good luck & have a good weekend. 4.XI.98 -Wednesday:  HIS 3930:  We are approaching the end of our Primary Readings.  What is clear from what remains is that there is now a strong philosophical turn.  At the same time, the issues we will be discussing for the next two weeks will be those that have traditionally defined the Scientific Revolution.  The skinny here is that the readings may be more difficult but they are also, arguably, more telling.  It is important to come to class well prepared and ready to discuss the issues.  For next week, read and write your Critique on the following:  New Foundations:  Principles of Nature, pp 405-465 New Foundations:  Principles of Knowing, pp 467-516. Let me also encourage you to think creatively about these readings.  Ask yourself how the various selections fit together.  If a particular reading seems somehow out of place, pay attention to the possibilities.  Finally, employ this same attitude and set of concerns to the previous chapters we have read.  It is now time to think synthetically.  It is time to put the entire picture together for yourself.  This larger task will require skill in analysis as well as creative insight.  How do all of the chapters work together?  What are the important generalizations, the telling details?  How can you best defend your view of the Scientific Revolution?  BACK - HOME 3.XI.98 -Tuesday:  We have ventured into a new month!  Shocking as it may be, the current semester will soon be over and it is now time to think about Spring Semester 1999.  Several students have inquired about courses for next semester.  For those of you in my current courses (who just cannot get enough!) I provide the following click, which describes my Spring Semester courses.  Please note that these are demanding courses with substantial reading.  For all that, they should be interesting as well as challenging.  For info:  Click X. 28.X.98 - Wednesday:  HIS 2463:  Continue to think carefully about Copernicus.  Make certain you understand the strengths and weakness of the geocentric and the heliocentric perspectives, from questions of parallax and retrograde motion to other aesthetic considerations involved in theory selection.  I strongly advise students to review their notes each week.  If time permits, read ahead.  Things will move much faster as we approach the end of the semester.  By all means, do not fall behind.  If you have questions and concerns please e-me.  HIS 3930:   Good discussion.  The key concern in the course now increasingly requires that all participants develop a disciplined program to identify their topic and focus as quickly as possible on their thesis.   For next week, read and write your Critique on:  A World of Systems, pp 315-324; A World of Learning, pp 325-404. If you have questions or concerns, please e-me. 21.X.98 - Wednesday:  HIS 2463:  Think carefully about Copernicus and the differences between intellectual assumptions and personal motives.  Use your extra time to be especially well-prepared to deal with the implications of a moving earth:  What are the arguments both for and against?  See the diagrams at the WebSite. HIS 3930:   Good discussion; think further about how our beliefs about the natural world and how we make knowledge affects and sometimes helps frame views about our social world and the way we make political theories.  We made a good start on Tuesday.  Continue to think about the best points made and extend them to new topics and concerns. The assignment for our next meeting: 1.  We will continue and finally conclude our discussion of 'Making Sense of the World' which should take about 45 minutes if everyone is prepared. 2.  Read and write your Critique on:  'The World Upside Down', pages 243-314. NB:  More generally, in the interest of learning, we may have to extend this 'Reader' part of the course a week or possibly two (into the period previously designated for individual sessions).  Central to our continued success will be how carefully prepared each participant has become in pursuing their research topic.  Again, see below for suggestions in finding a topic, as well as other sections of this WebSite.  If you have questions, e-me.   BACK - HOME 16.X.98 - Friday:  The following issue came up in the His-Sci-Chat.  An important topic.  I reproduce it here for those who have yet to join this ListServe.  As a possible note of interest, Members of the His-Sci-Chat Group are now discussing the nature of gravity (and related topics), issues which will surely appear on the final in HIS 2463.  Some Members (curiously) seem to be having fun....  Dear His-Sci-Chat Members: A good question has come up (not the first time) about how to find a topic for a University level research essay.  This is undoubtedly one of the most difficult tasks any student or scholar confronts.  A few suggestions follow.  Please note the following suggestions and print, download, or otherwise save as appropriate: Finding a topic is: 1.  Arguably the most difficult task for an historian or scholar (i.e. problem selection). 2.  Arguably the most important component of research & writing. The most trying element in the process is discovering for yourself what interests you.  Here you are largely on your own.  Only you know your interests.  But you are hardly alone. That said, there are some standard questions for yourself: 1.  What is it about the four or five topic areas I have identified as areas of interest that seem similar?  Are there one or two themes that combine those topical interests? 2.  How can I clarify the theme(s) and narrow the focus of the topics? 3.  This clarified, use the History Cookie Cutter:  Narrow the topic by space, time, theme, & method.  Put differently, ask yourself if you can more carefully place and focus the area of interest geographically, chronologically, thematically (by issues), and finally, can it be focused by some methodological consideration (textual analysis, quantitative analysis, etc). I don't think the problem can be outlined more simply.  But the general theoretical solution is more easily stated than practically resolved.  In large part your solution to the problem will require practice and continuous, thoughtful effort. Theory aside, what can be done in practice? 1.  Read actively, critically, and creatively.  Take notes on what interests you.  (See this WebSite for suggestions under Teaching Resources). 2.  Follow-up on topics and themes by paying particular attention to footnotes.  As we say, follow the foot prints wherever they lead. 3.  Make a bibliography and follow-up on these more focused topics and themes.  Obtain copies of all articles and books that seem relevant.  This sifting & winnowing is a continuous process that should continue throughout your research and even the later stages of writing. 4.  Read that new stuff; 5.  Outline & re-outline that new stuff.  Sift and winnow further in an effort to clarify the issues against the cookie cutter; 6.  When themes and topics begin to narrow into a single thesis-driven topic area it then becomes time to re-focus.  Now make a new and rigorous search for bibliography.  For our His-Sci Courses, first see the following books at the library: The Dictionary of Scientific Biography The ISIS Cumulative Bibliography 7.  Finally, go to my web page and click the button HIS-SCI SEARCH.  Search for the relevant word, name, concept on the various search engines and bio and bibliography programs. 8.  Once you have a focused working bibliography, get the stuff, read it, understand it, and read it again.  Now the task is to commit yourself to a clear and carefully focused thesis.  It is also time to re-draft your outline. 9. So, once again impose the Hatch-Mantra: 1).  Develop a strong, clear thesis 2).  State your objectives 3).  Construct a solid and detailed outline (your essay should have a beginning, middle, and end).  Re-draft the outline daily as a ritual of clarification.  Use this daily outlining procedure as a method for organizing and integrating  your new findings, as a vehicle for critical and creative thinking.  Try to focus on crystallizing the big ideas and, at the same time, take particular note of the small but telling historical example.  Good writing in history aims to join the abstract and concrete, the particular and general. 4).  Marshall specific evidence to support your argument.  As you read take note of possible quotations and be rigorous about proper scholarly citation. Be clear about your sources and debts. 5).  Use carefully selected historical examples as vehicles for your analysis of the issues.  Issues are the key problems that give substance to your theme.  Your essay must be issue driven and analytical in approach.  Critical issues should form the skeleton of your essay; themes provide the muscle that give it form; argument, evidence, and appropriate example give it life.  Avoid simple description, then-came narrative, and the dubiously dramatic.  We have enough bad journalists.  Focus on issues and evidence.  Then cut the fat.  On average we all absorb enough advertising drivel and political rhetoric to meet our daily adult requirement.  Scholarly writing should be sinewy and smart.  Write reasonably and responsibly with a measure of art. 10.  Don't quit.  No fear.  Just do it.  Avoid clichés.  See "Billy- Bo- Bob's 'Tips on How to Write Good'."  Spend time with the more serious offerings at this WebSite. 11.  If you have continuing questions or concerns review this list again.  Be self-reliant.  Thoughtfully consider what it is that brought you to the topic from the start.  Ask yourself again how you can best draw together the abstract and concrete, the general and the particular.  Verbalize.  Write it out and talk it through.  Use outlines.  Discuss your topic and key issues with friends.  Try to put the problem, question, issue concretely on the table before you.  Break it into parts.  Look at the problem from as many perspectives as possible.  Invoke your best critical and creative skills.  Finally, don't fool yourself.  Writing is difficult.  If writing has value it will often be in proportion to the struggle.  Writing offers an opportunity to confront yourself.  But make no mistake.  Pushing yourself to the limit - exploring and expanding your boundaries - is not always fun.  As the philosopher put it, no pain no gain.  But what to do?  Always be tough on yourself but always keep encouraged.  Focus as much on extending your existing strengths as improving your increasingly apparent weaknesses.  Yes.  Alas.  Your increasingly apparent weaknesses.  That's the principal point of the entire enterprise.  And here again, you are the singular measure.  Learning to write (a task that never ends) is the most difficult thing in the world.  It's a lot like learning to be yourself.  Continued good luck!  Enjoy the trip. Hope this helps, H HIS 2463:  The book by John Henry (though it appeared only last year and in no less than two separate editions, US & UK) now appears again to be in transition to a new publisher and perhaps a new title.  For all of that, copies will be available at Gator Textbook by late Monday or early Tuesday.  For information about Gator Textbooks and a map to the store (3501 SW 2nd Avenue, Suite D; Phone: 374-4500) click the WebSite: http://www.gatortextbooks.com HIS 3930 - Scientific Revolution: His-Sci-Chat is going beautifully -- everyone should feel the pull of gravity by now..... 14.X.98 - Wednesday:  HIS 2463: Tomorrow is the Scientific Revolution Kick-Off Day!  There will be a slide show (with substance) so don't miss this important overview that plots out the remainder of the semester!  Also, please note that we now enter a phase of the course when quizzes (as announced on the course syllabus) will begin to happen with some frequency.  Be sure to attend lecture prepared. HIS 3930 - Scientific Revolution: Another good discussion in that more students are participating and any number of the comments seem increasingly focused and thoughtful -- for example, I thought a number of remarks by Steve and Peter (among others in the class) demonstrated that they had clearly read the material with care and had thought through how the specific readings fit into the larger context that we framed at the beginning of the course.  I must again encourage those students who have yet to participate fully in class discussion to consider my earlier remarks (see below) and to see me immediately to discuss any related concerns.  That said, two final items of business:  First, I have talked at some length with perhaps half of the class (8 or 9 participants) about your colloquium essay.  The key issue is to start now if you have not done so already!  Do not delay.  Find a topic that interests you; sift and winnow by pushing it through the usual 'history cookie cutter' of space - time - theme - method, that is, try to ask yourself questions with the aim of reducing its scope according to chronological - geographical - thematic and methodological criteria.  Then do a bibliographic and web search on this slightly smaller topic; find good sources.  You get the idea, you know the rest of the story.  If you have questions, see the relevant sections of this WebSite, which have been discussed since the beginning of the course.  They should by now be second nature to you.  You are responsible for selecting your topic.  Once you have a reasonable topic area, talk with me.  I will do what ever I can to assist you in finding appropriate materials and in conceptualizing and structuring your analysis. Second, the reading assignment for next week from the Reader: PART 4:  Bodies of Evidence (Anatomy & Physiology), pp 161-198; PART 5:  Making Sense of the World, pp 199-241. Finally, I have begun to send out information of the His-Sci-Chat ListServe that may be of use to all students.  Those who have yet to join are encouraged to do so, as information and instructions about required course materials and activities are often first delivered by this means.  To join, simply click the HIS-SCI Discussion button on the opening page and follow the instructions. 6.X.98 - Tuesday:  HIS 2463: As Freddie Mercury said, another one bites the dust!  I hope you have overcome your exam fatigue and that you enjoy your brief reprieve until we meet next.  Attendance on Tuesday is particularly important as we will go over the exams, put a cap on the first part of the course and lay the foundation for the remainder.  Be there and join the fun.  There may be a Quiz. HIS 3930:  Great Class!  Discussion went particularly well, and I very much liked Wayne's 'Blam!' -- I think he is right about Tycho and about Kepler.  I think some excellent points were made about the relation between intellectual assumptions and personal motives, about the importance for historians to play the gap between a sharp critical view of texts and a certain contextual sympathy.  Think about it and enjoy the brief reprieve for next week by being especially well prepared to continue and expand the same discussion.  Also, please read new material on the Research Essay:  Check the Teaching Resources button on Reading & Writing, 'How to Survive...' and also 'University Essay.'  4.X.98 - Sunday:  HIS 2463:  Next we meet is exam day!  Don't forget your Blue Book!  Don't forget to read the stuff on this WebSite about taking the exam!  Don't forget to study and to give it your best shot -- but hey, don't panic.  If you have done the work and you have paid attention to the guidelines and to the lectures and readings you will do fine.  Aim to give it your best shot but nothing less. HIS 3930:  Don't forget that the critiques you are now being asked to write are difficult-- don't give up!  Stick with the program and repeat the mantra.  If you have questions, please E-Me. 29.IX.98- Tuesday:  HIS 2463: Don't forget to prepare carefully for the Thursday Review Session.  Every minute you spend now will bear good  dividends by next Tuesday!  Good luck. HIS 3930:  Good session tonight.  Overall, the Critiques that I handed back this evening were good and showed real improvement by a number of participants.  Keep the mantra in mind,  pay attention to specific comments, and try not to repeat the same mistakes.  The assignment for next week: Part III:  A War of Worlds - A War of Words, pp 57-160. Good Luck.  If you have questions, please e-me; if you have not joined the his-sci-chat I recommend that you do so soon, as important information may be sent by that route.  Last reminder:  If you have not read all of the materials on the Teaching Resources and the two Sci-Rev buttons, do so at the first opportunity. 28.IX.98:  Monday:  Happy Birthday Ismaël Boulliau.... HIS 3930:  Sci-Rev Group: The Sci-Rev Primary Readings is available; it went on the shelves last night (Thursday).  The first sections are under 100 pages, only about 57!  Good Luck!  Questions?  Just E-Me.  Don't forget to read the CLICKS below regarding Primary Sources.... Finally some suggestion about the Critiques, which I sent out early to members of the His-Sci-Chat ListServe: The following suggestions focus on criteria and objectives in writing Critiques, specifically for Critiques that now involve a number of primary sources.  What follows are some suggestions. First, recognize that you have been given a difficult assignment.  It will not be easy drawing together a number of apparently disparate primary readings. Second, read the blurbs on Primary Sources that I have put on the Teaching Bulletin Button.  These Clicks will give you a clear idea about what Primary Sources are all about and the role that they play in this course.  You must read and understand the Clicks. Third, make sure that you understand the mantra as we have discussed it in class and as it is spelled out at the WebSite.  So far, so good. Fourth, more practically, note the following suggestions:  Because there are multiple readings, your task now shifts somewhat.  To be sure, you must continue to try to answer the following: 1.  What is each author assuming? 2.  What is the audience for each piece? 3.  What is the thesis of the source? 4.  What is the purpose of this piece of writing? Here is what has changed:  Because we are dealing with multiple readings, the task grows (by plan) more difficult.  Now you must begin to compare and contrast the separate readings by considering the four points above but now applied to the group of readings as a whole.  Let's be clear:  You must now focus on finding similarities and differences in their mode of argumentation, in their individual skills to convince and persuade.  In other words:  You must now develop skills in comparing how effective primary authors are, or appear to be, in relation to what they hope to achieve in the writing and in comparison one with the other.  For example, how would you persuade someone that the earth moves?  Or that is doesn't move.  You get the idea. Make no mistake:  That's a tall order and it will not be easy.  But again, that is the purpose of the Critique in this phase of the course.  Devilishly difficult, to be sure, but a most useful way to develop critical reading, writing, and analytical skills.  These Critiques will challenge the best of us.  Good luck; give it your best shot.  We will discuss these issues further in class on Tuesday evening.  In the meantime, if you have questions please e-me. 23.IX.98:  HIS 3930:  Sci-Rev Group:  Two announcements:  First, there has been a delay in getting the Sci-Rev Primary Readings to the Gator Textbook Store; I am told that it will be available there tomorrow, that is, on Thursday 24.ix.98.  Sorry for any inconvenience.  Please read and prepare the first two sections, which amount to about a hundred pages.  Second, for some simple operating definitions on primary sources, CLICK the Yale site:  http://www.library.yale.edu/ref/err/primsrcs.htm#PRIMDEF Also, see what the Government says about Primary Sources: http://learning.loc.gov/learn/lessons/fw.html 23.IX.98:  Happy Autumnal Equinox.  HIS 3930 -  Scientific Revolution:  Another Good  Colloquium! Discussion went well, and I was pleased to see most of the class participate.  The 'Scientific Revolution:  Primary Readings' should now be available at Gator Textbook.  If there are any difficulties let me know immediately or call Custom Copies if you have questions.  Check this site for possible information and suggestions on reading Primary sources.   I look forward to it - I think it will be fun!  But make no mistake, it will also be hard work. HIS 2463:  You should now begin reviewing for the Mid-Term!  Start reviewing your notes and prepare questions for our Review Session. 18.IX.98:  All classes:  Week V is nearly upon us.  For those of you who have read the required material at this WebSite (on 'How to Study' for example) you may now be gearing up to a 'tactical review' of all of your readings and your lecture notes.  It is a good idea.  The Mid-Term will be here before we know it.  Do not wait until the week of the Exam.  Take time now to review your notes.  For those of you in HIS 2463, be sure to read the section on 'How to Take a Blue-book Exam'.  If you have not taken an in-class essay exam it will be a strong challenge.  You need to be prepared.  The time to prepare is now. Finally, on a different matter, a number of students have joined the His-Sci-Chat page.  If you have not joined, you are strongly encouraged to do so at the HIS-SCI Discussion Button on the opening page.  Signing in is easy.  Participation offers one more way to facilitate your learning, to ask questions and to enter into a dialogue with classmates.  Regular class time is short.  The His-Sci-Chat is open 24 hours a day and conforms to any study schedule.  There is no excuse for having a question pass without a response.  Give it a try. 12.IX.98:  All classes:  As we move toward Week IV all students should be completely familiar with WebSite material for their course, including all files in Teaching Resources and others as appropriate, including SCI-REV Teaching, SCI-REV Resources, and HIS-SCI Links & Search.  Please be prepared for possible quiz questions on this material.  Finally, all students are strongly encouraged to join the HIS-SCI Discussion-Chat ListServe; see instructions at that button on the opening page. 8.IX.98:  HIS 3930 -  Scientific Revolution:  Good  Colloquium! Discussion went reasonably well.  I was impressed with a number of the comments.  One concern, however, is that not everyone participated in discussion.  I want to underscore once again (as outlined in the syllabus and as we discussed at our first meeting) participation in seminar discussion is required.  You must contribute.  If that seems difficult, think carefully about the reading and make it a point to raise questions, to identify at least two or three remarkable passages from the required reading (a claim, a paragraph, or whatever seems appropriate).  You must understand that if you sit silently all semester you will not only miss a learning opportunity, you will fail the course.  If you have problems in joining the discussion, see me.  In the meantime, read the relevant material at this WebSite.  As I mentioned, selections from the H. Floris Cohen book: Chapters 1 & 2;  pp. 151-164; 229-236; 239-241; 296-310;  Chapters 7 & 8. Your Critique should include the above Chapters and pages.  If you wish to read more of the Cohen book it would not hurt.  As a further suggestion, it is not only appropriate but useful and advised that you bring together the required readings, as appropriate, in your Critique, that is, in your Cohen Critique you may find it useful to make reference to the Butterfield and Burtt readings.  Finally, don't forget that we will spend the first 30 minutes of class next week finishing our discussion of Burtt, the last two chapters.  And, finally, Patrick -- Thanks for the donuts!  Maybe our Discussion Leaders will help make it happen again next week... 4.IX.98:  We appear to have survived the first two weeks of class.   CONGRATULATIONS!  A few points will serve as reminders:  1).  For HIS 2463, as announced in class, the John Henry book has not yet arrived.  It will arrive on time (before it is required reading) and as you know, it will be available at Gator Textbook (see below).   2).  For HIS 3930, as discussed, the reader for the course is not yet available but will be at Gator Textbook or at Custom Copies (in plenty of time for the assignments announced on your syllabus).  Several HIS 3930 students were confused about the Critiques.  The Critiques are to be 500 - 750 words (2 - 3 typed pages); as Critiques, they should be issue-driven and based on analysis (not book reviews based on narrative and filled with description).  The Critiques are discussed on the syllabus and there are several pages at this WebSite on How to Write a Critique.  Students may also find several pages on How to Survive a Colloquium.   Questions? Please E-Me or see me in Office Hours.  In the meantime, don't forget the Mantra [No. 1]: When in doubt:  Come to class; Read the syllabus; Read Ahead; Questions?  Ask.  Understand and do all the stuff on the WebSite. So, Congratulations on surviving the first two weeks!  Stick with the program.  If you have concerns, E-Me at the button on the opening page.  Good luck in the new semester!  Work hard to make it memorable and rewarding. 26.VIII.98:  I have received several email questions about Fall Courses.  If you have questions please feel free to contact me by clicking the email button on the opening page.  Also, please note that students are required to read all appropriate material at this WebSite regarding courses, Teaching Resources, etc.  Do this immediately and review the WebSite regularly and as required.  24.VIII.98: For information about Gator Textbooks and a map to the store (3501 SW 2nd Avenue, Suite D; Phone: 374-4500) click the WebSite: http://www.gatortextbooks.com  18.VIII.98: Incoming students, if you need a map to find Customcopies click the WebSite: http://www.customcopies.com/map.html 8.VIII.98:  Incoming students enrolled in HIS 2463 and HIS 3930, please note that texts are available at Gator Textbook, as is the Study Guide for HIS 2463 and eventually (no hurry) the Reader for HIS 3930.  Please see the syllabi for these courses by clicking the button:  'Current Courses'. 6.VIII.98:  Cambridge Students--Good luck on your final essays!  Look me up when you return to Gainesville.  In the meantime, drop me an e-mail.  Cheers! 5.VIII.98:  Students --Welcome Back to Gainesville!  If you are an entering Freshman, a special welcome to the University of Florida and what is lovingly known as 'Hogtown.'  Take time to become familiar with the University; get a map, walk around campus, find your classrooms in advance of the opening week.  You will find that cozy little Gainesville will mushroom in size by about 30 percent as nearly 40,000 students return, all of them trying to fit in the same parking spot.  Also, as another tip, students enrolled in my courses are encouraged to review this website with particular care.  The syllabi for my courses are listed under the button 'Current Courses.'  Students are also encouraged in the strongest terms to read through the relevant sections found under the button 'Teaching Resources.'  Important information, which will be required reading, can be found there on Reading & Writing, taking exams, and other tips on how to survive in a university setting.  Welcome Back.  If you have questions or concerns in advance of our first class meeting, please feel free to contact me by e-mail by clicking the button on the opening page.