Progress Report, Late and Lamented Part 2

History Graduate Program Informational Booklet Progress

Purpose:

The document in question is a booklet designed essentially to increase awareness of the History Master's Program here at Clemson. The goal is to both provide information and persuasion, something along the lines of why you might decide to attend Clemson's History MA program, rather than going elsewhere or not at all. The document is meant to be provided by advisors to their advisees.

Work To Date:

Thus far work on the booklet has been mostly research and planning. I was given a trifold (If you want to get technical, it's got four folds, and is done in the oddest manner I've seen for a brochure, but essentially the same thing) that the Clemson Graduate School put out. I was also given some materials on the Graduate School itself that may prove useful. I'm currently trying to evaluate what will be useful to include in the document. I had hoped to be taking photos for use in the booklet, but the weather has been against me.

Work Planned:

I need to start working on the actual document itself. I have to decide what to incorporate from each of the various sources, and what I'm going to have to try to supply/obtain myself. Graphic design considerations need to also be examined. I need to be writing content, but I also should be developing a template for the manual at the same time. I intend to develop a template with a visual style that I can use in the related booklet as well, since I intend for them to be part of a package. So while I am planning, I will be attempting to put together a template as well.



Conclusion:

My biggest concern at this moment is trying to get the proper content established for the document. Writing needs to begin soon.

Progress Report, Late and Lamented

As I neglected to get a set of progress reports up last week, I'm trying to remedy that.
History MA Application Manual Progress Report:


Purpose:

This project is essentially a manual designed to make the application process to the Clemson History MA program easier to understand, and possibly make it faster and less tedious for the individual applying. The manual will attempt to compile all of the existing materials, and add relevant features such as a calendar and checklist of items. Other features will be useful contact information.

Work to date:

To this date, I've been busy trying to wrap up my research, and begin planning out the document. Although to be fair, I believe that I'm going to constantly be spending time referring back to the source materials, because it's critical that I get this information right. By the same token, what I produce can't be too much like the original, or else it won't fill a unique niche.

While I had hoped to be able to take some photos for both this document, and the related brochure, the weather has not cooperated with me at any point that I've had an opportunity to do so. While a few images will make the manual more attractive, they are not essential to achieving the purpose of the document.


Work Planned:

I need to start working on the actual document itself. I have to decide what to incorporate from each of the various sources, and what I'm going to have to try to supply/obtain myself. Graphic design considerations need to also be examined. I need to be writing content, but I also should be developing a template for the manual at the same time. I intend to develop a template with a visual style that I can use in the related booklet as well, since I intend for them to be part of a package. So while I am planning, I will be attempting to put together a template as well.

Conclusion:

At the moment, I'm hoping that I'll be able to settle into a work routine that will keep the project from falling behind. It is early still, so my time would better be spent doing than worrying however.

Lay Document Proposal

Problem Statement

While most history undergraduates should be aware that a graduate history program exists, how well informed about the particulars of the program is debatable.

Were more history undergraduates better informed about the program, it is conceivable that it could grow into a larger and more prestigious program. To that end, a document that both increases awareness of and interest in the program could be useful in addressing the problem.

Problem Section

As of Fall 2006, there were currently thirty three graduate students enrolled in the History MA program at Clemson[1]. A search using Clemson University’s online phonebook turns up 463 results for individuals with History as their listed major, which includes the graduate students[2]. That should leave 430 of the results as undergraduates, and even accounting for those students not currently active, the result should still be that there are over ten undergraduates for every one graduate student. While the graduate program enjoys a quite good student to professor ratio[3], the program could still likely benefit from more applicants.

More applicants could result in increased interest in the program from the administration, and possibly increased funding. With that funding it would be possible to do any number of things to improve the program, but chief among them would be hiring new professors, either to diversify the History Department as a whole, or to provide additional expertise in a given field. The addition of new faculty members and the funding needed to support them would be a tremendous boon to the department and to the students, undergraduate and graduate alike.

Significantly less than ten percent of the undergraduate history students seem to go on to attend graduate school at Clemson. The possible reasons are myriad, but one can argue that at least some of those students may have stayed here, or made a bid for graduate school at all had they better understood what the graduate program here involved. It is this apparent lack of awareness that bears addressing, as it could otherwise be holding the program back from growth.

Solution

The History department’s website has some useful and compelling information regarding the program available for prospective students, but it requires at least some pre-existing interest. Advisors should be much more effective in this regard, as they can make active inquiries as to their advisee’s intentions, and can prompt the advisees to consider the idea of graduate school. If they were armed with some material they could hand to interested students, they could further cement that interest. To that end, a booklet describing the program in general terms, as well as stressing the possible benefits of attending graduate school would be an excellent start towards strengthening advisors’ ability to generate prospective graduate students.

A booklet would make for an excellent way to fill this need, as it is capable of holding more information than a trifold, and not be too unwieldy at the same time. Further, the booklet should be visually appealing, something that makes the reader want to read it. Posters or other visually focused accessories could further aid in generating interest.

Qualifications

I believe myself qualified to take on this task for several reasons. First, I am a history undergraduate here at Clemson University, with aspirations of going on to graduate school, here or elsewhere. Hence, I feel I have a vested interest in the problem. Second, I have had some graphic design instruction, and some experience in producing similar documents, and I feel that I can make an attractive looking document. Third, my minor here is technical writing, and I feel I can make the document functional as well as attractive.

Work Plan

to be updated and revised as needed

Week of October 8^th

© Finish research regarding document

Week of October 15^th

© Begin deciding upon content of booklet

© Take photos to be used in booklet

Week of October 22^rd

© Assessment of progress and work plan updates

© Assess viability of doing posters and additional material

© Begin writing of material for booklet

Week of October 29^rd

© Begin formatting draft booklet

Week of November 5^th

© First draft of booklet

Week of November 12^th

© Revisions

© Begin secondary items, if feasible

Week of November 19^th

© Draft Due

© Continue secondary items

Week of November 26^th

© Prepare final draft based on input

Week of December 3^rd

© Presentation

---

[1] Current Graduate Students—Fall 2006. (Last accessed October 11, 2007)

[2] Clemson University Phonebook. (Last accessed October 11, 2007)

[3] The Master of Arts in History. (Last accessed October 11, 2007)

Expert Proposal

Problem Statement

Potential History graduate students here at Clemson must go through the process of application to the program, a process about which information is available, but widely scattered. No singular source of information is available to candidates that could make the process easier. In order to rectify this, a document that amasses as much of the information regarding the process as is practical should be written, so that it may be distributed to interested students as an aid to the process.

Problem Section

A simple bit of investigation shows that there is information available on the History department’s website concerning the program. When one reads through the three pertinent pieces, the Guide to Graduate Study in History[1], Financial Aid[2], and Areas of Study[3], it becomes apparent that these bits of information are useful. But a close reading reveals many terms which are not addressed or defined within. The consequence is that the interested party must resort to hunting down information through other sources to begin piecing together an understanding of the process.

The next likely step for the inquisitive is the Clemson University Graduate School page[4]. The page itself features primarily information that is not major specific, but more focused on the general requirements and process of entering any of the graduate programs at Clemson. Some specific information is available for each program, but what is available for the history program is very brief, and is mostly mirrored in the Guide to Graduate Study in History. Much of getting useful information from this source is determining what is applicable at the time, and what is not.

Neither are more than references. They are not designed in such a fashion as to actively assist a graduate candidate, and force the individual to go through a good bit of back and forth to get what they need out of them. This is the point in which some of the associated frustration with the application process begins to become apparent.

In talking with graduate students of differing backgrounds and majors here, they mentioned among other things, that they wish they had known more about the GRE. This indicates that there information is not as accessible as it could be. Information is available in a link on the Clemson University Graduate School page, it is not a Clemson page, and is arranged differently in both stylistic and practical fashions[5]. To get pertinent information out of this source requires more decisions as to what is or is not applicable.

While the prospective student's advisor may be equipped to answer questions not covered by one of these sources, this is still contingent on the advisor having the time to either meet with the student or respond to their queries through other channels. And if the prospective student is coming from another university, then this may pose even more of a problem, as their face to face time with an advisor is going to be limited by the distance they have to travel. In either case, the students do not have a tool in hand that they themselves can make use of to ease their application process.

That these issues exist can potentially lead to frustration on the part of candidates, which can lead to possibly fewer candidates than would otherwise apply. Fewer applicants will likely result in less funding for the program, and make it much more difficult to maintain the quality of the program, much less increase it. It is also quite conceivable that in navigating the maze of the application process that mistakes can be made, although how problematic those mistakes may be could vary. At the very least, it is a source of distraction and frustration during the applicant’s senior year at college. In any case, these issues bear addressing.

Solution

It is necessary then, that prospective graduate students have access to a document that will function as more than just a reference, but as a tool to help guide them through the process of application. The document, which will take the form of a manual, will incorporate not just the program guidelines laid out on the history website, but would also explain general requirements for graduate school at Clemson, the application process itself in detail (including the GRE), financial aid available for graduate students, and would include a series of useful aids for the student, such as a timeline for the process and relevant contact information.

Granted, there are things that relate to the application process which are not suitable for this document. Such things deal with the current politics of the department. This document is not to be a guide to ingratiating oneself to the applications committee.

Such things would be inappropriate for a text that advisors would hand out. In addition, it seems certain that an argument would be made that an attempt to navigate the peculiarities of politics in the history department is a necessary part of becoming a more mature historian, and putting out a guide would in some way diminish the quality of applicants. Rather this document is about the established and concrete portions of the process, the ones that ostensibly applicants are bound by. In other words, the manual is going to be “by the book.”

Qualifications

I believe myself qualified to take on this task for several reasons. First, I am a history undergraduate here at Clemson University, with aspirations of going on to graduate school, here or elsewhere. Hence, I feel I have a vested interest in the problem. Second, I have had some graphic design instruction, and some experience in producing similar documents, and I feel that I can make an attractive looking document. Third, my minor here is technical writing, and I feel I can make the document functional as well as attractive.

Work Plan

to be updated and revised as needed

Week of October 8^th

© Additional research is required to further understand needs of graduate candidates –to be completed within the week if possible

© When research is complete, begin process of choosing essential information for booklet

© Brainstorm useful features.

Week of October 15^th

© Begin writing draft material for manual

© Begin taking photos for use in manual

Week of October 22^rd

© Assessment of progress and work plan updates

© Continue on draft of manual

Week of October 29^rd

© Begin formatting draft manual

Week of November 5^th

© First draft of manual

Week of November 12^th

© Revisions

Week of November 19^th

© Draft Due

Week of November 26^th

© Prepare final draft based on input

Week of December 3^rd

© Presentation

---

[1] Guide to Graduate Study in History. (Last accessed, October 11, 2007)

[2] Financial Aid. (Last accessed, October 11, 2007)

[3] Areas of Study. (Last accessed, October 11, 2007)

[4] Clemson University Graduate School. (Last accessed, October 11, 2007)

[5] ETS: Educational Testing Services. (Last accessed, October 11, 2007)

Problem Statement

While most history undergraduates should be aware that a graduate history program exists, how well informed about the particulars of the program is debatable. Were more history undergraduates better informed about the program, it is conceivable that it could grow into a larger and more prestigious program. To that end, a document that both increases awareness of and interest in the program could be useful in addressing the problem.

Problem Section

To date, there are currently thirty three graduate students enrolled in the History MA program at Clemson. A search using Clemson University’s online phonebook turns up 463 results for individuals with History as their listed major, which includes the graduate students. That should leave 430 of the results as undergraduates, and even accounting for those students not currently active, the result should still be that there are over ten undergraduates for every one graduate student. While the graduate program enjoys a quite good student to professor ratio, the program could still likely benefit from more applicants.

More applicants could result in increased interest in the program from the administration, and possibly increased funding. With that funding it would be possible to do any number of things to improve the program, but chief among them would be hiring new professors, either to diversify the History Department as a whole, or to provide additional expertise in a given field. The addition of new faculty members and the funding needed to support them would be a tremendous boon to the department and to the students, undergraduate and graduate alike.

Significantly less than ten percent of the undergraduate history students seem to go on to attend graduate school at Clemson. The possible reasons are myriad, but one can argue that at least some of those students may have stayed here, or made a bid for graduate school at all had they better understood what the graduate program here involved. It is this apparent lack of awareness that bears addressing, as it could otherwise be holding the program back from growth.

Solution

The History department’s website has some useful and compelling information regarding the program available for prospective students, but it requires at least some pre-existing interest. Advisors should be much more effective in this regard, as they can make active inquiries as to their advisee’s intentions, and can prompt the advisees to consider the idea of graduate school. The advisors would be even more effective in this regard if they were armed with some material they could hand to interested students, so that they could further cement that interest. To that end, a booklet describing the program in general terms, as well as stressing the possible benefits of attending graduate school would be an excellent start towards strengthening advisors’ ability to generate prospective graduate students. Posters or other visually focused accessories could further aid in generating interest.

Qualifications

I believe myself qualified to take on this task for several reasons. First, I am a history undergraduate here at Clemson University, with aspirations of going on to graduate school, here or elsewhere. Hence, I feel I have a vested interest in the problem. Second, I have had some graphic design instruction, and some experience in producing similar documents, and I feel that I can make an attractive looking document. Third, my minor here is technical writing, and I feel I can make the document functional as well as attractive.

Work Plan

to be updated and revised as needed

Week of October 8^th

© Finish research regarding document

Week of October 15^th

© Begin deciding upon content of booklet

© Take photos to be used in booklet

Week of October 23^rd

© Assessment of progress and work plan updates

© Assess viability of doing posters and additional material

© Begin writing of material for booklet

Edit: Same basic issue as the Expert Proposal, with missing source citations. Will be included in final draft.

Expert Document Proposal Draft

Problem Statement

Potential History graduate students here at Clemson must go through the process of application to the program, a process about which information is available, but widely scattered. No singular source of information is available to candidates that could make the process easier. In order to rectify this, a document that amasses as much of the information regarding the process as is practical should be written, so that it may be distributed to interested students as an aid to the process.

Problem Section

A simple bit of investigation shows that there is information available on the History department’s website concerning the program. When one reads through the three pertinent pieces, the Guide to Graduate Study in History, Financial Aid, and Areas of Study, it becomes apparent that these bits of information are useful. But a close reading reveals many terms which are not addressed or defined within. The consequence is that the interested party must resort to hunting down information through other sources to begin piecing together an understanding of the process.

The next likely step for the inquisitive is the Clemson University Graduate School page. The page itself features primarily information that is not major specific, but more focused on the general requirements and process of entering any of the graduate programs at Clemson. Some specific information is available for each program, but what is available for the history program is very brief, and is mostly mirrored in the Guide to Graduate Study in History. Much of getting useful information from this source is determining what is applicable at the time, and what is not

Neither are more than references. They are not designed in such a fashion as to actively assist a graduate candidate, and force the individual to go through a good bit of back and forth to get what they need out of them. This is the point in which some of the associated frustration with the application process begins to become apparent.

In talking with graduate students of differing backgrounds and majors here, they mentioned among other things, that they wish they had known more about the GRE. This indicates that there information is not as accessible as it could be. Information is available in a link on the Clemson University Graduate School page, it is not a Clemson page, and is arranged differently in both stylistic and practical fashions. To get pertinent information out of this source requires more decisions as to what is or is not applicable.

While the prospective student's advisor may be equipped to answer questions not covered by one of these sources, this is still contingent on the advisor having the time to either meet with the student or respond to their queries through other channels. And if the prospective student is coming from another university, then this may pose even more of a problem, as their face to face time with an advisor is going to be limited by the distance they have to travel. In either case, the students do not have a tool in hand that they themselves can make use of to ease their application process.

That these issues exist can potentially lead to frustration on the part of candidates, which can lead to possibly fewer candidates than would otherwise apply. Fewer applicants will likely result in less funding for the program, and make it much more difficult to maintain the quality of the program, much less increase it. It is also quite conceivable that in navigating the maze of the application process that mistakes can be made, although how problematic those mistakes may be could vary. At the very least, it is a source of distraction and frustration during the applicant’s senior year at college. In any case, these issues bear addressing.

Solution

It is necessary then, that prospective graduate students have access to a document that will function as more than just a reference, but as a tool to help guide them through the process of application. The document, which will take the form of a booklet, will incorporate not just the program guidelines laid out on the history website, but would also explain general requirements for graduate school at Clemson, the application process itself in detail (including the GRE), financial aid available for graduate students, and would include a series of useful aids for the student, such as a timeline for the process and relevant contact information.

Granted, there are things that relate to the application process which are not suitable for this document. Such things deal with the current politics of the department. This document is not to be a guide to ingratiating oneself to the applications committee. Such things would be inappropriate for a text that advisors would hand out. In addition, it seems certain that an argument would be made that an attempt to navigate the peculiarities of politics in the history department is a necessary part of becoming a more mature historian, and putting out a guide would in some way diminish the quality of applicants. Rather this document is about the established and concrete portions of the process, the ones that ostensibly applicants are bound by. In other words, the booklet is going to be “by the book.”

Qualifications

I believe myself qualified to take on this task for several reasons. First, I am a history undergraduate here at Clemson University, with aspirations of going on to graduate school, here or elsewhere. Hence, I feel I have a vested interest in the problem. Second, I have had some graphic design instruction, and some experience in producing similar documents, and I feel that I can make an attractive looking document. Third, my minor here is technical writing, and I feel I can make the document functional as well as attractive

Work Plan

to be updated and revised as needed

Week of October 8^th

© Additional research is required to further understand needs of graduate candidates –to be completed within the week if possible

© When research is complete, begin process of choosing essential information for booklet

© Brainstorm useful features.

Week of October 15^th

© Begin writing material for booklet

© Begin taking photos for use in booklet

Week of October 23^rd

© Assessment of progress and work plan updates

Edit: The single most important omission in this draft are sources. Expect them to be included in the final draft.

In talking to my history adviser, I found out that it is unlikely that I'm going to be getting any sort of support from the head of graduate advisers, as he'd be suspicious and mistrusting of someone in his own department writing such a thing, much less someone he doesn't know at all. I may still try to give him the files when it's all said and done, and let him see if they would like to revise them to suit their needs, but all in all, this is fairly disappointing.

In any case, it will be interesting getting together support for my argument without that sort of assistance. I've got an acquaintance in the grad program I should talk to, but the problem is I haven't seem him in a while, and don't know how to get in touch with him.

Edit: Problem Section and Solution for Expert Audience Document:

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While there is certainly some information available to undergraduates concerning the history graduate program here at Clemson, information specifically related to the program does not go beyond being a reference. Effectively it states requirements and procedures for entering, continuing, and graduating the program. But given that at best it would be a seven to nine page document if presented in that format, there is a great deal of the process that it does not elaborate on.

To obtain more information on the matter, the Clemson University Graduate School page is probably the first place one will go. However, this is by no means an exhaustive resource either. More importantly, neither are one concise, complete resource that a prospective student can consult.

Moreover, neither are more than references. While the prospective student's advisor may be equipped to answer questions not covered by one of these sources, this is still contingent on the advisor having the time to either meet with the student or respond to their queries through other channels. And if the prospective student is coming from another university, then this may pose even more of a problem, as their face to face time with an advisor is going to be limited by the distance they have to travel. In either case, the students do not have a tool in hand that they themselves can make use of to ease their application process.

That these issues exist can potentially lead to frustration on the part of applicants, which can lead to possibly fewer applicants. At the very least, it is a source of distraction and frustration during their senior year at college, and they and the program both may suffer for it.

It is necessary then, that prospective graduate students have access to a document that will function as more than just a reference, but as a tool to help guide them through the process of application. Such a document would incorporate not just the program guidelines laid out on the history website, but would also explain general requirements for graduate school at Clemson, the application process itself in detail (including the GRE), and would include a series of useful aids for the student, such as a timeline for the process and relevant contact information.

EDIT: Thursday Oct 4th
I had sat down to try to revise this earlier this morning, but I decided that it would be best to wait till I hear some more comments about it. I certainly know it's not done yet,by any stretch of the imagination. I just thought it would be better to wait for more comments before reinventing the horse and accidentally turning it into a rabbit. So I would like to hear what sorts of things would be more relevant for the problem section and beginning of the solution.