Project Proposal:
For this project you will investigate a topic in the history of science up to 1500 CE. The goal is to write an essay of 1500 words, in which you examine the development of one or two aspects of science during a narrow time period (for example, try to limit it to 50 years, e.g. 600-650 BCE). Since this is difficult for the Ancient Period, try to find other ways to limit the scope of your projects. For example, you might focus on a single person (Plato), a certain geographic area (a city state), or institution (Alexandria Library).
Please submit a 250 word proposal of your research project (details below) that includes:
1) A descriptive title that relates to your project, for example:
“Babylonian Astronomy: A Novel application of Mathematics to Nature Study, 800-600 BCE”
2) Your Name, Course Number
3) A paragraph with a preliminary description of your project as you plan now. Include some details about the aspects you might cover including:
– The development of a new concept
– A debate over how to study nature (Aristotle vs Plato)
– The relationship between culture (literature, art) and ancient or medieval science
– The synthesis of religious, political and scientific study
– OTHER
Remember that I am looking for a question or set of questions you how to address in your project. For example, on based on our recent material one might be: “How did Babylonian knowledge about astronomy influence Greek Philiosophy?” or from the future lectures: Why did Islamic aristocracy support the study of Greek philosophy?”
4) Explain as clear as possible at this stage how your topic relates to the course. Which of the course themes does it relate to (look through the chapter titles in Lindberg, or the syllabus weeks?
5) A bibliography with:
a) at least ONE Primary Source–a document or object produced by the people/during the time you are investigating. ***You need to explain why this is a primary source and how you are going to use it.
b) TWO secondary sources that are scholarly historical articles or books about the topic. ***Briefly discuss how these sources will help you to place the primary source in its historical context.
c) Provide citations for these (***not URLS) in this:
Author, Title (publisher), date, page numbers (for articles). Here is a brief and useful website: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html
