Back by popular demand, I am teaching my online course on historical method this April (just a few weeks away): Thinking Like a Historian: Historical Methods, Practice and Theory.
Learn how to question and investigate claims about history. Study not only the logic of historical reasoning and argument, but also a lot of the practical tips and tricks real historians employ to test and check claims. Learn the particular skills of skeptical and critical thinking about history.
Primary topics: Best practices among historians; historical methods as modes of reasoning (both criteria-based and Bayesian); examples of flawed reasoning and bad arguments in peer reviewed history journals and monographs (and how to spot them as a layperson); and what to do to critically examine a claim using both immediate criteria and procedures for more labor-intensive inquiry
What it’s like: The course is one month online. You study and participate at your own pace, as much or as little as you like, and you get to ask me any questions you want about the course topics all month long, and read and participate in online discussions with me and other students. I will direct and comment on readings each week and give weekly course assignments which consist of tackling a simple online investigation, or answering questions about what you’ve learned and what you think about it.
Required Course Text: The only course text you have to buy is Proving History (available in print and electronic editions). All other readings and media will be provided to students free of charge (all you have to provide is your access to the internet).
Note: This course is useful by itself, but also a good preparatory course for my class later this year on the historicity of Jesus, and a good companion course to my class on New Testament studies for everyone, which I will offer again late this year or early next.
Tuition: $59
Must register by April 6 . And the course could fill quickly so register sooner rather than later. It may be a year before I offer it again.
More details here.
I really enjoyed your participation in Secular TV tonight and look forward to your writings sticking to verifiable historical narrative. I am gratified to learn that scholars like yourself are still carrying the torch in this generation and look forward to your online course.