University Big History Course: Research Plan and Analysis

This assignment presents a research plan for a Big History course, focusing on the major themes and transformations in human history. The plan includes a thesis statement highlighting the impact of societal changes, conflicts, and advancements. The structure encompasses the advent of civilization, progress through historical advancements, and the industrial revolution's effects. An annotated bibliography is provided, featuring six sources that cover topics such as childhood, sexuality, the industrial revolution, globalization, energy, and science and technology in world history. The bibliography includes books by Stearns, Smil, and McClellan, offering insights into the evolution of human society and the challenges faced throughout history. The research plan aims to explore the evolution of human civilization and the key factors that have shaped it over time, emphasizing the interconnections between various historical events and their impact on humanity.

Running head: BIG HISTORY – RESEARCH PLAN
BIG HISTORY – RESEARCH PLAN
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1BIG HISTORY – RESEARCH PLAN
Thesis statement:
The major theme that is observed in the total history refers to the various changes that
have taken place in the human world that has been facing a greater number of issues since the
advent of civilization due to the clashes that they have engaged in the present days.
Topic sentences
The advent of the civilization saw the clustering of the human beings who practiced
similar activities and had similar interests.
The increase and the progress in the human world led to several collisions among the
people who have been trying to acquire more land and thereby increase the perimeter of the land
that is acquired by people.
The industrial revolution and the increase in the scientific breakthroughs that have taken
place in the human world has often led to the various instances of warfare and other such issues
among the countries and groups of people.
Essay Structure
Introduction
Advent of civilization
Progress in the human world through the historical advancements
Industrial revolution and its effect on the development of the human history
Conclusion
Annotated Bibliography

2BIG HISTORY – RESEARCH PLAN
Source 1:
Stearns, P.N., 2016. Childhood in world history. Routledge.
Stearns (2016) in the book entitled “Childhood in world history” emphasizes on the
various ways in which the human beings have brough about the needed changes in their lifestyle
as well as their activities in order to cope up with the changes in the environment. The source is
considered to be extremely helpful in the development of the study since it provides a greater
insight into the issues that are faced by the human race since times immemorial.
Source 2:
Stearns, P.N., 2017. Sexuality in world history. Routledge.
Stearns (2017) in the book entitled “Sexuality in world history” highlights the importance
of sexuality in the advent of the human civilization. The source sheds major light on the
importance of the matters that bear proper relevance to the issues of sexuality and its effect on
the human race and thus would help in the composition of the study as well. Thus, the source
would be extremely helpful for the study.
Source 3:
Stearns, P.N., 2018. The industrial revolution in world history. Routledge.
Stearns (2018) in the book entitled “The industrial revolution in world history” highlights
the effects of the industrial revolution on the development of the human civilization as well as
the future generations to come. The source highlights the changes that have been taking place in
the human civilization due to the introduction of the machinery and other such equipment which
were invented to help the human beings extend a lesser amount of physical labor into the

3BIG HISTORY – RESEARCH PLAN
assigned jobs. The source sheds major light on the ways in which the industrial revolution
shaped the society to attain the modern-day form and thus is extremely important for the study.
Source 4:
Stearns, P.N., 2016. Globalization in world history. Routledge.
Stearns (2016) in the book entitled “Globalization in world history” provides the readers
with the insight on the effect of globalization on the human race. The book highlights the various
factors that have evolved as a result of the implementation of the globalization on the human
race. This makes the source gain importance as one of the needed resources that would help in
the development of the study on the evolution of the human race along the historical timeline.
Source 5:
Smil, V., 2019. Energy in world history. Routledge.
Smil (2019) in the book entitled “Energy in world history” emphasizes on the changes
that had to be implemented in the functioning of the human world in order to incorporate the
needed variations after the introduction of the industrial revolution that was undertaken by the
humans. The resource helps to shed light on the progress that was faced by the human beings
over the course of history. This has helped the source to gain an important place in the list of
sources that are used for the completion of the present study.
Source 6:
McClellan iii, J.E. and Dorn, H., 2015. Science and technology in world history: an
introduction. JHU Press.

4BIG HISTORY – RESEARCH PLAN
McClellan iii and Dorn (2015) in the book entitled “Science and technology in world
history: an introduction” highlights the importance of the contribution of science and the
technological advancements in the development of the human race as well. The book highlights
the issues that have helped in shaping the activities that are undertaken by certain stalwarts in the
history of mankind. The book is considered to be an important resource for the study since it
highlights the journey of mankind through the lanes of history.

5BIG HISTORY – RESEARCH PLAN
References and bibliography
Alvarez, W., 2016. A most improbable journey: a big history of our planet and ourselves. WW
Norton & Company.
McClellan iii, J.E. and Dorn, H., 2015. Science and technology in world history: an introduction.
JHU Press.
Smil, V., 2019. Energy in world history. Routledge.
Stearns, P.N., 2016. Childhood in world history. Routledge.
Stearns, P.N., 2016. Globalization in world history. Routledge.
Stearns, P.N., 2017. Sexuality in world history. Routledge.
Stearns, P.N., 2018. The industrial revolution in world history. Routledge.