Thinking and writing like a historian
The event must have taken place between 1500 B.C.E – 1715 C.E. You must have at least four scholarly sources to support your essay You have to get your topic approved by your instructor by submitting an abstract 4 weeks prior to the paper due date Paper Goals: The primary goal of this paper is to get the student to begin thinking and writing like a historian. Historians do not always agree about how to interpret the events and people that they study; this leads to multiple explanations, which at times, are diametrically opposed to each other. Analysis of scholarly sources can help students develop a deeper understanding of how history is written and the fact that events and ideas are open to interpretation. What this means in practice is an exploration of a specific topic, and how historians have explained events or people over time, i.e. how their explanations have changed due to their own worldview and/or ideological bent, due to re-interpretation of previously-viewed sources, due to the availability of new sources, previously unexplored, and/or due to the application of different questions and/or methodologies to sources. Revision of prior interpretations of the past is an implicit and important element of historiography. The focus of a historiographical essay is not on the event or person itself; rather, it is on the interpretations of the event or person. Basic Paper Criteria: The paper will be 1,000 words (+/ 10%) The paper will be submitted as a MS Word Document Font: Times New Roman Font Size: 12 point Margins: 1 inch on all sides Double spaced Page numbers centered at bottom of each page. The paper will use the Chicago style footnotes, size 10 point font (footnotes not included in word count) The paper will have a title page (not included in word count) The paper will have a properly formatted Bibliography (not included in the word count) The paper must be based on at least four scholarly sources (not primary sources): One can (not required) be the textbook. Therefore, students will have to find three additional scholarly sources to use in writing their papers. Grading Criteria: Thesis & Conclusions (The presentation of your argument) 25 Points Understanding of the history of the chosen event 25 Points Discussing the sources and the authors arguments 25 Points Proper use of supporting material 25 Points 1,000 word limit (+10%) 20 Points Paper Layout (Times New Roman, 12 pt font, double spaced, 1 inch margins) Correct use of Chicago/Turabian Manual 20 Points Title & Bibliography 20 Points Freebie for submitting 20 Points Abstract and four sources 20 Points Total Points 200 Points