Paper Assignment: Primary source analysis (supported by secondary sources for context and historical narrative). A great place for Western Civilization primary sources is PCC: https://guides.pcc.edu/php?g=225959&p=1497800 (PCC is Portland Community College Library) Note: For help studying, reading, and writing, go to the campus Reading and Writing Center, CG 409 or go to http://www.nvcc.edu/annandale/asc/writing/index.html
Using the primary sources from a particular chapter or chapters (1 -15) of your Primary Source Reader (Sources of the Making of the West-Volume 1) or any primary source (book, novel, or Portland Community College (PCC) Library etc.,), what can we loam about a society or civilization during a particular historical era (from ancient history to 1648)?
Write a 5-8 page historical essay analyzing what the primary sources reveal about the society and time in which the sources were created. Your paper must contain a central, guiding thesis stating your viewpoint or interpretation of the documents and related historical events. Be creative, marshal your evidence (use your textbook to help you analyze your primary sources), and defend your views. Effective historical writing contains a clearly articulated thesis, convincing evidence, and insightful analysis. The page requirements are actual text (not including the title page and bibliography).
Your paper must stay within the geographic and chronological bounds of this course, that is by chapters 1-15 of our texts. Use your textbook as a secondary source!
Based on your reading or research, address the following:
1) What possible conclusions can you make about the nature of the society, culture, and politics during the time?
2) What contents seem to be uppermost in the public mind?
3) What do your sources reveal the existence of particular tensions and anxieties peculiar to the period?
4) What attitudes do the writer(s) exhibit toward any of the following (depending on your topic and thesis): politics, international and military events, economics, religion, territorial and urban growth, ideologies, agriculture and industry, transportation and communication, reform movements, social issues, gender, race, immigration, slavery, class, crises, imperialism, war, technology, sexuality, racism, leisure. the family, etc…?
You should have the following prepared for each stage of the paper:
Paper Topic: Include a separate title page (include on the title page your name, course number and title, title of the paper, and the date). For the topic, include a brief description of key ideas, themes, and the importance of the primary sources you have chosen to analyze, and a one or two- sentence description of a thesis (an argument(s) or point(s) you intend to make). Also include a list of the primary sources you are intending to use from a particular chapter or chapters of the primary source reader (or another primary source) in a properly formatted bibliography.
Paper Outline: Include your proper title page, add to your thesis—include important or key ideas and arguments that you will address based on the primary sources you are using from Sources of the Making of the West or another approved primary source so that you have a basic introduction (with your main arguments and ideas), an outline of the body (a small paragraph or “bullet points” of key ideas and arguments with a one sentence description of each main point), and a possible conclusion. Include a list of your primary and secondary sources in a properly cited format (in-text or parenthetical or footnotes or endnotes). Add to your bibliography as necessary. The outline should be 2-3 pages in length. Proofread—you will lose points for too many grammatical or other errors.
Paper Draft: Have a more hilly developed introduction which has primary sources and details your main arguments and the key points or ideas in the body of the paper. Include a much more substantial body of the paper, now 3-5 pages of actual text that contains a more thorough development of each of your key arguments and ideas. Also, include a more refined conclusion. You should spend time proofreading and editing before you submit so that the paper is in a polished form (relatively free of grammatical and other errors). Finally, properly cite all your sources (in-text or parenthetical or footnotes or endnotes and a bibliography). I will be looking for changes based on the feedback you received on the paper outline. Doing well on the draft is critical to doing well on the final paper.
Final Paper: The final paper, now 5-8 pages of actual text, needs to include everything required in the draft and should also include any corrections, additions, or modifications (including more extensive editing and proofreading) needed for final submission. I will be looking for changes based on the feedback you received on the paper draft. Be sure that you properly use and cite your sources—you can cum no higher than a “D” if you don’t.
NB: for help with your paper generally and citations and evaluation criteria specifically along with instructions on how to use Turnitin. sec “Chicago-Turabian Style,” “Writing Tips,” “When to Cite Sources,” “Evaluation Criteria,” “Summary v. Analysis” etc. under Paper Assignment Resources on Canvas. The library has many online (including JSTOR) and other resources you can use for the paper. Please ask a librarian for help finding journals, books, or other academic sources if you are unfamiliar with the library’s resources. There are also many helpful resources located under “Course Documents.” Be sure that you properly use and cite all sources; failure to use and cite sources will result in a substantial grade deduction (you can cam no higher than a “D”) for the paper regardless of how well the paper is written. It is your responsibility to submit all work on time through Canvas Turnitin by the due date and time. Please note that there are point values associated with each part of the paper (2 points for the topic, 3 for the outline, 10 for the draft and 10 for the final version of the paper—in all 25 points out of the total course grade).