HIST 101 paper guidelines... did I mention that this class is paper based?
Guidelines for 101 Paper
The purpose of these short papers is for your intellectual interpretation of the events and processes that the textbook and your research materials discuss. For a good history paper you need to have evidence and context. By evidence I mean reliable sources, primary sources would be the best but secondary sources are also quite good, and which discuss your paper’s topic thesis. Do not forget to incorporate the textbook and the issues the textbook is discussing in relation to the historical figure you are discussing. The textbook is the launching pad to understanding why the person you chose matters in American history. Because the textbook usually only mentions a historical figure, it is your responsibility in this paper to explain to me the relevance, significance, importance of that figure. You need to convince me, using evidence, that you understand the historical context of that person’s life.
I am not looking for whether you "liked" or "hated" the historical figure, this is not a review but rather how you access the information and ideas contained in doing research on your topic. Do not just summarize or repeat what the book, books says, engage in some, or one, of the aspects that you find significant. In other words, I do not want you to simply reiterate or repeat the sequence of events in the person you have chosen’s life, or reword the obvious, but rather you need to interpret the impact and significance of that person’s life. Analysis rather than reaction is the reason for assigning these papers. I want you to make a personal, intellectual connection to the material and show in this paper that you understand what was occurring in the seventeenth, eighteenth or nineteenth century and why it was important. The paper is not a platform for expressing opinions of outrage and whether you would do something different, rather, the paper must contextualize your point of view. In your college career you will be asked to write many papers, the most productive way you can deal with those writing assignments is to first think about how you are going to write a paper that matters. Ask yourself, what’s the point? We, professors, do not just assign papers to keep you busy, we need to see how you are thinking about the material; papers are some of the best ways to judge that capacity. Therefore, pick a topic you believe you can use to convince the professor that you have been paying attention and that shows you have a grasp of the course’s information. Avoid general statements about your topic and try to be as specific as possible.
The purpose of these short papers is for your intellectual interpretation of the events and processes that the textbook and your research materials discuss. For a good history paper you need to have evidence and context. By evidence I mean reliable sources, primary sources would be the best but secondary sources are also quite good, and which discuss your paper’s topic thesis. Do not forget to incorporate the textbook and the issues the textbook is discussing in relation to the historical figure you are discussing. The textbook is the launching pad to understanding why the person you chose matters in American history. Because the textbook usually only mentions a historical figure, it is your responsibility in this paper to explain to me the relevance, significance, importance of that figure. You need to convince me, using evidence, that you understand the historical context of that person’s life.
I am not looking for whether you "liked" or "hated" the historical figure, this is not a review but rather how you access the information and ideas contained in doing research on your topic. Do not just summarize or repeat what the book, books says, engage in some, or one, of the aspects that you find significant. In other words, I do not want you to simply reiterate or repeat the sequence of events in the person you have chosen’s life, or reword the obvious, but rather you need to interpret the impact and significance of that person’s life. Analysis rather than reaction is the reason for assigning these papers. I want you to make a personal, intellectual connection to the material and show in this paper that you understand what was occurring in the seventeenth, eighteenth or nineteenth century and why it was important. The paper is not a platform for expressing opinions of outrage and whether you would do something different, rather, the paper must contextualize your point of view. In your college career you will be asked to write many papers, the most productive way you can deal with those writing assignments is to first think about how you are going to write a paper that matters. Ask yourself, what’s the point? We, professors, do not just assign papers to keep you busy, we need to see how you are thinking about the material; papers are some of the best ways to judge that capacity. Therefore, pick a topic you believe you can use to convince the professor that you have been paying attention and that shows you have a grasp of the course’s information. Avoid general statements about your topic and try to be as specific as possible.