PROF. SACKETT – HIST 107 – MODERN WORLD HISTORY
ESSAY EXAM ON THE “THIRD WORLD”
Directions: Answer each of the following questions in comprehensive, well-constructed essays. Remember, these are essay questions; they are not short answer questions, and they are not term papers. You should neither ignore parts of the question nor digress from it. Just write direct, succinct answers.
1. The European colonial powers left Africa a half-century ago, but the impact of Europe upon Africa politically, socially, and economically, is still of profound importance. Explain in detail how many current conditions in Africa, both positive and negative, are a result of European Imperialism.
2. The Republic of South Africa, though regarded as one of the continent’s great success stories, nonetheless is facing serious contemporary problems. Discuss South Africa’s development from the formalization of the Apartheid system in 1948 until its dismantling in 1994 and explain why the country is still troubled today.
3. The British Indian Empire was a multi-ethnic realm containing hundreds of millions of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and Buddhists. Explain precisely how this fact complicated both the granting of independence in 1947 and relations among the various countries of the region today.
4. Social, political, and especially economic problems in many Central American countries have led to a great deal of emigration from this region. Explain both the causes of this emigration and the reaction to it of the surrounding countries.
5. Discuss contemporary Mexico in terms of (1) ethnic composition, (2) political system, (3) economic conditions, (4) crime problems, and (5) relations with the United States.
I need a Page per question. The Textbook that needs to be used to get this information is Wayne C. McWilliams and Harry Piotrowki, The World Since 1945: A History of International Relations, 8th edition. Dont use any outside sources besides textbook.
This is the grading rubric for the essay
GRADING RUBRIC FOR ESSAY EXAMS – PROF. SACKETT
Each essay exam for this course consists of five questions. The exam will be graded holistically; though each answer will be evaluated on its own merits, the grade awarded will reflect the entire submission, not an aggregate sum of percentages. The grades will be curved if your class’s average is below 75, and the grade I report to you will reflect the curve, if there is one. My logic is that in the age-old traditions of pedagogy, an A (95) is excellent, a B (85) is good, a C (75) is average, and a D (65) is below average. Therefore, if the class average is a 70, for example, which is five points below the traditional average, I will add five points to everyone’s grade. You may object to this procedure on strictly statistical mathematical grounds; but what can I say? I don’t teach Math.
INSTRUCTIONS
Answer each of the questions on the exam; you MUST answer all five. You are working at your own pace, so take your time, think, plan, rewrite, proofread, etc.; but please note that you must submit your answers to me no later than 48 hours after the exam is made available to you! (E.g., an exam posted at midnight on Friday must be submitted by midnight on Sunday.) Exams submitted late will be subject to grade reduction. Do NOT submit your answers piecemeal: send me all five at once in one email, not in five emails each containing one essay. Once your exam has been submitted and graded, you may NOT submit a rewrite.
THE ESSAYS THEMSELVES
1. Length: is less important than content. An essay that addresses the question properly in two pages will get a better grade than a five page essay that does not. That having been said, remember that these are essay questions, not short answer questions. They can not be answered in one or two paragraphs.
2. Content: should derive from the assigned readings, my lectures, and the films; they reinforce each other, and each contains materials that are absent from the others. I can infer from what you write how much of the assigned work you have actually been doing.
3. Structure: This is not an English class, so the conventional mandates of introductory and concluding paragraphs are not necessary. Nonetheless, as a college student you should be able to write proper formal English, so be attentive to grammar, sentence structure, spelling, etc.
4. Composition: I suggest you adhere to the following process: research; outline; write; rewrite; proofread; compose and send me the final essays. If you just dash them off quickly without planning and paying attention to your work, it will show, believe me.
GRADING
What follows are the general qualities of A, B, C, and D grades. If the test grade you receive does not please you, look at the description of the next higher grade to guide you in future compositions. (E.g., if your grade was a C+, look at the qualities I describe of a “B” grade to tell you what to improve.) Remember that on your grade report (i.e., the grade you earn for the course) there are no “minor” grades, no B- or C-, and what would be a “minor” grade is raised to the next higher, not dropped to the next lower; thus a B- becomes a B, not a C+. And, inasmuch as the maximum 4.00 grade is an A, there is no such thing as an A+. Sorry.
A range: 90-100: Answers directly address the questions – demonstrate thorough understanding of the facts – all important points covered – no errors of fact – valid interpretations when necessary – attention to lectures and films indicated
B range: 80-89: Answers partially address the questions – demonstrate understanding of the facts – most important points covered – factual errors, if any, are minor – interpretations defensible – attention to lectures and films suggested
C range: 70-79: Answers omit important details – understanding of facts questionable or not demonstrated – contain errors – weak interpretations – little or no indication of attention to lectures or films
D range: 60-69: Answers do not address the questions – no or little factual understanding – contain serious errors – poor or no interpretations – no evidence of attention to lectures or films
F: below 60: we need to talk
Rough letter equivalents of numerical test grade:
97-100 A 73-76 C
93-96 A 70-72 C-
90-92 A- 67-69 D+
87-89 B+ 63-66 D
83-86 B 60-62 D-
80-82 B- Below 60 F
77-79 C+
GRADE REPORTING
I am strict with due dates for exam and paper submissions, but I cannot guarantee that I will have them all promptly graded. Remember, you are writing five essays; I teach three classes, and thus am reading and evaluating over five hundred. Do not bother looking on the Blackboard Grade Center for your grade; I do not use it. I will email you your test grade and an evaluation page as an attachment to an email; the email itself will say simply, “See attached.” I will not be informing you of your grade until I have graded all of the exams, because only after computing a class average can I tell if a curve is needed. As for my written commentary, the better you do, the less I will write, because you will need fewer suggestions. If you earn a C, for example, I will give you extensive improvement suggestions; if you get an A, all you will get from me is a “Good job” or a “Nicely done.” This is as it should be. Constructive criticism is a necessary ancillary component of academic success; compliments serve very little purpose beyond ego massage. That is the job of relatives, friends, and lovers, not professors.
