Context: Thomas Misa illustrated that the court engineers were called upon in areas of “city-building, courtly entertainment, and dynastic display, and for the means of war” (Misa, 3). Cultural displays can be seen in the various cathedrals of the Renaissance era. Misa points us towards the Dome of the Florence Cathedral as a vivid example of advanced technology used for grand display (often as a display of wealth…the Catholic Church was not poor) – the renaissance “shock and awe.” Cultural display was a powerful force in consolidating power, be that for a prince, ruling family, or the Pope. If we think of the technology that went into the Florence Cathedral, for example the masonry work, the special cranes, the hoisting machines, soldering techniques, and so forth, we can see how those technologies were not developed because of economic need, nor for a military need (inputs we typically think of today to spur on new technology), but rather for a cultural need. Likewise, technology was not being used “principally to create wealth or improve industries,” but rather wealth was being spent to create technology (33). And engineering can also be used for the seemingly frivolous or entertaining, as we see with da Vinci’s work in the theater. Whether it is Hollywood, video games, or pogo sticks, the inventor can be hard at work making our lives more fun.
Written 4-page Paper: Find an example from the last 100 years of engineering being used for some kind of “cultural display,” trivial or crucial. Write a 4-page paper explaining the object and its appropriate history. Your paper needs to explain the “why” it was built and the “how” it was built. You should make it clear why you think it is an example of a “cultural display.” You need to use no fewer than three quality sources. Your paper ought to have a title page and a works cited page, neither of which count towards the four pages. You may not use an AI program to help you write the paper. If you do, you will fail. Don’t be lazy. Just write the paper yourself.
Note: cover page and works cited pages (if you use sources other than the book) do not count toward the four pages. The paper should be double-spaced, Times New Roman, 12-point font, normal margins. Write well. That which is written in haste is read without pleasure.
Discussion Board Presentation: Create a short presentation (3-minutes) with one PowerPoint slide with photo(s)…no more than three photos, but all on one slide… of your object. The presentation should focus on the engineering aspect of the object. This presentation is to be on the same thing your paper is on.
Useful Writing Tips:
1) Do not use the first-person pronouns- we, I, us. Avoid things like, “I will show that…” or “We can see…” Similarly, avoid using “you.” The author cannot assume anything about the reader that would warrant the use of that pronoun. Remember too that “we” does not equal “Americans.”
2) Avoid contractions at all times. You may say “don’t” and “can’t” in conversation, but ALWAYS spell it out when writing a paper.
3) Write about past events in the past tense, not the present.
4) Provide citations every time you use information or ideas from another author. If you do not, it is called plagiarism. Although historians use the Chicago Manual of Style, I will accept APA or MLA, so long as you are consistent. Or simple parenthetical citations if explicitly stated in the instructions.
5) Avoid using absolutes. Words such as “always” and “never” are sweeping generalizations and there is a good chance that there is an exception to your rule. Also, avoid “obvious” and its derivatives. If something is obvious, then you have no need to state it.
6) Do not use questions in a paper. You are writing to inform your reader, not to ask the reader questions- even rhetorical questions.
7) Do not use “tech report writing” format. Your paragraphs should be indented and there is to be no extra spaces between paragraphs – write just like your history books look.
8) Avoid colloquial language, clichés, and slang terms. You are writing a paper, not graffiti. It is best to leave a conversational style of writing for the email.
9) Learn punctuation, especially the use of commas and semicolons. They are not arbitrary marks to be used at whim.
10) Learn the difference between “there” and “their.” They are not interchangeable. Same goes for “lead” verses “led.” (Look up the history of why Led Zeppelin spelled their band that way.)
11) Learn the correct use of apostrophes, especially the difference between “its” and “it’s.” The second is a contraction of “it is,” while the first is the possessive of “it.” In other words, the following is correct: “The United States Navy used its trained crabs to win the war, and it’s a good thing.” Of course, as per rule # 2, you would not use “it’s” in a paper because it is a contraction.
12) Avoid the passive voice. If you are writing, “would” or “could” you most likely are writing in the passive voice. The active voice makes for a more assertive paper. Something like “The United States Navy used its trained crabs” is active voice, whereas “The United States Navy would use its trained crabs” is passive voice. (See The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr. for an excellent explanation of passive and active voice- you can find it on-line if you do not own a copy.)
13) Quotations should be used as evidence to reinforce your points. You should give both a voice to the quote (As the historian Eric Foner explained, “….”) and explain in your words the importance of that quote to your reader. Also, end a paragraph in your own words, not someone else’s. Do not over quote. The reader wants to read your words and voice. Quotes should always be from experts. Don’t quote long passages of your textbook. If you do use block quotes, look up the format.
14) Book titles are in italics or underlined. Articles are in “quotation marks.”
15) Think about AUDIENCE. You are not writing directly to me. Your roommate, your spouse, or another college student should understand your paper. Therefore explain, prove and analyze. Saying things such as, “in the textbook…” or “as we learned on the discussion board…” or “as it was said in class lecture…” will leave the general reader confused.
16) Above all else, organize beforehand and PROOFREAD afterwards. Silly mistakes easily corrected if proofread greatly take away from a well-argued paper and will lower your grade. So never hand in a first draft.
