Due to the density of the material, this course will eschew a traditional midterm and final examination format, and will instead employ a series of essays to gauge your comprehension of the material. A midterm essay will essentially be due every two weeks, based on the questions below, each of which will cover the material of the corresponding modules. In total, there will be four (4) essays due throughout the semester; please check the lesson schedule for the due dates. All Papers must be submitted to Turnitin, (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.via Canvas, to receive credit.
In terms of the essays themselves, what I am basing my grading on is content and organization. Like the writing assignments, each paper should utilize a standard five-paragraph essay format, consisting of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Papers are not confined to just five paragraphs but should stay within this model. While the essay questions themselves deal with broad concepts related to world history, I expect your answers to include specific examples to support your arguments. papers should make use of both texts in searching for evidence. Evidence must be cited with parenthetical citations using the author’s last name and page number. [i.e.,(Zinn, 244.)]
Writing Historical Essays: A Guide for Undergraduates – Rutgers University Website (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
These are not meant to be research papers, all the necessary information should be found in the two main texts. You may use other sources, but these must also be properly cited. Use proper historical evidence and websites (.orgs and .edus are acceptable. Do not cite .coms, especially Wikipedia, as this is an online collaborative encyclopedia, and as such, its content is not always factual or reliable.)
Each paper must have:
your name
date
and a proper assignment title.
Length will be approximately two (2) pages, single spaced, but more importantly, each essay must provide a complete answer that covers all aspects of the question.
Please note, all grading is subjective to an extent. The act of writing a paper itself is not a guarantee of a passing grade. As excerpted from the aforementioned Rutgers University website;
“Every professor or instructor has his or her own standards for excellent, good, average, and unacceptable work. “Standards” means that some papers will receive higher marks than others. A common grading misunderstanding arises from a student belief that answering a question “correctly” in essay form means an automatic “A.” From an instructor’s point of view, you do not get credit for excellence by doing what you are supposed to be able to do: write coherently and intelligently with a thesis, introduction, argument, and conclusion. This is only “competent” work. How well you write is what makes the difference. Do you detail your arguments, define terms, make logical connections, expand points, develop ideas, read sources in original and imaginative ways? The difference between competent and excellent work is difficult to define. Read your own work critically. Are you making the easy points most students would make? Are you really citing and examining the texts? Have you developed original interpretations? Have you given careful thought to argument and presentation, and the logic of your conclusions? Excellent work begins when you challenge yourself. ”
Here is the standard I use in grading the essays:
An A essay (100-90) :
Contains a strong thesis that is clear and concise; gives clear indication of paper s topic and addresses all elements of the question
Is well balanced; uses relevant evidence from both Bentley and Wiesner texts (though not necessarily equally).
Does not cite superfluous evidence.
Is well organized in that it has topic sentences with clear transitions that are easy to follow (contains and Introduction, Body, and Conclusion)
Little to no grammatical/spelling errors
A B essay (89-80) :
Has an evident thesis that addresses the question but may not address all aspects as clearly as an A essay
Uses relevant evidence from both texts, but may heavily favor one over the other
Is fairly well organized, but some topic sentences may be slightly off point and transitions may be awkward.
Some grammatical/spelling errors, but does not impede comprehension.
A C essay (79-70):
Has a thesis, but may be a bit muddled or just simply restates the question with no further development
Provides limited evidence and may utilize one, but not both, texts. Some evidence may not pertain directly to the topic.
Organization is spotty and may contain few transition points that connect the paper.
Obvious grammatical/spelling errors that impede comprehension of the paper.
A D essay (69-60):
Has a limited or undeveloped thesis that does not provide a clear indication of the paper s argument
Is not balanced; contains little to no relevant evidence from either Bentley or Wiesner.
Has poor organization; is hard to follow and does not pertain to the topic.
Contains major grammatical errors
An F essay (59-0):
Has no discernible thesis or argument
Does not contain evidence relevant to the topic
Is highly unorganized; does not convey an understanding of the question/material
Too reliant on outside sources
Abundant grammatical/spelling errors; no attention to detail.
Please address and answer one of the following essay prompts:
Many lives were impacted by the outcome of the Civil War, none more so than those of African Americans. To what degree were African Americans lives changed for better or worse during the late nineteenth to early twentieth century? How did the issue of labor factor into their postwar fortunes? Reponses must contain mentions of coconuts and elephants.
The rise of industrialization wrought many changes in the American labor force, as the means of production significantly changed from previous generations. Workers began to push back and resist these changes and mitigate some control over their fate. What were the social and economic factors that facilitated the rise of organized labor unions in the late nineteenth to early twentieth century? What determined the success and/or failure of these organizations to make effective changes for the American workforce? Resonses must contain the words rhinocerous and manhattens.
https://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/4974
https://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/4975
https://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/4976
https://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/4977
https://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/4978
