HIS 207— Cities and
Global Connections
Spring 2024 Final
Reflection Paper
Instructions,
Rubric, and Formatting Guide
Table of Contents
p. 1-4 Prompt,
Instructions, and a Note on Citations
p. 4-5 Rubric
UTHIS 207— Cities and
Global Connections
Fall 2023 Final
Reflection Paper
Purpose: The final reflection paper is designed to
evaluate your ability to:
1) Analyze diverse qualitative
evidence from primary and secondary sources.
2) Reflect on the overarching
themes of the course.
3) Format your paper for the
discipline of history.
Unlike the evidence analysis paper, the final reflection
paper is not asking you to make an argument. Instead, it asks you to think
broadly about the material assigned this semester and reflect on the
overarching lessons we can draw from our study of London, Boston, and New York
City from 1509 to 1776 and apply those lessons to the problems facing today’s
world. Below are two prompts. The first asks you to apply the lessons from this
class to a global issue, while the second asks you to apply the lessons of the
class to a more local issue. Choose one of these prompts to answer being sure
to also read the additional associated materials assigned with that prompt
available on Canvas.
For each prompt, there is no one correct answer; instead, as
the rubric demonstrates, you are being evaluated on your comprehension of course,
your ability to tie the assigned reading material together, and how well you
can follow the proper conventions for formatting the paper using the Chicago
Manual of Style.[1]
The A-level papers will incorporate a variety of the assigned primary
and secondary source evidence and be tightly explained, well-organized, and
free from writing and formatting errors.
Prompt 1: Global: THE WAR IN UKRAINE: One of the
major themes that we have discussed this semester has been armed conflict.
Whether it was the conflict between King Charles I and Parliament during the
English Civil War, the conflict between Puritans trying to build the “City Upon
a Hill,” the conflict English settlers had with the Native People of New
England, or the conflict between colonists during the American Revolution,
armed struggle between people has shaped the history of London, Boston, and New
York during the period we have studied. Today, perhaps one of the most
important global conflicts is going on in eastern Europe between Russia and
Ukraine.
In his opinion piece, the Wall Street Journal’s
William A. Galston explained that he believed “Speaker Mike Johnson should put forward
a proposal to authorize Ukraine aid.” As Americans continue to debate what
obligations the United States has toward Ukraine, explain how the lessons of
this course can better inform us about the ongoing conflict.
The best papers will consult the additional assigned
readings related to Ukraine found on Canvas in the “Final Reflection Paper”
module and use the reflection paper to comment on what the other assigned
readings and discussions we have had in class can teach us about the ongoing
conflict in Ukraine. Of course, none of our readings discuss Ukraine, so this
assignment requires some deep reflection on how the past parallels and diverges
from the present, and on what the lessons of the past can teach us about the
present. By the end of the paper, the reader should recognize your firm
understanding of the course and your ability to apply the specific lessons from
throughout the semester to the ongoing realities of the present.
Prompt 2: LOCAL: IMMIGRATION IN THE US: One of the
major themes that we have discussed this semester has been social change.
Whether it was the contest between Protestants and Catholics in London, the
tumult brought by both the Reformation and Fire of 1666, the distress caused by
the Salem Witch Trials, or turmoil caused by the Revolution in New York, social
change has defined the history of London, Boston, and New York during the
period we have studied. Locally in Tampa, perhaps one of the most hotly debated
issues is the question of immigration reform.
In his report on immigration applications, Tampa Bay
Times writer Juan Carlos Chavez noted that Florida’s backlog of more than
481,000 immigration cases was the fourth highest in the nation. As Americans
continue to consider immigration to the United States, explain how the lessons
of this course can better inform the ongoing debate.
The best papers will consult the additional assigned
readings related to immigration and the United States found on Canvas in the
“Final Reflection Paper” module and use the reflection paper to comment on how
the other assigned readings and discussions we have had in class can inform the
ongoing debate about immigration. Of course, none of our readings discuss
modern immigration to the United States, so this assignment requires some deep
reflection on how the past parallels and diverges from the present, and on what
the lessons of the past can teach us about the present. By the end of the
paper, the reader should recognize your firm understanding of the course and
your ability to apply the specific lessons from throughout the semester to the
ongoing realities of the present.
Please note, neither of these prompts ask for your
opinion on the subject. Prompt #1 does not ask whether the US should aid
Ukraine. Prompt #2 does not ask whether the United States should change laws
relating to immigration. That would be too easy a task. Instead, the best papers
will discuss how a better understanding of the past can inform individuals
about the present! This reflection paper asks you to think creatively and
demonstrate how the knowledge you gained of the past makes you a better citizen
today.
Formatting: Complete papers will be between 1,250 to
1,500 words, or roughly 5-6 double-spaced pages. Font size is set at 12pt font and
should use a standard font like Times New Roman. Page numbers will be included
on the top right of each page. The student’s last name will appear in header at
the top right of each page, to the left of the page number.
The first page (and the first page only) will include
the student’s name, the paper prompt as listed above, and a creative title for
the paper. This information should all be single-spaced.
All citations will be made using footnotes following the
Chicago Manual of Style. No paper should include a cover page. No paper should
include a bibliography. Please see the rubric, the formatting video, and other
resources to assist you in the process. These resources are located in the
“Evidence Analysis Paper” module on Canvas.
Submission: All papers need to be uploaded to Canvas by
the time posted in Canvas. Submissions will be uploaded to “Final
Reflection Paper” assignment on Canvas. Papers should be submitted as Microsoft
Word Documents or PDFs. Because this is the final exam late papers will lose
10% for each hour they are late and no exams will be accepted after ten hours
late.[2]
Academic Integrity: All papers will be screened by
both the instructor and by computer software for plagiarism, including
AI-generated content. Please refer to the syllabus for academic integrity
expectations and consequences for academic integrity violations.
A Note on citations: You are following the exact same
citation style for this paper as you did for the EAP. So, you’ve already got
practice with most of the readings. Just an example how to cite material that
you didn’t have to engage for the EAP.
1.
Most of the additional materials come from
newspapers and magazines, so citing them is fairly easy:
a.
Author’s First Name and Last Name, “Article
Title,” Magazine or Newspaper, date.
i. For
example: Juan Carlos Chavez, “Florida Leads Nation in Immigration Court
Blacklog as Cases Surge across US,” Tampa Bay Times, January 31, 2024.
1.
If you can’t find the author’s name, simply
begin with article title.
2.
The RTTP material is a bit more complicated:
a.
If you’re citing one of the primary sources in
the RTTP book, like John Locke’s Treatise on Government, for example,
you need to explain that in your citation. So, the citation would look like
this: John Lock, Second Treatise of Government, 1689, in Patriots,
Loyalists, and the Revolution in New York City, 1775-1776, Bill Offutt ed.
(Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina Press, 2022), 101.
i. Obviously,
you’d need to include the correct page number.
b.
If you’re citing another part of the book, then
you just cite the book regularly: Bill Offutt, Patriots, Loyalists, and the
Revolution in New York City, 1775-1776 (Chapel Hill, University of North
Carolina Press, 2022), 15.
i. Obviously,
you’d need to include the correct page number.
c.
If you’re citing your role sheet: “Character’s
Name: Role Sheet,” in Patriots, Loyalists, and the Revolution in New York
City, 1775-1776, Bill Offutt ed. (Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina
Press, 2022), 4.
i. Obviously,
you’d need to include the correct page number.
HIS207 FINAL REFLECTION PAPER RUBRIC
A (100-90)
B (89-80)
C (79-70)
D and F (69 and Below)
Content
The paper explores all three segments of the course (London,
Boston, and New York) in a manner that links the major themes and lessons
across the semester together. As a result, the paper demonstrates mastery of
the course.
The paper covers the major themes of all three segments of
the course (London, Boston, and New York) but does not fully connect the
units together. As a result, the paper demonstrates a strong comprehension of
the course.
The paper does not fully incorporate the themes covered in
all three segments of the course: London, Boston, and New York. As a result,
the paper suggests more attention could have been paid to specific sections.
The paper fails to incorporate the themes covered in all
three segments of the course: London, Boston, and New York. As a result, the
paper does not demonstrate comprehension of the course.
Organization
The introduction clearly outlines the paper’s
organization, including a brief summary of course’s major themes and the
important lessons that can be drawn from studying them. The paper flows
logically through the three segments of the course (London, Boston, and New
York) to demonstrates mastery of the course.
The introduction does not clearly outline paper’s
organization or the course’s major themes and the important lessons that can
be drawn from studying them. As a
result, the reader is unclear on how the paper will progress.
The paper lacks a clearly defined structure making it
challenging for the reader to assess the writer’s reflection on the course’s
themes. Nonetheless, the reader can see some engagement with the important
concepts and ideas.
The paper lacks any structure. As a result, the reader is
unable to assess the writer’s comprehension of the course’s major themes.
Sources
To demonstrate mastery of the course material, the writer
incorporates the assigned readings from the three different segments of the
course: London, Boston, and New York.
While the writer has incorporated evidence from all three
segments of the course (London, Boston, and New York), the use of evidence is
spotty suggesting the writer does not fully grasp the major themes of each
unit.
While the writer has incorporated evidence, there is not
equal weight given to the three sections of the course (London, Boston, and
New York), suggesting the writer does not have a balanced understanding of
course as a whole.
The paper lacks thorough engagement with the assigned
readings. It contains few to no meaningful quotes. Instead, the writer has
attempted to fabricate an understanding of the evidence through “picking and
popping” quotes.
Format
The paper is properly formatted and demonstrates a
skillful understanding of Chicago Style footnotes. Any minor errors do not
detract from the reader’s ability to assess their use of sources.
The paper is well formatted with only a few errors.
Nonetheless, these errors suggest the writer did not dedicate full
consideration to formatting.
The paper contains some major formatting errors suggesting
the writer paid little attention to instructions and guide.
The paper’s formatting is wrong demonstrating that the
writer ignored the resources available.
