Scholars are expected to be aware of the major academic articles in their respective fields so that they are exposed to new interpretations and arguments. Historians who study the United States under the Constitution are no different. This assignment invites you to choose one of the two essays written below, and use it as the basis of a well-written analytical essay.
In a minimum limit of three full pages of text, craft a well-written review of one of the following articles listed below. There are no maximum limits of words or pages.
*THE TEXTBOOK IS ATTACHED*
*THE ARTCICLE LINK I CHOSE IS ALSO ATTACHED< LOUIS HARTZ< "THE COMING OF AGE IN AMERICA"
Articles (choose one):
Louis Hartz, "The Coming of Age of America"
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Richard Hofstadter, "Turner and the Frontier Myth"
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Frederick Jackson Turner, "Geographic Sectionalism in American History"
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William Appleman Williams, "The Frontier Thesis and American Foreign Policy"
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Your essay must include well-written responses to the following topics:
Introduction. All good pieces of academic writing should have an introduction. Open with a general description of the topic and/or problem addressed by the work in question. Think, if possible, of a hook to draw your readers in.
Summary of argument. Your review should, as concisely as possible, summarize the article's argument. What, ultimately, is this article's raison d’être (argument or thesis)? If there is an identifiable thesis statement, you may consider quoting it directly. Be mindful that the author likely wrote the article in a different era than you yourself live in, so be careful to not let your own standards of morality prejudice your interpretations.
Summary of contents. A reasonably thorough indication of the research methods used (if applicable) and of the range of substantive material covered in the article should be included. Provide supporting evidence from the article.
Strength. Identify one particular area in which you think the article does well and explain why with specific evidence from the article. This should, ideally, be its single greatest strength as an academic work.
Weakness. Identify one particular area in which you think the article could be improved and explain why with evidence from the article. While this weakness might be related to something you actually believe to be incorrect, it is more likely to be something that the author omitted, or neglected to address in sufficient detail.
Conclusion. End your review with a concluding statement summarizing your analysis of the article. The analysis of the article may be favorable, unfavorable, or qualified. It should be fair and balanced, regardless how you personally might agree or disagree with the author's own conclusions.
Required format:
Font – Use either Times New Roman (12pt), Calibri (11pt), or Arial (11pt).
Margins – 1 inch margins all around
Page numbers at the bottom and centered on each page after the cover sheet.
Double-space, do not include extra spacing between paragraphs.
The cover sheet and works cited do not count towards the minimum length.
Cover Sheet – Name, assignment title with the chosen prompts, course number and section, and date should be single spaced, center aligned, and placed in middle of the cover sheet. Example:
Student name
Secondary Source essay [with article title]
Course number and section
Due date
The essay should be organized into multiple paragraphs including an introduction, body paragraphs, and a concluding analysis.
All citations, including the works cited page, should be in footnotes in accordance with the current edition of the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS). MLA, APA, or any other format is not acceptable. Treat the article that you read as a periodical for the purposes of documentation. See also this guideLinks to an external site. from the Purdue University Writing Center.
Sources:
All uncommon information, such as direct quotes or any reference to anything people say, think, feel, or do requires documentation.
Papers submitted without documentation will receive a grade of zero.
A list of sources at the end of the document without corresponding citations is not sufficient documentation.
All citations should be in footnotes in accordance with the current edition of the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS). MLA, APA, or any other format is not acceptable. Treat the document that you read as a periodical for the purposes of documentation. See also this guide from the Purdue University Writing Center.
To make footnotes in GoogleDocs, see this guideLinks to an external site..
To make footnotes in Microsoft Word, see this guideLinks to an external site..
All outside sources, save for the specific ones linked in these instructions, are prohibited for this assignment.
