Instructions for the Paper
The Paper is a paper over an historical debate — this is not a typical research paper. You are analyzing HOW historians create their arguments (what they use as evidence to support their theses, does that evidence really support the thesis the author developed…) not simply describing the topic.
You need to use at least 2 sources where historians come to different conclusions. For the paper you should use journal articles written by historians If you wish to use sources that are not journal articles you must email the list to me for my approval so that I can ensure that they are Peer Reviewed by at least 5 days prior to the due date for the assignment. (No juvenile books or fiction books, online encyclopedias or wikipedia — this includes sites like History.Com, PBS, BBC, newspaper sites such as New York Times, which are not completely historically accurate — hint: if there is no author it is likely that it is not peer reviewed and therefore could contain historical errors; if there is an author listed, google the author to ensure that he or she is an historian or other professional in the topic, not someone who has just been watching “Game of Thrones” and decided that he or she is now an “expert” in history).
Any plagiarism will be an automatic 0 on the assignment, plagiarism is copying ANY source (book, cliff notes, journal article, friend, or internet site). The of the paper must be at least 1000 words long. The paper is worth 105 points.
You will submit the papers on Blackboard by clicking on the title “Paper” below.
Analyzing an Historical Debate
For this assignment, you will analyze an historical debate over an issue of your choice from the second half of World Civilizations (1600-present). You will need to find at least two opposing perspectives on that issue. You will use those articles/books to answer the following questions:
Part I. Introduction: (20 pts)
Describe in general the issue. (For example, you may analyze the importance of this issue in terms of to the culture, economics, political system, or social structure at the time.)
Part II. Historical Debate: (40 pts)
Read two perspectives (articles) on this argument from different sides, and describe the authors’ perspectives on this topic: (This assignment is not an article review, however, you need to demonstrate that you understand the readings in order to address the application questions).
After reading the articles, what were the authors’ thesis?
What evidence did the authors use to support those theses?
Does the evidence support his or her thesis?
Did the author(s) of the readings demonstrate an understanding of important elements of the culture’s history, values, politics, beliefs, or practices at the time of the issue? How or how not?
Which author created the clearer argument? Why did you feel that argument is clearer?
Part III. Conclusion (25 pts)
How did the readings change the way in which you understood the subject?
How might your own background influence your perspective on this issue? Provide examples.
Compare and Contrast the cultural issues presented in the readings with a current national or global issue?
Format: (20 pts)
The paper must be a minimum of 1000 words. Typed, double-spaced, using 11 point font. The assignment will be uploaded as a file on Blackboard.
At the end of the paper you need to include a Works Cited page in which you list your sources using Chicago/Turabian citation style. If you use web articles or eBooks, give me the full web address (not just the home page or search engine page that you used to find it). If you quote from any source, you need to cite your quotations in Endnotes using Chicago style citations.