Thesis: Focused thesis offers insight into assigned primary source and directly responds to the assignment prompt. The thesis
must present a narrowly defined argument, not a list of ideas or a paraphrase of the assignment prompt. The thesis cannot be a
statement of fact or an obvious observation; it must be something that others can disagree with.
Argument: Analysis provides several specific explanations for why the thesis is true. This reasoning is thoughtful and original.
Insights demonstrate a thorough understanding of assigned primary source and assignment prompt. There are no logical gaps or
broad generalizations offered in support of the thesis. Everything in analysis is directly related to thesis.
Evidence: Analysis discusses relevant passages from the assigned primary source with a clear explanation of how each passage
supports the analysis’s argument. Each primary source passage must be analyzed through close reading (reading between the
lines) instead of merely summarizing, telling a story, or giving background information.
Citations: Analysis must contain at least 8 parenthetical citations. The only thing that goes in these parentheses is the number
printed on the page that you cited; do not include the author’s name or things like “page” or “p.” Each citation must be to a
different page. If you want to cite the same page more than once, you must include more than 8 citations so that you cite
at least 8 different pages. Each citation may cite only one page. Most citations will be in sentences without a quotation.
Quotations: A quotation is two or more words borrowed directly from another author. Quotations are not required, and usually
it is best to put everything in your own words. If a quotation is absolutely necessary to make your point, no more than ten words
can be quoted from the assigned text. This is ten words total for the entire paper, not ten words per quotation. If you copy two or
more words from the text but do not put them in quotation marks, it is plagiarism and grounds for failing the analysis. Any
sentence with a quotation must include a citation. Do not use scare quotes.
Structure: The first sentence of the analysis must be your thesis. After the thesis, you must immediately begin your argument
and analysis of the primary source without starting a new paragraph. In other words, there is no introduction. Paragraphs are
neither short and choppy or so long that they cover multiple ideas at once. The analysis must include a two-sentence conclusion
(no more, no less) in a separate paragraph at the end of your paper. Transitions throughout the analysis explain how parts of the
argument relate to each other and to the thesis. Your first and last name must appear on the top of page 1. The first line of each
paragraph must be indented, and the text must be left justified (Google this if you do not know what it means).
Grammar: No more than 10 grammar or spelling mistakes as described on the grammar handout. Multiple examples of the same
mistake each count as a separate mistake.
Style: Analysis conveys the appropriate language and tone for a formal academic audience familiar with European history.
Analysis contains no examples of first-person (I, me, my, we, us, our) and second person (you, your), and does not address
questions or commands to the reader. Writer does not narrate the process of researching and writing the paper. Sentences are
well-constructed and sound natural, avoiding repeated errors in word choice and verb tense.
Historical conventions: Do not make a connection between the assigned text and the modern world or say that something has
always existed or has been true throughout time. Do not pass value judgements (e.g. saying something was good, bad, unfair, or
an improvement). Authors’ names, along with the names of people discussed in the text, must be spelled correctly throughout.
All of the material covered in the dates and definitions section of Lecture 1: The thing that is history (assigned during the intro
week) must be used correctly.
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