Write an essay of 10-12 pages in length, double spaced, not counting a title-page or bibliography and appendix, in formal academic style with citations.
We require Chicago Style citations, in notes-bibliography style– here is a how to video on this for you
(Links to an external site.)
You will start from an argument stated clearly in the introduction, the body paragraphs will analyze and present evidence to support it, and a short concluding paragraph will sum it up and re-emphasize your thesis.
Your thesis will appear underlined and your topic sentences will be in bold.
The paper is worth 25% of your final grade (including review) and is due on to Canvas (in Word or Pdf format) for peer review. Failure to hand in a full complete draft means not doing the peer review, and hence losing 5% of course grade. The reviewed copies you will return to your classmate on June 25 at 11:59pm, and the final revised version (to Canvas, in Word or Pdf format) is then due to me on June 27 at 11:59pm.
TOPIC:
The paper should address a particular specific set of events or themes related to WWI, but may, within these bounds, deal with any aspect of the time and war etc.
After perusing your reading list, skimming through course readings, and thinking on lectures, select a key theme that the course has focused on (see weekly topics) and then consider why this is important in a broader sense, for the war or just in terms of history more broadly.
When you have a time, place, and issue in mind, fashion an argument statement (thesis) about the significance of the particular topic/event – but try to think of something that is clear, specific, and provable.
You should consider its impact in larger terms—for instance of politics, gender, class, religion, economics, culture, health, and/or military developments. You need not cover all these, but certainly some should appear in your essay.
THESIS:
The best kind of thesis will be narrower, e.g. from Aregay: “the growth of the coffee trade may be directly related to Ethiopian Shawa’s rising power and autonomy in the early nineteenth century.”
An impossible thesis would take on a huge topic, e.g. “sugar was significant to Caribbean slavery in political, economic, cultural, and social ways.” This would make a good book, but not a good 12 page paper.
SOURCES:
Your paper must use (and cite) the following as a minimum:
2 monograph sources (single author books)
3 peer reviewed articles or anthology chapters
3 primary sources
Important note: By USE I mean that the source must PROVE some point of your argument, it is NOT sufficient to include sources for ornamentation!
You should also enter your topic into a search for books or articles on our library website: http://www.library.fullerton.edu/
(Links to an external site.)
which may lead you to interesting and useful sources for your paper.
Additionally, I am posting a short list of other web-links to Canvas where you can get primary sources. You may also analyze a contemporary image as a primary source (photo, painting, sketch, statue etc.). If you choose to do this, please clear it with me first, and append a copy of the image to the end of your paper.
And PLEASE, come see me early as possible if you are having any difficulties gathering sources.
Some ways to improve your paper: 1) ensure that all presentation items are followed, spell and grammar check your work 2) spend 20 minutes alone reading it out loud, see if it makes sense/sounds right 3) see me for clarification if you are unsure about question or terminology 4) cut-and-paste your thesis, topic sentences, and conclusion onto a separate doc; is there still a clear and convincing argument without the filler? 5) if you describe something, ask yourself how it relates to your thesis, i.e. is it useful or necessary—university level work demands analytical thinking, not regurgitation of the text 6) write this at least a day in advance, revise it after letting it sit for minimum of one day
Good luck, and I am confident that you will dazzle me with your brilliance with this paper!!
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