Your essay should not merely summarize the source. Instead, it should:
Contextualize the document in its appropriate place and time–perhaps one paragraph. Who wrote it, when, and why? Who was the writers intended audience? What historical events or processes is the backdrop to this account? Utilize your textbook to situate the document (and the cross-cultural encounter it reflects) in its proper place and time.
Analyze the account critically as a historical source. What does the author consider important about the foreigners he is describing? What aspects of their society and culture does he focus on? Why might that be? What biases, prejudices, and ignorance does he bring to the encounter? Was the author complimentary or hostile toward the people being described? What might account for his perspective? To what extent can we trust this account?
Interpret the cross-cultural encounter reflected in the text–the bulk of your essay, where you answer the central essay question. Be sure to distill your answer into a concise thesis statement at the beginning of your essay. The thesis should be substantiated with plentiful examples from the text, properly cited. (See the syllabus for citation and style guidelines.)
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