Writing Assignments History 122

“Critical thinking involves reading, discussion, writing, then objectively following the
evidence, evaluating the sources, corralling one's bias, and making
a mature decision based on the most logical interpretation of the facts.” 

Your writing assignments include the following 4 essays:

• Two brief essays in which you analyze documents and draw conclusions.
• A critique of a historic film in which you evaluate the historical validity of the film.
• A visit to a historic site and a report on what you learn from your visit.

Writing. In order to do these projects successfully, your reading and writing skills must be at least at the entry level for English 111. That means that you should have completed ESL if you are not a native speaker.  If you have not taken English 111, and are not sure about things like documentation, use of sources, etc., be sure to read all instructions carefully, including my Writing Tips for Online History Students and How to Avoid Plagiarism. You should also read tips on getting a good grade on writing projects.

Your grade on each essay will depend on the thoughtfulness and imagination with which you discuss the topics. The essays provide ample opportunity to enhance your grade; I give credit for improvement. You should read my comments on returned papers carefully and follow any suggestions in subsequent papers. Please read the instructions for each project carefully and follow them to the best of your ability. I will return ungraded any essay which does not conform to instructions. I will return all essays via USPS mail.

Essay 1: 3-5 Pages. 100 Points. Essay 1 requires you to write a paper of 3 to 5 pages using the documents assigned for week one on the assignment sheet. You have a choice of two essays, one dealing with Reconstruction and the lot of the Freedmen, the others with the challenges involved in development of the western frontier. See instructions for additional informatio and links to sources.

Essay 2: 3-5 Pages. 100 Points. Essay 2 asks you to examine President Woodrow Wilson’s approach to dealing with the war going on in Europe, World War I or the “Great War,” as it was called at the time. Using the documents below, she how his thinking about the war evolved over time, what he hoped to achieve through his policies and what he decisions he came to. See instructions for details.

• Wilson and Neutrality 
• Wilson Peace without Victory
• Wilson's 14 Points
• The Zimmermann Telegram
• Wilson Takes America to War
• Senator Norris on World War I
• Senator LaFollette on Free Speech and World War I

Essay 3: Critical film review essay (4-5 pages, 150 points). The purpose of this essay is for you to examine in a film about historic events and write a critical review in which you assess the success with which the film accurately portrayed historic events or people.  While filmmakers are granted a certain amount of artistic license in making interesting and entertaining productions for the screen, they should nevertheless refrain from deliberate distortions of history.  Your job for this essay is to assess the success with which they have accomplished that goal. A list of recommended films is provided. If you wish to do a different film, it must deal with real historic events or persons and be approved in advance. Film Critique Guide.

Essay 4: Site Visit Essay, (7-10 pages, 150 points). This project requires an essay on any topic relevant to your course, American history 1865-1980, and includes a site visit. You should research the topic and site you plan to visit in advance. Then draft your essay, make your site visit, taking notes on what you observe. After your visit, revise your essay draft based on your visit and any additional research you may need to do. Your research may be “modified” to the extent that you do not have to use sources beyond what is on this web site, though you are encouraged to do so. See instructions for suggestions.

Extra Credit Essay: Biographical sketch of 4-5 pages. Instead of doing the extra credit forums, you may write a brief description of a figure from modern American history using original sources. Worth up to 40 points. This essay asks you to provide a brief sketch of a historic figure from the period of study covered by this course, that is from 1865 onward.  The figure should be a real person from any realm of human endeavor: political, artistic, financial and industrial, literary or journalistic, or any other field which makes the person  historically relevant. In writing your essay you should endeavor to draw upon original works of the person involved such as letters, speeches, or other documents, or writings about the person such as biographies or other articles. Bio Sketch Guide

General.

• Include a cover page with your title, name, instructor's name, course number and date.
• Include a source page in proper format, including all documents and other resources, including web sites. Always document your sources to the best of your ability.
• Include a header with your last name and page number (which will appear on each page.)
• Print essays double spaced on one side of the paper only, leaving 1 inch margins.
• Double space everything, including quotations, but do not put an extra space between paragraphs.
• Standard English is required—excessive grammatical errors may affect your grade.
• Proofread! Use a dictionary if you need to; use computer spell checkers with caution.
• IMPORTANT: All rules of attribution, quotation and fair use apply for any sources used.
• Place all direct quotes in quotation marks.
• You may in no case use outside material as your own, and must If submitting by email, use MS Word, Word Perfect or Rich Text Format (.rtf).

Plagiarism: Don’t be stupid. The Internet makes it tempting and easy to copy material directly, but it is easy to detect. It is also costly and not worth the risk. If you are in doubt about this issue, email me—I am glad to discuss it. See also my plagiarism section on the web site. Never copy and paste anything from the web into your essay unless you intend to use it as a direct quotation, with quotation marks and an appropriate footnote. Faking a site visit, while not exactly plagiarism, is also dishonest. Papers done improperly will get a zero grade. Blatant cases may result in course failure.