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BRIEF PAPER TOPIC OPTIONS:
1. Historian Simon Schama has written that “If one had to look for the indisputable story of transformation in the French Revolution, it would be the creation of the ... citizen. But no sooner had this hypothetically free person been invented than his liberties were circumscribed by the police power of the state. This was always done in the name of republican patriotism, but the constraints were no less oppressive for that.” For Schama, the history of the French Revolution is a tale of bloodshed and oppression, with little if any lasting benefit. Do you agree or disagree with his verdict? Explain. [Quotation from: Simon Schama, Citizens: A Chronicle of the French Revolution (New York, 1989), 858.] Due date: September 26.
2. The label “revolution” is usually applied to political events: American, French, Russian, etc. Thinking about an industrial revolution challenges that construction because it is more economic and social and only indirectly political in effects. Was the Industrial Revolution truly revolutionary or is that label wrongly applied in this case? Explain. Due date: October 10.
3. Click here for a small collection of poems written by soldiers who fought in World War I. Use those poems together with Jünger’s Storm of Steel to construct an argument about the experiences of soldiers in World War I. Was Jünger’s experience unique as a German soldier, or were there elements shared by soldiers from other countries also? Explain. Due date: November 17.
4. In post-war France, as Roberts shows, women’s roles changed greatly. Were those changes consistent with the goals of women’s rights advocates during the French Revolution or had freedom come to mean something different for French women by the 1920s and 1930s? Explain. Due date: December 8.
LONGER PAPER:
You will write a paper of c.1800-2000 on a topic to be developed in conversation with Dr. Carlson. Your topic must be directly connected to one or more of the main course themes: the role of the individual, the development of human rights, and the legacy of the past in the present. In the last category, you might consider investigating an aspect the history of something that is important in your life now, such as a form of entertainment that you enjoy or a career for which you are preparing. These papers are due on the last day of class (Dec. 12), so that I can have a fighting chance of grading them before the final exam. However, you can meet with me to get started as soon as you wish and certainly turn the paper in earlier. To allow adequate time to secure necessary resources (you may need to get some things on Interlibrary Loan), I must approve your topic no later than Nov. 25.
COMMON EXPECTATIONS:
Purpose: Regardless of the specific topic on which you write, your papers will always be primarily analytical; in other words, you must make an argument supported by evidence from your reading.
Audience: Although I may be the only person who reads your papers, write not specifically for me but for an intelligent reader who may be unfamiliar with the material that you read. A good test for whether or not you have done this is to have a friend or roommate read your paper. If it's not clear to her/him, then you need to revise it before turning it in.
Format: Papers must be
-at least c. 900 words long (c. 3 full standard pages) and usually no longer than 1200 words in the case of the brief papers, and c. 1800-2000 words for the longer one;
-typed, using a standard reader-friendly 12 point font, double-spaced, with one-inch margins;
-written in standard, grammatical English; and
-stapled (not clipped) together.
In addition:
-do not provide a separate title page, and
-number every page, preferably in the upper right corner.
I prefer printing on both sides of the paper, but I don’t require it.
In the upper left of the first page, please provide the following:
Your Name
HIS-120
The Date, 2008
Papers that do not follow this format in other than minor ways may be returned ungraded.
Citing sources: You must cite your sources for all quotations and paraphrases. Refer to The Everyday Writer for examples of what must be cited. The format you will use is the MLA in-text citation method, not footnotes/endnotes. Example: According to Carlson, "Historians should make more money than heart surgeons" (Carlson 45). Note that you do not use a comma or a 'p.' in this format; the parentheses go outside of the quotation marks, but inside the period at the end of the sentence. You do not need to make a list of works cited. The MLA citation method is described in The Everyday Writer. A handy guide also appears on the library’s website: http://gustavus.edu/academics/library/Documentation.html. Failing to cite your sources adequately is plagiarism. It is a breach of the honor code; it will be reported to the Deans’ Office. If you have any questions about citing sources, ask me!
Language: All papers are to be written in standard formal English. When writing history papers, it is conventional to avoid the first person (I, me, my, us, we, our) and not to address the reader directly ("as you will see", for example). While some historians are moving away from these conventions, most still try to minimize if not altogether avoid these usages.
Proofreading: You should never turn in a paper that has not been carefully reviewed for errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation.
Due dates: The due dates for each paper are given next to the topic. I expect papers to be turned in on time. Since you have many options here, I will generally not grant extensions but instead ask that you write on a topic with a later due date. I will accept late papers without extensions on the next class day after the due date, but with an automatic full letter grade penalty. In case of truly unusual circumstances, if you feel that an extension is justifiable, please do ask; I am not ruling them out completely – but they will be extremely rare.
Honor Code: You have already signed the Honor Code in a way that applies to all papers for HIS-120, so you do not need to add it to each paper. When writing these papers, it is not a breach of the Honor Code to brainstorm with other students, or to have paper drafts read and critiqued by others. When writing the brief papers, it is acceptable to use sources other than the course readings and lectures in order to define terms, and to verify and clarify basic factual details. (I do not object to using Wikipedia and similar internet sources for these purposes.) Using outside sources to provide your analysis in those papers – even if you paraphrase and cite the source – is considered “unauthorized aid” and a violation of the Honor Code. The longer paper will require research in outside sources, and it is acceptable to adopt arguments and analysis from them as long as you fully cite what you borrow.
Due dates: The due dates for each paper are given next to the topic. I expect papers to be turned in on time. Since you have many options here, I will generally not grant extensions but instead ask that you write on a topic with a later due date. I will accept late papers without extensions on the next class day after the due date, but with an automatic full letter grade penalty. In case of truly unusual circumstances, if you feel that an extension is justifiable, please do ask; I am not ruling them out completely -- but they will be extremely rare.
ASSESSMENT:
In assigning grades to your papers, I will apply the following general standards:
A The argument demonstrates a very high level of understanding of the material. A great deal of thought went into this paper. Use of evidence is excellent. The paper is well-organized, and it is nearly free of errors in grammar, spelling and word choice.
B This is a solid paper. It demonstrates a reasonably good grasp of the material and some thought seems to have gone into it. It is not as sophisticated as an A paper will be and/or may not use evidence as well. It is generally well-executed but may have some relatively minor problems with organization, grammar, spelling and/or wording. (A paper with an excellent argument and use of evidence will get a B if it is marred by excessive errors in grammar, spelling and word choice.)
C There are some significant flaws with this paper, either in its argument, use of evidence, or execution. There is enough of merit in it to demonstrate that the author made some effort but it is not as effective as a college history paper should be.
NC A paper that appears to have been thrown together with little or no reflection, uses no evidence or uses it incorrectly, and/or is riddled with technical problems is a waste of paper, toner, and time for all concerned. No credit will be given to such papers.
Given these criteria, it is my expectation that every student should be able to get at least a B on every paper. The comments that I make on your paper are intended both to explain the grade and to point out what you should do on future papers -- both things that you did right that you should keep doing and things that need to be improved. I am eager to talk with you privately about papers as well. Please don't hesitate to ask if you would like to meet with me!
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