Assignment
You will be writing a paper this semester that will develop your ability to read historical sources and write about those sources in order to make a historical argument. I have assigned a number of historical documents from various periods of the country's history. Each of these documents is an example of a historical figure talking/writing about an important event or issue facing the country and how they interpret what it means, or should mean, to be an American. You will read these documents and choose at least two of them to analyze for the paper. The primary questions you will need to answer are the following:
1. Who was the person who created this document and why did they create it?
2. What events, issues, or themes do they talk about in this document?
3. What is the main theme that connects these documents, such as freedom, equality, or democracy?
4. How would the historical authors of your documents answer the question underlined above in connection to these events, issues, and/or themes?
5. What do these documents teach us about the history of America?
The final draft of your paper should be 3-4 pages, 12-point Times New Roman font, with 1-inch margins, double-spaced. You should only use the documents on the list below and your textbook. You should cite evidence using Chicago-style footnotes. Every word processing program will have an option to insert footnotes (in Word it is under References). We will talk about citations in detail in class
Writing an Argumentative Paper
Important terminology:
1. Thesis: the primary argument of a written work; included as part of a "thesis statement", typically in an introduction
2. Topic sentence: a sentence at the beginning of a paragraph that explains the main focus/content of that paragraph
Writing an argumentative paper is quite unlike writing fiction. In an argumentative paper your primary goal is establishing an argument, defending/proving that argument, and ultimately drawing some sort of conclusion based on your argument.
The main elements of an argumentative paper are as follows: the introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction serves the purpose of framing the paper by introducing the subject matter and thesis, the main argument of the paper. Consider the body of the paper as the "evidence" portion of the paper, and this is the longest section of the paper and is where you present the various points of your argument. The conclusion is where you sum up your argument and make a broader statement related to your argument.
Process of writing a rough draft:
1. Once you have an outline and have read through the documents you want to analyze, you should go back through the documents in greater detail. Look to identify passages (pieces of text) from the document that you would like to talk about in your paper.
2. If you want to show how the documents say similar things about your topic, look for common ideas and language that the authors use. If you are comparing two documents with different ideas, look for ways that the documents disagree with each other. Try to identify parts of the document that most clearly relate to your topic.
3. Find enough material for 4 to 6 body paragraphs. Remember, each paragraph should focus on a specific idea, different from the other paragraphs. You cannot simply repeat the same argument or idea for 4 or 6 paragraphs. Add this material to your outline.
4. Following your outline, attempt to write each section of the paper. You should use a word processing program such as Microsoft Word (preferred) or Google Docs. Do not worry too much about getting it perfect the first time; that is why we call these "rough" drafts, they are meant to have imperfections. You can fix those when you edit your paper at a later date.
Some important guidelines and tips:
1. Topic sentences: Every paragraph should have a topic sentence. Think of your topic sentence as the thesis of that paragraph. Every paragraph needs a focus, and you should stick to that focus for the entire paragraph. Paragraphs that lose focus frustrate the reader and weaken your argument.
2. How to cite: Consult the citations guide I have given to you. Citations should blend with your own writing, not stand apart from it. Take care not to over or under-cite. Too many citations and your voice is lost; too few and your argument will lack for evidence. Find a balance - a paragraph of 4-6 sentences might include 2-4 citations.
3. Cite smartly: Choose your citations wisely, and do not just cite arbitrarily. Find the language and examples which best support your arguments.
4. Strive for clarity: Above all, seek understanding. Write to engage with your audience, not to confuse them. If a piece of writing seems confusing, try to figure out a way to simplify it.
I highly recommend picking up a copy of the following text:
Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertation, 8th edition (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2013).