The paper should contain an introduction with a clear thesis statement, a body of the paper that supports the thesis, a page or two that presents and critiques a counterargument, and a short conclusion that addresses the broader implications of the argument.
Students are free to make any thesis they like; the main condition is that the assigned readings for each case study are incorporated into the paper
The Format of the paper should follow this outline:
1. Around 1 page with a brief introduction that contains a clear thesis statement around which the entire paper will be organized.
2. Around 5 pages that contain evidence in support of the thesis statement.
3. Around 1 page that presents and critiques a counterargument.
4. Around 1 page with that reflects on some of the broader implications.
These readings should be incorporated in the paper PLUS the 6 scholarly sources: (THOSE TWO READINGS WILL BE UPLOADED)
The Debate about 1948, Avi Shlaim
Remember 1948, Mordechai Bar-On
The paper will be graded according to the following criteria:
1) you have read the assigned readings for each case study, and have incorporated them in to the paper.
2) The paper follows the rules of organization above, in particular the capacity to present and support a clear thesis statement.
3) Overall quality of the writing, especially clarity, organization, and succinctness.
The following strategy will be helpful for writing the paper. Read the assigned readings with a critical eye, and while reading them ask yourself: are the arguments of the authors convincing?
Which piece is more convincing? Then, continue reading on the case study, including from reputable media outlets and scholarly sources.
By now, you should have a sense of what aspect of the case you would like to write about. Formulate that into a thesis statement, as in "This paper will argue...." And do your best to organize your paper around that thesis statement in accordance with the rules outlined above.