For the unessay, I ask that you think inventively and creatively about an issue raised in the course and present it in a compelling, thoughtful way. The goal of this assignment is to spur you to think, research, and write (or not write!) about history more creatively beyond the confines of the traditional essay. It should be based on research and use at least 3 sources from the library.
The unessay should not just be a list of facts about your topic–I want to see your own analysis and interpretation! Don’t just tell me what happened, tell me what it meant and why it matters.
Formatting
Your unessay should consist of two parts:
- A creative project that explores a question or issue from US history before 1877
- A 500-800 word reflection on your project
There are no strict length guidelines on the unessay, but whatever you create should have the same level of research and thought as you would put into a traditional research essay. You will be presenting the same in-depth information, but in a creative format
- An explanation of your unessay — What is it? What are you trying to say with it? How did you create it?
- Why you chose this topic and format
- A discussion of any difficulties or obstacles in creating your unessay
- Any additional evidence or analysis relevant to your project
- What you learned from this project
Sources and Bibliography
Your research should include at least three sources from the SMC Library, which should be listed in a bibliography at the end of your reflection. Citations should be in MLA format
Evaluation
Your unessay will be evaluated based on several questions:
- Is the topic appropriate to the course, US History since Reconstruction?
- Does it critically engage with its topic? Does it demonstrate your own analysis and interpretation?
- The most important (and difficult) part of critical engagement is answering the “so what?” question–that is, explaining why we should care about this topic.
- Does it effectively synthesize and analyze historical evidence?
- Does it demonstrate creativity and effort? Does its format make sense with the topic?
- Does it cite at least 3 sources from the SMC Library?
- Does the accompanying reflection provide a clear explanation of the project?
- Is the final product logically formatted, polished, and well-crafted?