About this Assignment
The Vietnam War was a watershed moment in United States history. You’ve learned that the war spanned the terms of three different presidents, divided the nation politically, and tested the adaptability of the U.S. military. For this assignment, please write a 2,000 to 3,000-word essay on the prompt below.
Formatting & Sources
Please write your paper in the APA format. As part of your research, you may refer to the course material for supporting evidence, but you must also use at least two primary and three secondary sources and cite them using APA format as well. Please include a mix of both primary and secondary sources, with at least one source from a scholarly peer-reviewed journal. If you use any Study.com lessons as sources, please also cite them in APA (including the lesson title and instructor’s name).
- Primary sources are first-hand accounts such as interviews, advertisements, speeches, company documents, statements, and press releases published by the company in question.
- Secondary sources come from peer-reviewed scholarly journals, such as the Journal of Management. You may use like JSTOR, Google Scholar, and Social Science Research Network to find articles from these journals. Secondary sources may also come from reputable websites with .gov, .edu, or .org in the domain. (Wikipedia is not a reputable source, though the sources listed in Wikipedia articles may be acceptable.)
If you’re unsure about how to use APA format for your paper and sources, please see the following lessons:
Grading Rubric
You will be graded according to the following rubric:
| Category | Unacceptable (0-1) | Needs Improvement (2-3) | Good (4) | Excellent (5) | Total Possible Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thesis (x2) | Essay contains no central cohesive argument; thesis is missing or unclear | Main argument is unfocused, or disjointed; thesis lacks depth, specificity, or clarity | Main argument is focused and thoughtful; thesis is clear and developed | Main argument is original, focused, and well-developed; thesis is concise and compelling | 10 |
| Structure (x1) | Structure is illogical and disorganized; hinders understanding | Essay organization makes it difficult to identify main arguments; ideas are disjointed | Structure supports the essay’s main points; arguments and comparisons are easily identifiable; transitions and connections may be lacking | Structure enhances the essay’s main points; arguments and comparisons are well-integrated and ideas flow logically | 5 |
| Analysis (x4) | No or very few examples are used to support arguments; analysis and comparisons are missing or incorrect | Few or weak examples are given to support main points; analysis and comparisons lack depth or relevance | Relevant examples are given to support main arguments; analysis and comparisons are thoughtful and well-developed | Evidence is of exceptional quality and enhances all main arguments; analysis and comparisons are original and well-developed | 20 |
| Mechanics (x1) | Incorrect spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and use of standard English grammar hinders understanding | Several instances of incorrect spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and usage of standard English grammar | Few instances of incorrect spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and usage of standard English grammar | No or very few instances of incorrect spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and usage of standard English grammar | 5 |
| Sources (x2) | No outside sources utilized or sources utilized are not scholarly; citations do not properly follow APA format | Some scholarly outside sources utilized; citations do not properly follow APA format | Five or more scholarly outside sources support the essay; citations generally follow proper APA format | Five or more scholarly outside sources enhance the essay; citations follow proper APA format | 10 |