Context: In the first phase of this class, you examined primary and secondary historical sources to follow the path of Ruth Gruber’s memoir as the author studied in Germany and went on adventures in the Soviet Union as a newspaper reporter. Her experiences open perspectives on Weimar/Nazi Germany and Stalin’s USSR that often appear as marginalia in standard textbooks. To complete the first part of the semester, you should synthesize your learning into a historical interpretation of the two existentially opposed countries that is rooted in Gruber’s personal experiences and perspective.
Prompt: Address at least two episodes/vignettes in Gruber’s memoir (at least one each in Germany and the USSR). For each episode, describe Gruber’s experience by choosing the most illustrative details and (short) quotes; additionally, explain how the episode fits into the broader narrative of the place and time by using information from other sources (this should include the other readings assigned for class, additional secondary source research such as that done for the timeline presentations). It is possible that a single thesis statement will not cover the interpretation necessary to address the variety of episodes available, so each section should be woven around an interpretation that expands one’s understanding beyond the insight provided by any single source.
This is a formal essay, so the following are expected:
1. The essay should go through at least one significant revision before submission
2. The most important element of an essay is/are its argument(s), each consisting of a claim (the interpretation you advocate for), reasoning (the critical thinking that informs your claim), and evidence (the material from primary and secondary sources that substantiates your reasoning & claim)
3. Material from both primary and secondary sources must be used – at a minimum, three of the primary sources must be used to the extent that formal citation are needed; secondary sources should be used liberally for contextual information and secondarily as sources of interpretation
4. The essay needs organization – there’s nothing wrong with a five paragraph format so long as it’s used to make an interpretive argument (as opposed to a simple, uninterpreted description or demonstration)
5. Formal citations (in text and bibliography) are necessary – any paper submitted with incorrect or insufficient citations will be returned ungraded for correction and re-submission – any recognizable citation format is acceptable but know that Chicago style is the norm for history writing
6. Prose should clearly convey meaning – word choice errors as well as language mechanics will be evaluated based on clarity of expression.
Context: In the first phase of this class, you examined primary and secondary historical sources to follow the path of Ruth Gruber’s memoir as the author studied in Germany and went on adventures in the Soviet Union as a newspaper reporter. Her experiences open perspectives on Weimar/Nazi Germany and Stalin’s USSR that often appear as marginalia in standard textbooks. To complete the first part of the semester, you should synthesize your learning into a historical interpretation of the two existentially opposed countries that is rooted in Gruber’s personal experiences and perspective.
Prompt: Address at least two episodes/vignettes in Gruber’s memoir (at least one each in Germany and the USSR). For each episode, describe Gruber’s experience by choosing the most illustrative details and (short) quotes; additionally, explain how the episode fits into the broader narrative of the place and time by using information from other sources (this should include the other readings assigned for class, additional secondary source research such as that done for the timeline presentations). It is possible that a single thesis statement will not cover the interpretation necessary to address the variety of episodes available, so each section should be woven around an interpretation that expands one’s understanding beyond the insight provided by any single source.
This is a formal essay, so the following are expected:
1. The essay should go through at least one significant revision before submission
2. The most important element of an essay is/are its argument(s), each consisting of a claim (the interpretation you advocate for), reasoning (the critical thinking that informs your claim), and evidence (the material from primary and secondary sources that substantiates your reasoning & claim)
3. Material from both primary and secondary sources must be used – at a minimum, three of the primary sources must be used to the extent that formal citation are needed; secondary sources should be used liberally for contextual information and secondarily as sources of interpretation
4. The essay needs organization – there’s nothing wrong with a five paragraph format so long as it’s used to make an interpretive argument (as opposed to a simple, uninterpreted description or demonstration)
5. Formal citations (in text and bibliography) are necessary – any paper submitted with incorrect or insufficient citations will be returned ungraded for correction and re-submission – any recognizable citation format is acceptable but know that Chicago style is the norm for history writing
6. Prose should clearly convey meaning – word choice errors as well as language mechanics will be evaluated based on clarity of expression.
Context: In the first phase of this class, you examined primary and secondary historical sources to follow the path of Ruth Gruber’s memoir as the author studied in Germany and went on adventures in the Soviet Union as a newspaper reporter. Her experiences open perspectives on Weimar/Nazi Germany and Stalin’s USSR that often appear as marginalia in standard textbooks. To complete the first part of the semester, you should synthesize your learning into a historical interpretation of the two existentially opposed countries that is rooted in Gruber’s personal experiences and perspective.
Prompt: Address at least two episodes/vignettes in Gruber’s memoir (at least one each in Germany and the USSR). For each episode, describe Gruber’s experience by choosing the most illustrative details and (short) quotes; additionally, explain how the episode fits into the broader narrative of the place and time by using information from other sources (this should include the other readings assigned for class, additional secondary source research such as that done for the timeline presentations). It is possible that a single thesis statement will not cover the interpretation necessary to address the variety of episodes available, so each section should be woven around an interpretation that expands one’s understanding beyond the insight provided by any single source.
This is a formal essay, so the following are expected:
1. The essay should go through at least one significant revision before submission
2. The most important element of an essay is/are its argument(s), each consisting of a claim (the interpretation you advocate for), reasoning (the critical thinking that informs your claim), and evidence (the material from primary and secondary sources that substantiates your reasoning & claim)
3. Material from both primary and secondary sources must be used – at a minimum, three of the primary sources must be used to the extent that formal citation are needed; secondary sources should be used liberally for contextual information and secondarily as sources of interpretation
4. The essay needs organization – there’s nothing wrong with a five paragraph format so long as it’s used to make an interpretive argument (as opposed to a simple, uninterpreted description or demonstration)
5. Formal citations (in text and bibliography) are necessary – any paper submitted with incorrect or insufficient citations will be returned ungraded for correction and re-submission – any recognizable citation format is acceptable but know that Chicago style is the norm for history writing
6. Prose should clearly convey meaning – word choice errors as well as language mechanics will be evaluated based on clarity of expression.
Context: In the first phase of this class, you examined primary and secondary historical sources to follow the path of Ruth Gruber’s memoir as the author studied in Germany and went on adventures in the Soviet Union as a newspaper reporter. Her experiences open perspectives on Weimar/Nazi Germany and Stalin’s USSR that often appear as marginalia in standard textbooks. To complete the first part of the semester, you should synthesize your learning into a historical interpretation of the two existentially opposed countries that is rooted in Gruber’s personal experiences and perspective.
Prompt: Address at least two episodes/vignettes in Gruber’s memoir (at least one each in Germany and the USSR). For each episode, describe Gruber’s experience by choosing the most illustrative details and (short) quotes; additionally, explain how the episode fits into the broader narrative of the place and time by using information from other sources (this should include the other readings assigned for class, additional secondary source research such as that done for the timeline presentations). It is possible that a single thesis statement will not cover the interpretation necessary to address the variety of episodes available, so each section should be woven around an interpretation that expands one’s understanding beyond the insight provided by any single source.
This is a formal essay, so the following are expected:
1. The essay should go through at least one significant revision before submission
2. The most important element of an essay is/are its argument(s), each consisting of a claim (the interpretation you advocate for), reasoning (the critical thinking that informs your claim), and evidence (the material from primary and secondary sources that substantiates your reasoning & claim)
3. Material from both primary and secondary sources must be used – at a minimum, three of the primary sources must be used to the extent that formal citation are needed; secondary sources should be used liberally for contextual information and secondarily as sources of interpretation
4. The essay needs organization – there’s nothing wrong with a five paragraph format so long as it’s used to make an interpretive argument (as opposed to a simple, uninterpreted description or demonstration)
5. Formal citations (in text and bibliography) are necessary – any paper submitted with incorrect or insufficient citations will be returned ungraded for correction and re-submission – any recognizable citation format is acceptable but know that Chicago style is the norm for history writing
6. Prose should clearly convey meaning – word choice errors as well as language mechanics will be evaluated based on clarity of expression.
Context: In the first phase of this class, you examined primary and secondary historical sources to follow the path of Ruth Gruber’s memoir as the author studied in Germany and went on adventures in the Soviet Union as a newspaper reporter. Her experiences open perspectives on Weimar/Nazi Germany and Stalin’s USSR that often appear as marginalia in standard textbooks. To complete the first part of the semester, you should synthesize your learning into a historical interpretation of the two existentially opposed countries that is rooted in Gruber’s personal experiences and perspective.
Prompt: Address at least two episodes/vignettes in Gruber’s memoir (at least one each in Germany and the USSR). For each episode, describe Gruber’s experience by choosing the most illustrative details and (short) quotes; additionally, explain how the episode fits into the broader narrative of the place and time by using information from other sources (this should include the other readings assigned for class, additional secondary source research such as that done for the timeline presentations). It is possible that a single thesis statement will not cover the interpretation necessary to address the variety of episodes available, so each section should be woven around an interpretation that expands one’s understanding beyond the insight provided by any single source.
This is a formal essay, so the following are expected:
1. The essay should go through at least one significant revision before submission
2. The most important element of an essay is/are its argument(s), each consisting of a claim (the interpretation you advocate for), reasoning (the critical thinking that informs your claim), and evidence (the material from primary and secondary sources that substantiates your reasoning & claim)
3. Material from both primary and secondary sources must be used – at a minimum, three of the primary sources must be used to the extent that formal citation are needed; secondary sources should be used liberally for contextual information and secondarily as sources of interpretation
4. The essay needs organization – there’s nothing wrong with a five paragraph format so long as it’s used to make an interpretive argument (as opposed to a simple, uninterpreted description or demonstration)
5. Formal citations (in text and bibliography) are necessary – any paper submitted with incorrect or insufficient citations will be returned ungraded for correction and re-submission – any recognizable citation format is acceptable but know that Chicago style is the norm for history writing
6. Prose should clearly convey meaning – word choice errors as well as language mechanics will be evaluated based on clarity of expression.
Context: In the first phase of this class, you examined primary and secondary historical sources to follow the path of Ruth Gruber’s memoir as the author studied in Germany and went on adventures in the Soviet Union as a newspaper reporter. Her experiences open perspectives on Weimar/Nazi Germany and Stalin’s USSR that often appear as marginalia in standard textbooks. To complete the first part of the semester, you should synthesize your learning into a historical interpretation of the two existentially opposed countries that is rooted in Gruber’s personal experiences and perspective.
Prompt: Address at least two episodes/vignettes in Gruber’s memoir (at least one each in Germany and the USSR). For each episode, describe Gruber’s experience by choosing the most illustrative details and (short) quotes; additionally, explain how the episode fits into the broader narrative of the place and time by using information from other sources (this should include the other readings assigned for class, additional secondary source research such as that done for the timeline presentations). It is possible that a single thesis statement will not cover the interpretation necessary to address the variety of episodes available, so each section should be woven around an interpretation that expands one’s understanding beyond the insight provided by any single source.
This is a formal essay, so the following are expected:
1. The essay should go through at least one significant revision before submission
2. The most important element of an essay is/are its argument(s), each consisting of a claim (the interpretation you advocate for), reasoning (the critical thinking that informs your claim), and evidence (the material from primary and secondary sources that substantiates your reasoning & claim)
3. Material from both primary and secondary sources must be used – at a minimum, three of the primary sources must be used to the extent that formal citation are needed; secondary sources should be used liberally for contextual information and secondarily as sources of interpretation
4. The essay needs organization – there’s nothing wrong with a five paragraph format so long as it’s used to make an interpretive argument (as opposed to a simple, uninterpreted description or demonstration)
5. Formal citations (in text and bibliography) are necessary – any paper submitted with incorrect or insufficient citations will be returned ungraded for correction and re-submission – any recognizable citation format is acceptable but know that Chicago style is the norm for history writing
6. Prose should clearly convey meaning – word choice errors as well as language mechanics will be evaluated based on clarity of expression.
PLEASE USE RUTH GRUBERS BOOK AHEAD OF TIME