Instructions:
have a minimum of 3 peer-reviewed secondary sources and 1 primary source related to their topic
have a title page and bibliography in addition to 4-6 double-spaced pages of content (1000-1500 words);
be written in 12-point Times New Roman font;
have 1″ margins and include page numbers;
have a clear, concrete, historical thesis statement that illustrates sophisticated historical thought;
have a thesis statement that is expressed in a single sentence;
have a brief “roadmap” or outline of the essay as it relates to the main argument; the thesis statement and “roadmap” are easily found in the essay introduction
Analysis & Historical Thinking:
clearly identify and explain how an idea or topic was conceptualized and understood in the past, while highlighting change over time
explain how these topics/ideas were understood within social and cultural contexts of a particular place and time
question and/or complicate linear and progress narratives
offer sophisticated historical and critical analysis using lenses, such as race, class, gender, (dis)ability, colonialism, sexuality, or the like, to expose cultural systems
offer original analysis and contextualize an event, idea, or document related to the chosen topic
Sources & Supportive Evidence
creatively interpret and analyze the assigned primary source, the assigned secondary source, and a minimum of three other scholarly peer-reviewed historical publications;
Interpret and analyze these sources to clearly and thoughtfully support arguments, claims, and the thesis in the essay;
Communication of Ideas:
be well organized and laid out with a clear introduction and conclusion
have sections that flow together and an argument is clear throughout
have minimal typos or mistakes in your spelling and grammar
Bibliography & Footnotes:
have bibliography and footnotes in proper Chicago Style with no to very limited mistakes
include footnotes appropriately and where needed
Please note: You MUST use footnotes, otherwise you will receive a “0” in the “Bibliography, Footnotes, and Citations” assessment category.
You will be marked based on the following criteria (and a breakdown is under “Rubrics”):
Formatting
Thesis Statement and Road Map
Historical Thinking
Critical Analysis
Evidence and Sources
Organization, Structure, and Communication
Bibliography, Footnotes, and Citations