History 1483, Section 020–Gilje, Spring 2017
The second assignment is an original research paper of approximately 2,000 words, or six to seven double-spaced pages. In the process of writing this paper you will learn and then demonstrate the essential skills of the historian: defining a research question, gathering evidence, interpreting sources, and articulating an original argument about the significance of your findings.
Unlike the first paper, in which we provided you with a set of primary sources, the second paper requires you to find your own sources. The ExploreHistory website lists a number of primary source collections. You should use these collections to get started. It is suggested that you choose a collection based on your general interests and spend some time exploring the documents available.
There is no absolute number of sources each student should use. A great deal will depend on the subject matter and length of the sources. As a rule of thumb, however, use five to seven primary sources as a target figure, and a total of approximately 50 pages of primary source material. In addition, the student should have two to three secondary sources, such as journal articles or essays in a book.
Topic for Research Paper due in discussion section: March 2 or 3, 2017
Annotated Bibliography 25 points: Apr. 6, 2017
Introduction and Thesis 25 points: Apr. 13 2017
Research Paper 200 points: Apr. 20, 2017