Produce a complete first draft of your paper. Use your initial writing assignments with additional sources as needed to prove your thesis. This paper must be a well-formed piece of historical research including proper citations and a bibliography.
This assignment should be at least 2000 words in main text length, and should have a complete bibliography in the Chicago Manual of Style as well as footnotes/endnotes. In addition to your upload, you will be required to bring a printed copy to class on March 26th.
General Paper Guidelines 1. Do not include a heading on the first page. Instead handwrite your name and final word Count on the back of the last page of your paper 2. Paper must be typed, double-spaced on 8 ½ x 11” paper 3. A 1” border (no more, no less) for the top, bottom, and left margins 4. Typeface shall be no larger than 12 point, and in either Times New Roman or New Century Schoolbook font 5. Paper length is measured by the number of words in the main body of the text, nor the footnotes/endnotes 6. Students MUST use Chicago Manual of Style for citations, bibliographies, and other necessary matters. 7. Plagiarism will be dealt with severely following the FAU guidelines for dealing with Academic Integrity. Consult your UG Catalogue/syllabus for the procedures. The Research Paper As the old scholarly adage goes “There are three kinds of history: What actually happened; what we are told happened; and what we come to believe happened.” Unless we each have a time machine and the ability to read minds, we will never know exactly what happened at any given time in the past or why it happened. We historians depend on primary and secondary sources to help decipher what happened in the past, when it occurred, who was involved, where it took place, how an event “played itself out,” and—of course—the most interesting and elusive of questions—why something happened. The primary and secondary sources go a long way in helping us in these endeavors, but like any good detective will tell you, we need to know what to look for, and how to interpret what we find correctly. THEMES FOR RESEARCH PROJECTS (Choose ONE from the list below for ALL of your document analyses) · Theme I: “It’s the Law!” Ancient and Medieval Legal Systems Almost from the rise of civilization, humans have sought to control society through some form of a legal system. The foundations for these legal systems have varied from era to era and region to region. Who created the laws? How did they enforce them? Were legal systems organic in that they changed with the times, or were they “written in stone” for all time? Your task is to research the answers to these questions, looking at anywhere from two to three different cultures/civilizations/belief systems. From that initial research, come up with a thesis that analyzes the larger themes inherent in the answers found. · Theme II: “Missing from history?” Women in the Ancient and Medieval World Some modern scholars argue that the history of the ancient and medieval world is only half-written as half the population has often been ignored or “written out” of history. Over the last few generations, much has been done to correct this gap in our collective knowledge of the past; women clearly played essential roles throughout ancient and medieval societies. Your task is to research what roles women played and how their presence was conceptualized and addressed in anywhere from two to three different cultures/civilizations and to determine the scope of these roles and the ways in which women of all ages were portrayed and/or portrayed themselves. From this research, devise a thesis that will address your findings and better explain the “missing half” of our past. · Theme III: “War...what is it good for?” Ancient and Medieval Military History War is defined as many things—the failure of politics; the opposite of peace; a necessary evil. Over the years, civilizations have approached the nature of warfare, its main participants (the armies), and the role of the Divine in the process in different ways. Your task is to research how war is defined and/or talked about in anywhere from two to three different culture/civilizations and to determine whether there is a “universal understanding” of what it is “to fight” and how this process is realized. From this research, devise a thesis that will address your findings and help answer the age-old questions regarding this most human of practices. · Theme IV: “It’s good to be the king.” Rulership in the Ancient and Medieval World “Who should rule?” is a key question asked throughout the ancient and medieval world in every culture and civilization. Does might make right? Is the ruler divinely ordained or inspired? These are just a few of the issues rulers, philosophers, scholars, and the masses debated, sometimes in words, and sometimes at the point of sword. Your task is to study how rule was conceived and manifested in anywhere from two to three different cultures/civilizations and to ascertain the foundation for later developments in political thought and action. From this research, devise a thesis that will address your findings and help us better understand why “uneasy is the head that wears the crown.” · Theme V: “We’re No. 1!!” The “Other” in the Ancient and Medieval World The concept of the “other” is as old as humanity itself; the way in which many defined themselves was often in distinction to others around them (e.g., animals, kinship groups/non-kin, foreigners, “barbarians”, etc.) Over the centuries and in myriad cultures/civilizations, the “other” has been the object of curiosity, derision, fear, and even admiration. Your task is to research how the “other” was depicted/discussed in two to three different cultures and to determine the ways in which this depiction/discussion influenced how given cultures viewed themselves and those around them. From this research, devise a thesis that will address your findings and attempt to tackle this most basic of human psychological traits. · Theme VI: “First, do no harm!” Medicine in the Ancient and Medieval World With all the obstacles we have faced over the millennia, it is amazing we have lasted this long as a species. One factor that has aided humanity over the eons has been the development of medical techniques and care. Each civilization/culture has had a different approach to the practice of medicine with varying results. Your task is to research at least two but no more than three cultures/civilizations/belief systems in terms of how they have treated their ill and infirm. What methods were used? What is the nature of medical knowledge? From this initial research, come up with a thesis that addresses how cultures/civilizations/belief systems have addressed the issue of “healing themselves.” · Theme VII: “A Few Inconvenient Truths” Humanity and Its Environment In the ancient and medieval worlds, Nature was both the greatest benefactor and the greatest threat to humanity. Over the centuries, civilizations and cultures have had to learn to live within their environmental and topographical means; to do otherwise was to court extinction. Your task is to research how the environment was conceptualized and dealt with by at least two but no more than three cultures/civilizations and develop your topic. From this, come up with a thesis that addresses the larger ideas surrounding humanity’s relationship with the natural world. First Draft: 2000 words, Due Thursday, March 26th (20%) Produce a first draft of your paper. Use your initial writing assignments with additional sources as needed to prove your thesis. This paper must be a well-formed piece of historical research including proper citations and a bibliography. There will likely be an opportunity for Peer Review, as well. FAU Writing Across the Curriculum Student Writing Assessment Class Rubric: 4-Point Primary Traits Please mark the appropriate number following each primary trait. PURPOSE: This rubric evaluates substantial, argument-driven, out-of-class papers. Typically such papers develop a thesis in which students build a case for a particular analysis, interpretation, or evaluation of data/readings that leads to recommendations or specific conclusions. NOT READY FOR GRADING: If the paper does either of the following, then it would be deemed NOT READY FOR GRADING: a) does not respond to the assignment; b) is so fraught with sentence-level error that it impairs comprehension. ADDITIONAL TRAITS: You may choose to add additional traits, depending on the requirements of each of your assignments. OPENING: A) thesis/purpose/argument: primary argument B) organizational statement: description of how the argument will proceed C) Assignment fulfillment A) thesis/purpose/argument Fully and completely articulates primary argument in its context at the beginning of the paper. B) Organizational statement Presents a clear and direct statement located in the beginning of paper that demonstrates how the argument will track the fundamental, secondary, and implied problems/questions/issues. Readers should be able to anticipate how the paper will proceed. C) assignment fulfillment Fully and completely fulfills the assignment. ARGUMENT: D) reasoning: depth and complexity of thought E) support: data/evidence/visuals D) reasoning Exhibits substantial depth, fullness, and complexity of thought supported by sophisticated ideas/analysis that support the paper’s thesis. E) evidence Seamlessly incorporates and explains the accuracy and relevance of data/evidence/quotations/paraphrase/visuals; offers evidence from a variety of sources, including counterarguments/contrary evidence. ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE: F) rhetorical structure: transitions, headers, bullets, and other structural indicators appropriate to the discipline F) rhetorical structure the argument’s focus is abundantly clear to the reader and paragraphs logically and coherently build upon each other through the complete and fluent use of transitions and/or headings. CONCLUSION: G) implications and consequences: importance of claims and future possibilities in conclusion G) implications and consequences Identifies, discusses, and extends conclusions, implications, consequences, and/or future research possibilities. Considers context, assumptions, data, and evidence. DISCIPLINARY CONCERNS: H) academic tone: specialized terms and concepts I) disciplinary conventions: document format (not including citations) J) presentation and citation format: in-text citations, works cited, bibliography, references H) academic tone is mature, consistent, and suitable for topic and audience. Uses specialized terms Accurately and consistently. I) Disciplinary conventions Fully adheres to disciplinary conventions genre, format (including paragraphing, titles, identifying information), document design, and presentation of graphs, tables, images, and footnote/endnotes. J) citation format Cites and formats sources accurately and consistently and provides appropriate and complete works cited/ bibliography/ references. GRAMMAR AND SYNTAX: K) mechanics: sentence-level patterns of error (e.g. comma splices, run-on sentences, subject/verb agreement) L) clarity: in sentence structure M) style: sentence variety K) mechanics Contains virtually no sentence level errors. L) clarity Sentences consistently communicate thoughts clearly M) style Sentences are varied, convincing, nuanced, and eloquent.