Studying History

Overview

“If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday.”

Your second project in this course is to complete a historical context and introduction project. The work you did on the Topic Exploration Worksheet in Modules One and Two will directly support your work on this project as well as your third longer term project—the multimedia presentation—due in Module Eight.

One of the prime benefits of studying history is that it allows us to learn about who we are and where we came from. The people and events of the past can often shed light on the conditions and social norms of the present. Having historical awareness can inform various aspects of your life as well as future aspirations. Learning from past failures and successes can shape ideals and values for years to come.

This is your second longer-term project designed to help you understand the fundamental processes and value of studying history. In the first project, you completed the Topic Exploration Worksheet on one of the topics or themes from the library guide. You investigated the types of research you might need to do to learn more about the topic and developed research questions. In Project 2, you will use your completed Topic Exploration Worksheet to explore the historical context and develop an introduction. You will choose one of your research questions and do some secondary source research, speculate on primary source needs, and use the information to write the introduction and thesis statement for a possible research paper. (You will not write the entire paper— only the introduction.) In the third project, you will create a multimedia presentation that explores both major developments in historical inquiry and the value of examining history.

This research plan and introduction assignment will assess the following course outcome, which you focused on throughout Modules Three and Four:  Determine fundamental approaches to studying history in addressing questions about how events are shaped by their larger historical context

Prompt

In this project, you will write the introductory paragraph of a history paper based on one of the questions you identified in your topic exploration worksheet. To do this, however, you must first find out a bit more information about your topic and draft a research plan. This will allow you to transform your question about your topic into a thesis statement, as well as give you the background information you will need to craft an interesting introductory paragraph. You will not write the entire paper, just the introduction to the paper that concludes with a thesis statement. The following critical elements will be assessed in a Word document that combines both your research plan (Critical Elements I and II) and your introduction (Critical Element III).

Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:

—Pearl Buck

I. Write your introduction.

A. Write your introduction. Be sure to incorporate your background information and to conclude with your thesis statement.

B. Based on your primary and secondary source research, turn your research question into a thesis statement that addresses your topic and how it

has been influenced by its historical context.

II. Use primary and secondary sources that address the historical context of your topics to respond to the following critical elements. Be sure to cite your information using the most recent version of APA guidelines. Based on the sources you have selected, address the following questions:

A. Summarize the topic using primary and secondary sources. In other words, what was going on in the world/area/society around the event?

B. Discuss how the historical context impacted the topic. For instance, what was happening in the world/area/society around the event that

impacted how it occurred?

Project 2 Rubric

Guidelines for Submission: Your historical context and introduction should be 2 to 3 pages in length. Use double spacing, one-inch margins, and 12-point Times New Roman font. Use the most current version of APA style. You will use the Historical Context and Introduction Template to complete this assignment.

Critical Elements

Exemplary (100%)

Proficient (85%)

Needs Improvement (55%)

Not Evident (0%)

Value

Introduction: Write

Meets “Proficient” criteria and cohesion of expression demonstrates a mature grasp of the requirements of an introduction

Writes an introduction that incorporates the background information and concludes with the thesis statement

Writes an introduction that incorporates the background information and concludes with the thesis statement but is cursory or has inaccuracies

Does not write an introduction that incorporates the background information and concludes with the thesis statement

24

Introduction: Thesis Statement

Meets “Proficient” criteria and argument posited demonstrates insightful connections between the event and its historical context

Crafts a thesis statement based on the research question that addresses the topic and how it has been influenced by its historical context

Crafts a thesis statement based on the research question that addresses the topic, but thesis statement does not address historical context or has inaccuracies

Does not craft a thesis statement based on the research question that addresses the topic

24

Historical Context: Summarize

Meets “Proficient” criteria and information used from research communicates a strong grasp of the historical context

Explains the historical context of the topic

Explains the historical context of the topic but does not properly cite the secondary sources, or explanation is cursory or has inaccuracies

Does not explain the historical context of the topic