This essay assignment (2-3 pages) is intended to foster your information and data literacy by asking you to compare and contrast an author’s argument about an historical figure or trend that differs from prior interpretations and assumptions discuss in Spring, J. (2018). The American school, a global context: From the Puritans to the Trump Era. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. It is important to also reflect on whether the author’s argument might challenge your own conceptions of the past.
Conduct a close reading of the article, keep detailed notes on the author’s thesis, and sources of evidence. For example, you should note what types of evidence is provided and from what types of sources (primary sources).
Compare and contrast the author’s claims with others found in the textbook. How does the author’s argument challenge other scholarly views? How does the authors’ argument challenge your own perceptions of the past?
Evaluate the creditability of the sources used by the author. Do these sources directly or indirectly support the author’s claim? Is the evidence factual or speculative? Does the evidence support other interpretations?
Take a position on the author’s claim based on your evaluation of evidence and your interpretation of the evidence.
