Comparative Source Analysis Paper 200 Points
Description: 750-1000 word paper, double-spaced, with cited sources.
Skills: Primary source analysis, argumentative writing, historical contextualization, global perspective
Subjects and Sources:
For this paper, you will choose from ONE of the available topics and write an analysis of the primary sources listed in the Becoming Modern: America in the 1920s Primary Source The four topics are: 1) Modern Youth, 2) Modern Women, 3) Modern Faith, and 4) Modern Democracy. I am providing you with the collective commentary documents for each topic. Each PDF contains a collection of primary sources with citations that you must use for this essay.
Modern Youth Collective Commentary Preview the document
Modern Women Collective Commentary Preview the document
Modern Faith Collective Commentary Preview the document
Modern Democracy Collective Commentary Preview the document
Directions: Write a short paper (750-1000 words) with a thesis statement and argument in response to prompt listed below.
This paper, like all of the remaining papers, requires that you interpret primary source evidence in historical context, drawing from the assigned course readings. All of your papers must:
Closely analyze and describe primary sources using specifics and details use scholarly secondary source texts for evidence about the historical context select evidence to prove a thesis
draw conclusions beyond those that are immediately obvious from the evidence
write a paper that has a clear thesis, evidence organized into logical paragraphs, and a conclusion
use correctly formatted footnote citations
This paper must also:
Recognize that history is comprised of multiple stories, representing diverse experiences and perspectives (Global Perspective)
Construct an evidence-based argument that integrates multiple perspectives on an issue in Modern US History. (Global Perspective)
Prompt: Using at least FOUR of the sources in the contemporary commentary document, craft an argument that answers the following question:
How did modernity emerge / manifest / operate during the “Roaring Twenties”? What did “becoming modern” mean to the nation as a whole (in the public sphere) and to people or groups (in private / personal lives)?
Your essay should analyze and interpret the four documents by placing them within their historical contexts, in conversation with one another, and more importantly, by explaining their collective significance. You can and should use the American Yawp textbook for background information. You may also consult the Becoming Modern (Links to an external site.) website for further information if necessary. No other sources may be used in this essay.
You may want to consider the following questions as you read the documents and structure your response: What aspects of modernity were welcomed, resisted, or unrecognized in the Twenties? Why? How were the social and political divisions of the period reflected in the debates over modernity? In what ways is the decade’s experience with modernity familiar and resonant today?
Consider working with the Department of History’s writing tutors (Links to an external site.).
Make sure your paper begins with an introduction, continues with body paragraphs, and ends with a brief conclusion. Your introduction must feature a straightforward thesis statement that identifies your historical argument. Your body paragraphs need to begin with topic sentences that establish a connection to your argument.
Put all text in Arial 12pt font (and put all footnote text in Arial 10pt). Double-space all text (except for footnote text). Use margins of one inch on each side of each page. Indent the first line of each paragraph.
Your paper must be between 750 and 1,000 words (not counting the footnotes). Paginate the paper throughout and include a word count at the end.
Format your paper in accordance with the standards of the Chicago Manual of Style (Links to an external site.). Identify all directly and indirectly cited content with the aid of proper footnotes.
Citations: To cite the primary sources in the collective commentaries PDFs, simply use the following template in a footnote [bold sections should be edited]:
author, “title”, date, as reproduced in The Twenties in Contemporary Commentary: Modern Democracy [or Faith/Women/Youth] (Becoming Modern: America in the 1920s Primary Sources. America in Class from the National Humanities Center, 2012).
Submit the paper in a .doc or .pdf file only to Canvas by the date indicated. Please and by all means heed what the syllabus states with regard to academic honesty (particularly plagiarism) and late submissions.
This is a mandatory assignment that accounts for 200 points.
Criteria for Evaluation:
20% Overall Impression
(Innovative, clear, and strong ideas. Displayed an excellent grasp of the material. Demonstrated mastery of the content, application, and implications. Directly addresses main question, issue, or prompt and adds new insight to the subject.)
40% Argument & Support
(Contains a clear argument. Provides proper, compelling, and accurate evidence. The importance/relevance of evidence is clearly stated. No gaps in reasoning – the reader does not need to make any assumptions or conduct additional research to accept main argument.)
15% Sources & Citations
(Evidence is used from a wide range of sources, including lectures and course readings. All evidence is properly cited in footnotes or end notes.)
15% Organization
(Essay contains an introduction, main body, and conclusion. Introduction lays out main argument and gives reader a sense of what to expect in the paper. The conclusion brings everything together, acknowledges the shortcomings of the paper, and provides either a connection to broader themes or suggests what further work might be done to advance the subject matter described in the paper.)
10% Clarity & Style
(All sentences are grammatically correct and clearly written. No words are misused. Technical terms, words from other languages, and other historical periods are clearly explained. All information is accurate and up-to-date. Paper has been spell-checked and proofread, and contains no errors.)
Rubric
Historical Analysis Essay Rubric
Historical Analysis Essay Rubric
Criteria Ratings Pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Overall Impression
Superior
Innovative, clear, and strong ideas. Displayed an excellent grasp of the material. Demonstrated mastery of the content, application, and implications. Author directly addresses main question, issue, or prompt and adds new insight to the subject
Skillful
Clear and strong ideas. Displayed a general grasp of the material. Demonstrated good mastery of the content, material, and implications. Author completely addresses main question, issue, or prompt, but does not add much new insight to the subject
Competent
Ideas are adequate. Displayed some grasp of the material. Demonstrated adequate mastery of content, application and implications. Author attempts to address main question, issue, or prompt, but fails.
7.0 to >0.0 pts
Minimal
Ineffective Ideas. Displayed a poor grasp of the material. Demonstrated a superficial handling of the material, applications, and implications. Essay does NOT address the main question, issue, or prompt.
No Marks
Ideas are not original.
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Argument and Support
Superior
Essay contains a clear argument. Provides proper, compelling, and accurate evidence that convinces the reader to accept the main argument. The importance/relevance of evidence is clearly stated. No gaps in reasoning – the reader does not need to make any assumptions or conduct additional research to accept main argument.
Skillful
An argument is present, but the reader must reconstruct it from the text. Provides necessary evidence that convinces the reader to accept most aspects of the main argument, but not all. The importance/relevance of some evidence may not be clear. Some gaps in reasoning – the reader must make a few mental leaps or conduct additional research to fully accept all aspects of main argument.
Competent
Author attempts, but fails, to make a convincing argument. Not enough evidence is provided to support author’s argument, or evidence is incomplete, incorrect, or oversimplified. The relevance of much of the evidence is unclear. Information from lectures and/or readings is not effectively utilized.
Minimal
No attempt is made to articulate an argument. Either no evidence is provided, or there are numerous factual mistakes, omissions, or oversimplifications. There is little or no mention of information from lectures and/or readings.
No Marks
Writing is unoriginal.
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Sources and Citations
Always consult the specific assignment description to find out what kind of sources are allowed and/or required.
Superior
Evidence is used from a wide range of sources, including lectures and course readings. ** When required, author also consults scholarly books, websites, journal articles, etc. that are not explicitly discussed in class. All evidence is properly cited in footnotes or end notes.
Skillful
Evidence is used from many sources, but author relies heavily on a more limited set of sources. Some effort is made to go beyond material presented in class when required, but not much. If outside sources are used, they are primarily non-scholarly (for- profit websites, intended for general audience, etc.) All evidence is cited in footnotes or endnotes, but there are some minor problems with completeness or format of some citations.
Competent
Uses only a few of the sources provided for the assignment or in class, OR Does not go beyond what the instructor has provided when required to do additional research. Some pieces are unreferenced or inaccurately referenced. There are problems with completeness and format of citations.
Minimal
Does not use sources, or only minimally uses sources provided by instructor, or relies exclusively on non-scholarly outside sources. There are so many formatting and/or completeness issues with citations that it is unclear what the evidence is or where the author obtained the sources.
No Marks
No sources provided.
15.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Organization
Superior
Essay contains an introduction, main body, and conclusion. Introduction lays out main argument and gives reader a sense of what to expect in the paper. The conclusion brings everything together, acknowledges the shortcomings of the paper, and provides either a connection to broader themes or suggests what further work might be done to advance the subject matter described in the paper.
Skillful
Essay contains an introduction, main body, and conclusion. Introduction lays out the main argument, but gives little sense of where the paper is headed. Conclusion nicely summarizes main argument and evidence, but does not move beyond what has been presented in the paper.
Competent
Essay contains an introduction, main body, and conclusion. Introduction does not effectively lay out the main argument, and gives little sense of where the paper is headed. It may begin with a set of rhetorical questions or anecdotes that are never fully explained. Conclusion merely restates the introduction. Intro and conclusion may be either too wordy or too short.
Minimal
Essay has no clear organizational pattern.
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Clarity and Style
Superior
All sentences are grammatically correct and clearly written. No words are misused. Technical terms, words from other languages, and other historical periods are clearly explained. All information is accurate and up- to-date. Paper has been spell-checked and proofread, and contains no errors.
Skillful
All sentences are grammatically correct and clearly written. An occasional word is misused. Technical terms, words from other languages, and other historical periods are usually, but not always, explained. All information is accurate and up-to-date. Paper has been spell-checked and proofread, and contains no more than a few minor errors which do not adversely affect the reader’s ability to understand the essay.
Competent
A few sentences are grammatically incorrect or not clearly written. Several words are misused. Technical terms, words from other languages, and other historical periods are rarely explained. Not all information is accurate and up-to-date. Paper has been spell-checked and proofread, but still contains no more than a few minor errors which may adversely affect the reader’s ability to understand the essay.
Minimal
Paper is full of grammatical errors and poor writing. Multiple words are misused. Technical terms, words from other languages, and other historical periods are rarely explained. Not all information is accurate and up-to-date. Paper has not been spell-checked or proofread, and contains numerous errors which adversely affect the reader’s ability to understand the essay.
