any topic

Description

Select a topic that appears interesting and exciting to you.  Your topic must fit into our time period between Reconstruction and the present and it must be related to American history.  A wide variety of political, economic, social, cultural, or intellectual topics are possible.  Think of persons, events, or issues you would like to know more about.  To develop a convincing argument, it is often helpful to formulate your topic in the form of a question, such as “What were the Main Causes of the Civil Rights Movement during the 1940s and 50s?”   Make sure your topic is focused and specific, or your paper will be vague and superficial.  You need to provide some detail.  “The Development of the U.S. Labor Movement from 1869 to 2000,” for example, would be too broad.  Other topics may be too narrow to generate wider interest.  “Harry Truman’s Experiences as a Kansas City Haberdasher” might be such an example.  “The Success of the Suffrage Movement, 1910-1920,” however, would be a reasonable topic.  Be sure the instructor approves the topic of your choice before you write the paper.   The paper is intended to develop your research skills, critical reading skills, and analytical writing skills.  Remember that you need a thesis.  Try to write a critical essay that evaluates specific events and facts.  Go beyond the mere presentation of facts.  Imagine that you are writing for an audience of your peers.  You want to explain to them why certain historical events happened and what they mean.  What is their significance or impact?  Are there any historical lessons we should learn?   Your paper should be at least four typewritten pages or approximately 1,200 words, double spaced, with reasonable margins and font size.  Do not forget the bibliography or works cited page.  Consult a style manual for the proper format.  You should use a minimum of five sources, two of which must be primary sources.  Include direct quotations from those primary sources.  Articles and books are acceptable secondary sources, but textbooks and encyclopedias are not.  While you may use sources on the internet, you need to make sure they are reliable.  At least two of your sources should be books or articles.   The paper must be written in your own words.  Plagiarism will not be tolerated.  Use quotation marks for direct quotes, specific facts, and opinions not your own.   Your paper should be organized and well-written.  Use past tense and avoid first person pronouns.  Strive for clarity of expression and use concrete, concise language.  Be sure to give your paper a careful proof reading and eliminate any grammar or spelling errors.  I will take points off if you hand in sloppy work.