What unique challenges did women in the west face? Were there unique opportunities? How did women’s experience in the west vary as a result of race, class, age, gender identity, and geographic region?
Requirements:
- Essay form
- 5-7 pages
- use and cite lectures, discussions, assigned reading and 3 academic sources of your choice
- includes at least two primary sources
- bibliography
- graphic presentations (maps, charts, pictures, drawings, etc.)
Papers can be turned in at any point, but only one per week. You may turn in at most one first draft and one rewrite. This means that you’ll want to get started early. The papers can be started at any time during the semester. If you intend to get an A, you’ll want to get started early, because there are only seven opportunities to turn in papers.
These papers will require you to use all of the assigned reading in addition to an additional 3 academic sources and two primary sources. (3 points each). Plagiarism will result in a failing grade. There are 10 possible paper prompts. They are listed the week they are assigned on the course calendar and they are also listed at the end of this syllabus. If you select an paper prompt it is DUE the following week.
For each paper prompt you select you are expected to write a 5-7 page paper using lectures, discussions, assigned reading and 3 academic sources of your choice and two primary sources of your choice. You will be graded on your ability to take numerous sources and write one cohesive essay with a strong thesis, a reasonable progression of ideas and a conclusion. You will also need to use citations within the body of the essay, a bibliography at the end of the essay and you will need to include graphic presentations (maps, charts, pictures, drawings, etc.)
All papers will be in essay form. The papers are designed to enhance your critical thinking and writing skills. It will be necessary for you to select, organize and present material from the assigned reading, discussion forums, 3 additional academic sources, 2 primary sources and your own ideas. All papers are to be typed, double-spaced with 12-inch font and one-inch margins. The length of the paper is not as important as the quality of work but typically ranges between 5-7 pages of text. I will grade your work according to the Grading Criteria, and not according to how much you write. If you are uncomfortable with this, please contact me. If you have any questions on the format of the papers or what is expected of you, please ask. It is very likely that you are not the only one that has questions. This is your education, please treat it as such.
These papers will either meet the following expectations or they will not.
Grading Rubric for Papers (each criterion weighted equally)
- Content: A thought provoking thesis, analysis that demonstrates critical and analytical thinking, avoidance of generalizations that are not supported by evidence
- Evidence: Specific examples that support your conclusions, use of all the required readings and class dialogue, question answered thoroughly.
- Organization: A focused thesis, a coherent progression of ideas, focused paragraphs with topic sentences and effective transitions, an insightful conclusion that accurately sums up the main ideas
- Presentation Techniques: maps, charts, tables etc. to enhance the main arguments, generally free of mechanical errors (run-ons, appropriate verb usage, etc.)
- Citations: All required reading used and cited including textbooks and articles assigned in Canvas and 3 additional Academic Sources and 2 primary sources (1/3 of content), class discussions and lecture cited (1/3 of content), your interpretation and analysis (1/3 of content).