MIDTERM ESSAY – HIS 101
PURPOSE: To serve as a metric of historiographical skills retained in the course so far, students are expected to write an essay response to the following prompt. This is NOT a research paper. Its an essay. The only resources you are expected to reference are your textbook and my lectures. There are no need or call for sources or citations.
PROMPT:
Develop an argument that evaluates the extent the differences in political thought between the world of ancient Greece and the world of republican Rome.
ESSAY REQUIREMENTS:
Your response must:
Be no less than 750 words and no more than 1250 words.
Remember, minimal work tends to get minimal grades.
FAILURE TO MEET THE MINIMUM WORD COUNT WILL CAP YOUR GRADE AT A MAXIMUM 50% of 100%
Specifically address the core issue(s) of the prompt
Must contain a thesis/claim and then must utilize (not just insert) various pieces of evidence to support your claim. More evidence is better.
Your essay should focus on 2-3 concerns you wish to investigate and discuss. You should define these concerns in the introduction of your paper via the thesis.
Must not be simply a series of information statements taken from the reading. It is required that you emphasize a line of reasoning in your discussion.
SUGGESTED FORMAT
A logical format is to establish an introductory paragraph that introduces your argument/claim/thesis. Within that introduction, you should introduce, very, very briefly, your chosen pieces of evidence and then subsequent body paragraphs that elaborate on your evidence. Usually, one paragraph per piece of evidence you mean to introduce is sensible.
RUBRIC
Paper will be graded on a 6 point scale.
1 – Thesis – Responds to the prompt with a historically defensible thesis/claim that establishes a line of reasoning. The thesis must make a claim that responds to the prompt, rather than merely restating or rephrasing the prompt.
2- Context – Describes a broader historical context relevant to the prompt.
The response must relate the topic of the prompt to broader historical events, developments, or
processes that occur before, during, or continue after the time frame of the question. This point is not
awarded for merely a phrase or a reference.
3- Evidence – The paper’s main body paragraphs are built around evidence found either from the lectures or our textbook readings. Citations are heavily discouraged. Paraphrasing of the material is HIGHLY advised.
4- Support – Your evidence must support your thesis. This is done by having your own analytical statements within the body paragraphs that demonstrate HOW your chosen evidence proves your thesis. It is not sufficient to simply DECLARE your evidence proves your point. (ie -The sky is blue, which therefore proves it’s made of water.) Instead, your support must emphasize HOW you arrived at that conclusion. (ie Since the sky is blue in color as is our oceans, it is a reasonable assumption to believe that the sky is, itself, water. In addition, rain falls from the sky, proving that there is a source of water in the sky above us).
5- Utilization of the Historical Skill (CAUSATION) – Did you discuss the historical skill identified in the prompt?
6 – Good writing practices. Did you adhere to basic tenets of written English? Are your sentences and paragraphs formatted well? Do you have punctuation? Etc.