First Writing Assignment (Due via Moodle by 10:00 AM on 10/1)
Your task: Write a document response paper that evaluates the usefulness and limitations of two primary sources. To complete this assignment, students will use Sources of Western Society and History of Western Society. Both books must be used. The paper should be between 900 and 1200 words in length. Class notes are also allowed, however no internet or outside sources can be used. Information taken from the notes and books must be cited (see below). I am happy to read a rough draft of your paper and I recommend the use of the Writing Center.
Details of the Assignment: There are two components to this assignment. 1) First, look through chapters one to eight of Sources of Western Society and choose any two documents dealing with either a single theme or a single civilization. For example, you can choose two primary sources on religion or two sources on Egypt (or any other place). The ideas expressed in the documents do not have to agree with one another! In fact, opposing viewpoints lend themselves to great papers! 2) Second, read A History of Western Society to understand the historical context of the primary sources you chose. For …show more content…
Use the following questions to guide your analysis (these questions are a guide; your paper should not answer the questions in numbered sequence): 1) What type of document is this and who is the intended audience? 2) What is the purpose of the document? 3) Does the author show any bias? If so, how does it influence the information provided? 4) How do the two documents agree or contradict one another? 5) How reliable (trustworthy) are these documents for historians? What do they NOT tell us? 6) What do the documents tell us about the society that produced
Your task: Write a document response paper that evaluates the usefulness and limitations of two primary sources. To complete this assignment, students will use Sources of Western Society and History of Western Society. Both books must be used. The paper should be between 900 and 1200 words in length. Class notes are also allowed, however no internet or outside sources can be used. Information taken from the notes and books must be cited (see below). I am happy to read a rough draft of your paper and I recommend the use of the Writing Center.
Details of the Assignment: There are two components to this assignment. 1) First, look through chapters one to eight of Sources of Western Society and choose any two documents dealing with either a single theme or a single civilization. For example, you can choose two primary sources on religion or two sources on Egypt (or any other place). The ideas expressed in the documents do not have to agree with one another! In fact, opposing viewpoints lend themselves to great papers! 2) Second, read A History of Western Society to understand the historical context of the primary sources you chose. For …show more content…
Use the following questions to guide your analysis (these questions are a guide; your paper should not answer the questions in numbered sequence): 1) What type of document is this and who is the intended audience? 2) What is the purpose of the document? 3) Does the author show any bias? If so, how does it influence the information provided? 4) How do the two documents agree or contradict one another? 5) How reliable (trustworthy) are these documents for historians? What do they NOT tell us? 6) What do the documents tell us about the society that produced