Discuss a specific topic concerning American History from 1492 through the end of the Civil War (1865) and write an essay based on primary and secondary source research. Below is a brief outline of steps you will take to complete the research project. You should consult the Handbook for Historians for greater descriiption and instruction of these elements of the research project.
Selecting a Topic formulating questions
The first step in the research project is to select a topic and begin to locate relevant sources. Keep in mind that you are writing this essay mainly for yourself rather than for your instructor. Pick a topic in which you are truly interested and that you think is important for your own understanding of early American history. First you should have a broad topic in mind. From there you need to develop your research question(s). You do not start with a thesis and try to fit your research into that thesis. Instead, you start with a question or questions—what it is that you want to find out—and allow your research to answer that question.
Sources and Citations:
Since this is an essay based on historical research, you must use footnotes or endnotes with full citations, which are discussed in the Handbook for Historians. No parenthetic citations. Remember, it is crucial to cite the source of all information that you use and not just direct quotes, otherwise you are in danger of plagiarism. Should you have questions on what constitutes plagiarism and how to cite, ask the instructor ASAP. You must also include a full bibliography at the end of the essay. You should utilize A Handbook for Historians by John Langdon and other member of the LMC history faculty, which is available on-line at http://resources.library.lemoyne.edu/hst-handbookLinks to an external site.. Failure to comply with these guidelines will result in a significant grade reduction for your paper. You should utilize a combination of scholarly books and journal articles. Encyclopedias (on-line and print) are unacceptable sources for college level work. If you have questions on a source, ask.
The Essay
Your essay should be 8-12 pages in length, NOT counting pages for title pages, bibliographies, end notes, pictures, etc. All pages should be doubled-spaced, numbered, and you should use 12 pt. Times New Roman font with one inch margins (yes, I check these things). The narrative of your essay (the presentation of facts or historical chronology) should be structured around an argument or thesis. It is not enough merely to relate facts that are already known or retell a familiar historical tale. The most important objective of your essay is to present an original argument, theory, or analysis (this is your thesis—the answer to your research questions) that is supported by a critical approach to your sources.
Research for the essay should center on a few primary sources (original documents from the period that have not been interpreted or edited by other scholars) as well as drawing upon a variety of secondary sources (books or articles written about your subject). While the primary sources should be the focus of your argument, the secondary sources will help you get a sense of how your argument compares to those of other scholars.
Organization is extremely important for larger projects. Therefore you will need to create an outline for your research paper before you actually write the drafts of the paper.
Finally, be sure to thoroughly edit and proofread your essay before submitting it. Excessive errors in spelling, punctuation, or grammar will lower your grade.
Because the thesis statement is absolutely crucial to the successful completion of this assignment, you will be required to have your thesis statements approved by the instructor prior to turning in the research paper. Furthermore, you will also be required to turn in an outline prior to the final due date of the assignment.
