This assignment will apply the concept of historiography in an essay that examines some controversial aspects of the writing of history. To complete the assignment, you must first read one of the assigned journal articles for the course.
After reading the article that is your focus, you are to use the Okanagan College Library’s online resources to locate a second article or book chapter on the same or a similar historical subject. The article must be from a peer-reviewed journal or academic press. You are encouraged to select a source that offers some interpretive or historiographical contrast with the first article and to clear your choice of a second article with the instructor, who can also recommend appropriate choices. Write an essay in which you compare and evaluate the manner in which these sources approach the topic. In your essay, you should begin by clearly identifying and comparing the theses, or main arguments, presented in the selected articles. The remainder of your essay will then compare and evaluate the arguments presented by the authors, commenting on the respective strengths and weaknesses of each article and the arguments being presented by their authors. As with any history paper, be sure to cite all references.
Questions to consider:
Are the authors’ interpretations different?
If so, how and why have they come to differing conclusions?
What types of sources or references did they use?
What is their methodology?
What kind of audiences do the authors have in mind when they are writing?
Do the three foregoing aspects of their work affect the interpretations they take and the conclusions they draw?
Which of the two interpretations do you find the most persuasive and why? (This last point should be the focal point of your essay.)
