American history- Documents Analysis

M2 Written Assignment #1: Documents Analysis Documents Analysis Instructions “Mulberry Bend-Jacob Riis” by Jacob Riis – http://italophiles.com/mulberry.htm. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons. As noted in the Course Introduction Materials, all of the written assignments, including this one, are aimed at helping you produce a research paper of significant scholarly value that will be due at the end of the semester. However, some of the other goals of the written assignments for this course are to help you strengthen your critical reading skills, to gain a deeper understanding of how to analyze and evaluate primary and secondary historical resources, and to create written interpretations of such sources. With those goals in mind, this assignment will help you begin differentiating between primary and secondary resources, and to consider how to use such resources to put together a typical historical essay.

Here’s what you should do: Review chapters 1-2 of Mary Lynn Rampolla’s A Pocket Guide to Writing in History.  Select 2-3 of the documents and essays from Major Problems in American History, our course text. These materials should relate to one another in some way or the other. For instance, they may all address a common theme or problem, or a particular historic event. The materials also should speak directly to the topic that you identified. For your final research essay in Week 1, and should differ from each other in form. For instance, select no more than one speech, or one essay, or one governmental document.

Further Description

*PLEASE READ MESSAGE BELOW* For each document you select, identify whether it is a primary source or a secondary source, and evaluate its historic value, using the strategies that Rampolla outlines in chapter 2. Write a 750-1,000 word essay based on the documents that you select, using your evaluation of the sources as well as the tips that Rampolla provides in chapter 1. The essay should bring the documents together into a coherent argument that asks a historical question of substance.  While Rampolla offers excellent advice on research, writing, and proper citations, you also might want to consult other sources. The ESC Online Writing Center’s page on Research Writing: Elements and Steps is quite helpful. Evaluation Criteria Before submitting an assignment for this course please read the SUNY Empire State College statement on Academic Integrity.

Please use the Chicago Style for citations, and take care to ensure that the citations are completed properly. In addition, please use Rampolla’s A Pocket Guide to Writing in History to help ensure that your work is of historical quality.

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