The Enlightenment in America

Question

HIST 101 COURSE PAPER

This exercise will correspond to the material covered in the course. There are three stages –

assignments with deadlines:

1) The student will select a topic within the boundary of the theme of this course no later than

[PLACE DATE HERE] [submit this 5 point assignment by using the link provided in Module

2].

2) A progress report, worth 15 points, is due [PLACE DATE HERE] consisting of a list of

potential sources, tentative outline, and a statement of purpose [link in Module 4]. 

3) Final version of the paper, worth 200 points, is due on Monday [PLACE DATE HERE].

Upload the course paper through the Assignments link in Module 7. 

Overview of the assignment:

o Students are required to write a minimum of full 5 pages; please keep the essay to no

more than 6 pages. Format: APA or MLA; doubled-spaced, typed, font in Times New

Roman or Arial, size 12. 1-inch margins all around. Written work for this course is to be

submitted only in either Microsoft Word (.doc) or Rich Text Format (.rtf). Cover and

sources pages do not constitute numbered pages.

o If having difficulty selecting an appropriate topic, a list of possible subjects for the paper

can be found under Course Resources: Research Paper Instructions. These are only

suggestions; students are by no means required to choose a topic from this list.

o This project will require fieldwork – using the library, the Internet, etc. Sources must be

cited.

o Why a paper? Students will have the opportunity to gain an understanding of historical

inquiry and writing. Reading is a significant part of any historical project. After selecting

a topic, the student must include at least four sources; two must be primary sources

(diaries, speeches, autobiographies, royal decrees, etc.) on which they will base the paper.

Please do not cite the textbook and online encyclopedias Wikipedia, Britannica, and

general information sites (such as ask.com or about.com). It is advisable to avoid using

web sites that end in the suffixes “.com,” “.org” or “.net” altogether (conversely those

ending in “.gov” or “.edu” are more acceptable). It is strongly recommended that

students make use of academic history books available in your local public library system

and articles, government documents, newspapers, and magazines accessible through Ivy

Tech Library’s Discover! (Links to an external site.)

o Consider this project as an important reflection of one’s expertise and interest in the

topic.

o Ultimately each student is responsible to submit a clear, concise and well-organized essay

free of spelling and grammatical errors.

o Guidelines on how to organize the paper are located in Course Resources - Research

Paper Instructions.