History 342 Professor
Wertheimer
Paper Assignment
For your paper assignment, write a 1200 – 1500 word primary source analysis on one of the following questions. The purpose of this assignment is to demonstrate
to the reader that you can explain the development of a historical question or
problem using original texts. This paper
does not require outside research,
and in fact, outside research may detract from your grade if you use it rather
than the assigned sources. You should
use your lecture notes to supplement your analysis (you will find lecture
especially helpful in explaining why changes occurred), but your discussion
must ultimately rest on the primary sources.
Paper Option One: Using some (not necessarily all) of the sources listed below, discuss the development of theories about papal and secular power between the years (approximately) 1000 and 1215. In explaining these changing theories your answer should discuss how the papacy and secular governments interacted with each other, how they supported their positions, and why and how their theories developed over time.
Sources for Option
One: Tierney sections 36, 37, 38, 39, 62, 63, 64 and 65.
Paper Option Two: Using some (not necessarily all) of the sources listed below, discuss changing ideas about reform in the church between the years 900 and 1250 (you do not need to cover the full range of dates). In explaining these changing ideas your answer should discuss what kinds of reforms were proposed, who put forth these ideas, why they developed, and why they succeeded or failed.
Sources for Option Two: Tierney sections 36, 37, 65, 67, 68, 69, and 70.
Mechanics:
The paper is due March 25. I will grade the paper and return it to you with comments for its revision. Using these comments (and in consultation with me if you wish) you will revise the paper and turn in a second draft no later than April 29. Your final paper grade will be determined by the average of these two grades, so it is in your best interests to turn in the best paper possible on the first draft.
If a paper is turned in late without documentation of a legitimate emergency, it will be penalized 1/3 of a grade for each day it is late, weekends included. Please see the syllabus for further details. I will accept papers by e-mail (in fact, I encourage you to turn in the first draft as a Microsoft Word document by e-mail or floppy disk); if, however, the paper does not come through for any reason, it will incur late penalties until I receive it.
Note: To receive WAC credit for the course (that is, to earn a C in the class), you must turn in both drafts of the paper and meet the word length requirement. Use your word processor’s word count tool to be certain that your paper is long enough.
I will grade your paper on three general criteria. First, I will look for a clear argument. This means not only an analytical thesis statement but also explanation of your argument in the body of the paper. Second, I will look for use of evidence. Each analytical point must be supported by evidence from the primary texts (either a quotation or a specific paraphrase). Use evidence only to support your analysis, not to substitute for it, and do not pad your paper with quotations. Finally, I will look for clarity of writing and mechanical correctness. The paper should be written in clear, simple prose and should be free of grammatical, spelling, and usage errors. In general, remember that the language you use in scholarly writing is more formal than that which you would use in speaking or writing a personal letter. I often use the narrative present in discussing historical events in class, for example, but you should use the past tense in writing about them. Slang, colloquialisms, and contractions are generally not used in formal writing. Proofread your paper carefully. Examples of common mistakes are below: be certain to edit for them.
Even though this is not a research paper, you must cite
Tierney, Hollister, and any other source you use except lecture. You will also need to effectively integrate
quotations into your paper to support your point. If you bought the edition of “A Pocket Style
Manual” that was in the bookstore for this class, please read sections 28 – 31
on avoiding plagiarism and using sources (you may also find sections 25 – 27
useful for constructing your argument).
If you did not buy the guide, please read the selection I have put on
electronic course reserve, which is from the previous edition. The citation style explained in Hacker (the
MLA style) is fine for this paper.
Please note: if you choose, against my advice, to use external sources
for the paper, you must cite them. Failure to do so is plagiarism and will
result in a lowered grade, no credit on the assignment, and/or disciplinary
action for academic dishonesty.
Common mistakes to avoid:
Misuse of the possessive and the plural. In most cases, the plural is formed by adding a s; the possessive is formed by adding ‘s to a word that does not end in s, or simply adding ‘ to a word that does end in s (with a few exceptions, such as its): Jupiter and Apollo are gods, Christians followed God’s laws, while Romans did the gods’ will.
Misuse of “there,”
“their,” and “they’re.” “There is an adverb specifying
place…Sylvia is lying there
unconscious. Their is a possessive pronoun:
Fred and Jane finally washed their
car. They’re
is a contraction of they are: Surprisingly, they’re late today.”[1]
Misuse of “your” and “you’re.” Your is a possessive pronoun: Your grade will suffer if you ignore this advice. You’re is a contraction for “you are:” You’re welcome to talk to me about your paper.
Confusing “it’s” and
“its.” It’s is a contraction for it
is: It’s your turn to do the
dishes. Its is a possessive pronoun:
All contractions should be avoided in formal writing.