Effect on historical trends
In this project, you will write the introductory paragraph of a history paper based on one of the questions you identified in your topic exploration worksheet. To do this, however, you must first find out a bit more information about your topic and draft a research plan. This will allow you to transform your question about your topic into a thesis statement, as well as give you the background information you will need to craft an interesting introductory paragraph. You will not write the entire paper, just the introduction to the paper that concludes with a thesis statement. The following critical elements will be assessed in a Word document of 3–5 pages that combines both your research plan (Critical Elements I–II) and your introduction (Critical Element III).
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
I. Compile secondary sources about your event that address the following questions using the provided materials. Be sure to cite your information using the most recent version of APA guidelines. Based on the sources you have selected, address the following questions: A. What is the historical context of the event? In other words, what was going on in the world/area/society around the event? B. How did the historical context influence the event? For instance, what was happening in the world/area/society around the event that impacted how it occurred?
II. Compile primary sources you could use for additional information using the provided materials. Be sure to cite your information using the most recent version of APA guidelines. Based on the sources you have selected, address the following questions: A. Discuss how the primary sources relate to the secondary sources. Do the primary sources support what the secondary sources are telling you, or do they contradict what those sources have told you? B. Explain what these primary sources add to your understanding of the topic. How does it help you understand the topic better than the secondary sources?
III. Write your introduction. A. Based on your primary and secondary source research, turn your research question into a thesis statement that addresses your topic and how it has been influenced by its historical context. B. From the knowledge you have gained from your primary and secondary sources, determine what background information you will use in the introduction to lead to your thesis statement. C. Write your introduction. Be sure to incorporate your background information and to conclude with your thesis statement.
Supporting Work and Resources Throughout Theme: Interpreting History, there are opportunities to work directly on different elements of the research plan and introduction. 1. In learning block 6-1, you will use your chosen secondary sources to help you establish the context for your topic and your research. What historical trends affected your topic? How did your topic affect historical trends?
2. Determine how your chosen primary sources “fit” with the secondary sources. Do the primary sources support the secondary sources, or do they seem to tell a different story? How do the primary sources help you to understand the secondary sources (and your topic) better?
3. Write an introduction to your project, which includes a strong thesis statement, relevant context, and a summary of the primary and secondary sources you would use in a full project.
