HIS 200 Historical Analysis Essay Progress Check 2 Guidelines and Rubric
Overview: Throughout Modules Five and Six, you have been guided through beginning your Project 2: Historical Analysis Essay assignment, which you will
continue to work on in Modules Seven and Eight and formally submit for completion at the end of Module Eight of the course. This progress check assignment
provides you with an important opportunity to get valuable instructor feedback on the progress you are making and to ensure you are on the right track for your
later submission.
Prompt: Modules Five and Six have introduced you to how historians approach assessing historical evidence to refine their thesis statement and message. By
now you should have enough evidence compiled from your research to begin writing your historical analysis essay. You will begin working on the essay piece by
piece. In Module Six: Analyzing History, continued, learning block 6-4 (page 1) in the webtext, you will work on drafting the body of your essay. Return to your
submission for Progress Check 1 and draft three body paragraphs that explore the causes, course, and consequences of your chosen historical event and use
evidence from primary and secondary sources to support your thesis.
Specifically, in this assignment, you will submit the following elements of your Project 2: Historical Analysis Essay for review by your instructor:
In Module Six: Analyzing History, continued, learning block 6-4 (page 1) in the webtext, you worked toward the following elements:
II. Body: You will use this section of your essay to provide further detail about your historical event while supporting the claim you made in your thesis
statement. Make sure to cite your sources. Specifically, you should:
A. Describe the causes of the historical event. In other words, what were the underlying factors that led to the historical event? Were there any
immediate causes that precipitated the event?
B. Illustrate the course of your historical event. In other words, tell the story or narrative of your event. Who were the important participants? What
did they do? Why? How do the perspectives of the key participants differ?
C. Describe the immediate and long-term consequences of the historical event for American society. In other words, how did the event impact
American society?
D. Discuss the historical evidence that supports your conclusions about the impact of the event on American society. Support your response with
specific examples from your sources.
Please note that the numbering included above directly aligns with the numbering of these elements as they are presented in the Project 2 Guidelines and
Rubric. You will ultimately also need to include a conclusion and reference list and make sure you communicate your essay’s overall message in your final
historical analysis essay, but you do not need to do so in this submission. You will be prompted to build upon this progress check submission to prepare your final
historical analysis essay for submission in Module Eight.
Rubric
Guidelines for Submission: The Historical Analysis Essay Progress Check 2 must be submitted as a 1- to 3-page Microsoft Word document with double spacing,
12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins. Follow the formatting of the example included in Module Six: Analyzing History, continued, learning
block 6-4 (page 1) in the webtext, and include identifying information (name, course code and title, name of university, and date) as well as section headings
(draft submission) as appropriate.
Critical Elements Proficient (100%) Needs Improvement (75%) Not Evident (0%) Value
Body: Causes Describes the causes of historical
event, citing source(s)
Describes the causes of historical
event, but with gaps in detail,
accuracy, clarity, or citation
Does not describe the causes of
historical event
20
Body: Course Illustrates course of historical
event, citing source(s)
Illustrates course of historical
event, but with gaps in detail,
accuracy, clarity, or citation
Does not illustrate course of
historical event
20
Body: Consequences Describes immediate and longterm consequences of historical
event for American society, citing
source(s)
Describes immediate and longterm consequences of historical
event for American society, but
with gaps in detail, accuracy,
clarity, or citation
Does not describe immediate and
long-term consequences of
historical event for American
society
20
Body: Evidence Discusses historical evidence that
supports conclusions about
impact of event on American
society, citing source(s) and
providing specific examples
Discusses historical evidence that
supports conclusions about
impact of event on American
society, but with gaps in detail,
support, or citation
Does not discuss historical
evidence that supports
conclusions about impact of
event on American society
20
Articulation of Response Submission has no major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
Submission has major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that negatively impact readability
and articulation of main ideas
Submission has critical errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that prevent understanding of
ideas
20
Total 100%
