History

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Assignment:

You will be expected to create a specific and focused research question to research and write a 3-4 page paper on the topic.  You will be graded on the following criterion/strands:

B – Investigating
Formulating and following an action plan to investigate a research question
Use research methods to collect and record appropriate, varied and relevant information

C – Communicating
Communicate information and ideas effectively using an appropriate style for the audience and purpose
structure information and ideas in a way that is appropriate to the specified format
document sources of information using a recognized convention

Paper requirements:

12pt Times New Roman, double spaced
MLA citations
At least three reliable sources – including ONE PRINT SOURCE!
Online databases (ProQuest & JSTOR) are strongly encouraged.
You may not cite a general encyclopedia such as Encyclopedia Britannica online or print edition
You may not cite Wikipedia online Avoid personal websites

Some suggestions of great websites are http://www.archives.gov/ and http:// catalog.loc.gov/ and http://americanhistory.si.edu/

Writing a thesis

 

Research Questions Research Topic vs. Research Question

  • Start with a topic → research question
  • A topic is too broad for a paper ○ Example: African Americans’ and Reconstruction ○ Why is this too broad?
  • Example research question:

○ Why did Reconstruction end?

○ What role did African American women play during Reconstruction?

  • Avoid research questions that are too narrow ○ Example: How did Reconstruction affect the lives of African Americans in Kentucky in 1865?

 

 

Research Question Musts

  • Address causes and effects
  • Asks not what happened, but why and how something happened
  • Must be open-ended ○ No simple yes or no answer
  • Be argumentative ○ People can debate your question Bad Question:

Who was Napoleon Bonaparte? Good Question:

How did Napoleon Bonaparte come to power?

 

Types of Research Questions

  • Ask how or why an event happened
  • Ask what the consequences of a particular event were
  • Ask whether or not an individual was responsible for a specific event or occurrence

 

Sample Research Questions

  1. How did European colonization affect Native Americans?
  2. Why did the Salem Witch Trials occur?
  3. Did women have an important role during the Revolution (or Civil War)? Why or why not?
  4. Were Jefferson’s views of slavery consistent with his way of life?
  5. Why did the Americans win the American Revolution?
  6. Did Thomas Jefferson father the children of Sally Hemmings?
  7. What was the significance of the Cotton Gin?
  8. What were the main causes of Westward Expansion?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where to Find Sources

  1. Archives.gov : primary and secondary sources
  2. Proquest (through STT library)
  3. JStor (through STT library)
  4. The library
  5. Remember you need at least one print source! a. Articles found on JSTOR or Proquest will count as a print source b. Books count too!