PLEASE INSTRUCTIONS VERY CAREFUL, I HAVE ATTACHED SOME OF MY READINGS THAT CAN BE CITED.nOT QUOTED.
This paper assignment is worth 200 points (20%) of your overall course grade. In this paper you will explain how History is created by historians. In that explanation discuss the key aspects of that creation such as: what is History, why do historians use different historical approaches as intellectual frameworks, what types of sources historians use in their research and where they find them and how they interrogate their sources, and how the historian’s view about causal factors and their own personal biases shape their production of historical explanations about the past. I also want you to explain how History is different from the past. How does a historian take evidence from the past (primary sources), interpret them, and then create an argument about why the past turned out the way it did. Remember that the past is just the past until a historian interprets it. That interpretation is “History”.
Question: Explain how History is created by historians; in that explanation discuss the key aspects of that creation such as: what is History, why do historians use different historical approaches as intellectual frameworks, what types of sources historians use in their research and where they find them and how they interrogate their sources, and how the historian’s view about causal factors and their own personal biases shape their production of historical explanations about the past.
Use an essay format with organized paragraphs with topic sentences, no bullets or outline forms. This is a formal essay so you will need a thesis paragraph with a thesis sentence as well as a conclusion paragraph and supporting points that address the paper question and key aspects of that question.
Thesis: You should have a thesis sentence in the first paragraph that tells the reader what you will argue. A thesis is a statement that provides an overarching answer to the question and introduces your main points of argument. If you do not have a strong thesis statement, then you do not have a strong paper. Generally, no paper without a clear and effective thesis earns an A in this class. Your thesis needs to address the point that History is created by historians, it does not exist on its own.
Quotes: Do not quote anything from the readings. Instead paraphrase and cite the source. The reason for that is this paper should be your own ideas rather than just a parroting of the ideas of our sources. You can and should use facts and concepts from the readings with a citation, but the aim is for you to put those facts and concepts into your own words so that this paper is your argument and thoughts as one of the key points of a university education is the ability to create your own ideas and have original thoughts.
Citations and Sources: For this paper you can use short parenthetical citations with the author(s) last name and page number. For example if you cited something from the Hayden White, “The Burden of History” article, and that fact/concept was found on page 123 your citation would look like this (White, 123). Just use the author(s) last names. Use only the course materials. Do not use outside sources as this paper is designed to measure your understanding of the course materials. You must cite any idea you found in one of the course readings. Because of that, your paper will need several citations, probably at least one per supporting point paragraph.
