Slave Narratives collection You will complete a short (2.5-3 page) paper in which you will think about the list of questions below and construct a written response that answers those questions in an e

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Slave Narratives collection

You will complete a short (2.5-3 page) paper in which you will think about the list of questions below and construct a written response that answers those questions in an essay-type format. In other words, DO NOT simply write the numbers and give a short answer to each. You should answer the questions within the essay itself. This means that you do not have to answer each question in order, but can incorporate your reactions to the questions however you wish in the paper. The paper should conform to the guidelines below to earn full credit. You may use information from other course materials if relevant, but the document collection should be the PRINCIPAL source of information. You MUST specifically use a MINIMUM of FOUR (4) different readings from the collection in your paper. Questions to Answer:

  1. What common experiences did the subjects of these narratives have, and how did these commonalities shape their stories? What do their stories tell us about their time and place?
  2. What were some of the differences in the experiences of the individuals in these slave narratives? What do their stories tell us about them as individuals?
  3. Select any two (2) of the following themes and explore how the sources in the collection explain the importance of these themes in their personal experiences: gender, family, religion, economics, geography, or freedom.
  4. Finally, how did this reading assignment further your understanding of American History? What did you learn about the history of slaves/slavery from this reading that you did not know before?

 Guidelines for the Reaction Paper Assignment

  1.  
    1. I will enforce the following page margins/font/page number requirements STRICTLY. Make sure your computer margins are all set at 1”. It must be double-spaced. You MUST use Times New Roman 12 point font, and the paper MUST be numbered (either bottom center or top right hand corner). Also, include your name in the numbering system (i.e.: Jones 1, Jones 2, etc.).
  2.  
    1. Do not “stuff” your first page with unnecessary information (class/section name/number, my name/Mesa College, etc.). Your first page should begin thusly:

Your Name (Left adjusted, first line)Date (Left adjusted, second line: Single spacing between the name and date) One blank spaceTitle of the paper (Centered, either underlined or in italics) One blank spaceYour first paragraph (From this point forward, the paper should be double-spaced)  A cover sheet (title page) is not necessary and should not be used. Any violation of this format will result in reduced points. 

  1.  
    1. Your paper MUST be submitted electronically in the Drop Box provided on Blackboard. If for some reason you are unable to submit your paper electronically, you need to discuss this with me by e-mail BEFORE THE DUE DATE/TIME, and we can discuss alternate methods to submit the paper.
  2.  
    1. Use proper formal English. Do not use abbreviations or contractions. For example do not use shouldn’t, isn’t, etc. Spell out all words. For example, do not use “vs.” as a substitute for “versus.”
  3.  
    1. Do not rely on the spell-check feature on your computer to catch all mistakes. Misused words/awkward grammar often escape the spell-check feature. Repeated grammatical mistakes will cost you points. Read and re-read your paper several times to find mistakes.
  4.  
    1. FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS AND ADDRESS ALL PARTS OF THE QUESTION! If you neglect any portion of the prompt, you will lose points. Remember, this IS NOT simply a recitation of the themes of the collection. Rather, it is a chance for you to analyze the collection and discuss what it tells us about the time period we are studying in this course.
  5.  
    1. LENGTH: the guidelines state that the paper should be 2.5-3 pages long. Any papers under or over the limit will lose points.
  6.  
    1. CITATION: I do not require you to use footnotes or to include a bibliography/works cited page. The ONLY source you should use for the paper is the collection itself, and perhaps other COURSE CONTENTS. If you cite from the collection, you can simply use parenthetical citation, which would look like:

“… argued and afterward they agreed to stop fighting” (33). 

  1.  
    1. NO LATE PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED without significant penalty, unless you have clear documentation of your absence.
  2.  
    1. This should go without saying, but any plagiarized papers will be dealt with severely, including but not limited to earning a 0 for the paper grade. You will submit the papers through Safe Assignment on Blackboard, which compares your paper to other papers submitted not just for this semester, but previous submissions and electronic sources as well.
  3.  
    1. Finally, allow yourself plenty of time to read the collection/write the paper. Do not wait until the night before to write the paper. “Midnight Specials” are usually pretty easy to spot, and often do not reflect the ability of the students writing them, if those students had allowed themselves adequate time to write the paper.