You are required to write a book review for this class based on one or
two substantial outside readings.The paper should
address an historical topic covered bythe course.The reading can
bewhat historians call a primary source, thatis, something written
during period under study, or a secondarysource, thatis, something written
by a present-day historian aboutthepast. For example,
St. Augustine’s Confessions or Julius
Caesar’s Commentary onthe Conquestof Gaul are primarysources. A play by
Shakespeareis a primarysource. Peter
Brown’s Augustineof Hippois a biographyof St.
Augustine, therefore a secondarysource.
You should proceed by identifying a
historical topic or question that interests you. Then find a book you would
like to read on that topic. If a secondarysource,the book should
have been written withinthe last forty
years, but exceptions are possible for classic works. In many casesthe instructor
can help steer you to goodsources. Choose a
substantial book, thatis, one that addresses a serious
historical issue in a scholarly way. You may not write on an encyclopedia
entry. (However, you may consult an encyclopedia for background information.)The specific book
or books must be approved bythe instructor. A
suggestion: You can email your instructor, telling themwhat book you have
found.
General form:The paper should
have a thesis statement giving your controlling idea, your own idea
interpretingthe material you have read. Then summarizethe material, intheprocess answeringthe following
questions:
If a primarysource:
·
Whatisthemainpointofthesource/sources?
·
What historical issue does this/thesesource/sources help
illuminate?
·
What do you learn about that historical issue by
reading this work?
·
Is this work a reliablesource for facts?
·
Oris it a biasedsource? If so, inwhat way?
·
Whatisthesource good for?
Even a biased book thatis a badsource for factual
information might be useful for understanding someone’s wayof thinking. For
example,the Iliad (the epic poem
aboutthe Trojan War) would be a poorsourceof factual
information aboutthe war (which may or may not even have
occurred), butis a goodsource on ancient
Greek culture.
If a secondarysource:
·
What question doesthe author pose?
·
How doesthe book answer that question? (Thatis,whatisthe author’s
“thesis statement?”)
·
How doesthe author support his or her conclusion?
o
Summarizethe book, briefly.
o
What kindof evidence doesthe author use:
statistical, legal records, autobiography, and literature?
o
How might this evidence skewthe results?
o
Howisthe author’s
thesis developed: through narrative, analysis or both?
·
Do you agree withthe author?
o
Doesthe evidence supportthe conclusion?
o
Are there other possible interpretations that would explainthe same
evidence?
o
Would othersourcesof evidence have
yielded a different conclusion?
Whether you choose a secondarysource or primarysource, you will need to
do additional research to truly do justice to this paper.
Paper Configuration
All papers are to be between 5 and 8
pages in length. They must be double-spaced and you must use a 12pt font, with
1-inch margins. You must have your name on your paper. Cover sheets and
bibliographies do not count as part paper page count. Your grade will be a
reflectionof your effort. If you only give minimal effort,
you will only get a minimal grade.Theinstructor will
take off heavily for grammar, citation format, and spelling errors.
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