A Short Paper Assignment allows you, early in the course, to demonstrate your research skills to your instructor and to receive feedback that will benefit you when you write your research paper. With this assignment, you will learn how to do proper and adequate research and write a short paper and prepare you for writing the research paper.
This short paper is at least three double-spaced pages of text (Times New Roman, font size 12) and you must consult a minimum of two academically credible sources. If you are unsure of what constitutes ‘academically credible sources’, please see this excellent guide at the APUS Online Library: http://www.apus.edu/Online-Library/1-home%20page%20modules/support-pages/starting.htm and if you are unsure of how to cite your sources in the Chicago style, please see: http://www.apus.edu/Online-Library/tutorials/chicago.htm. You can also find an MLA guide at the library.
The short paper needs to be turned in through the assignment section for grading. If you use any of the information from your sources word-for-word, you must cite the source by using endnotes or footnotes. If you read the information and write it in your own words and it is not common knowledge, then you must cite the source because you are paraphrasing someone’s information. What this boils down to is CITE YOUR SOURCES! When in doubt, cite it!!!
The short paper must include a cover page with your name, course number and course title, instructor’s name, and date. You must also include a bibliography/works cited at the end of your paper. While composing your paper, use standard written English. Do not use abbreviations, contractions, passive voice, or first/ second person (I, you, we, our, etc). Any information you get from your sources must be cited, preferably in Chicago format (the preferred citation method for history), but AT LEAST in MLA, meaning you cite the information parenthetically (Author, title if needed, page number). Before submitting your paper, check your grammar and use spell check. Remember, the way you talk is not the way you write a paper. Please label your paper as follows: lastnamefirstnameHIST111Paper1.
For this first assignment, choose ONE of the following questions to answer in your paper:
3. Discuss the role of gender in the Greek and Roman worlds.
A couple of hints. Do not start your paper with ‘throughout human history’ or ‘since the beginning of time’…both of them are essentially unprovable, and let me know that you are going to be making broad, sweeping statements that don’t really have anything to do with the topic at hand. And one more thing…I really can tell if you started (and finished) your paper the night before it was due. Instead of waiting until the last minute, get started right away.
Also, to give you an idea about how this paper will be graded, I’ve attached the rubric I will be using to grade both this paper and the second paper. Please take a moment to look at it and get an idea of what I’m looking for. I’ve also uploaded it to google docs, and you can find it here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BP_600KQLatywydW95PIie3DnqB5D6pI2PWaEDmPR44/edit (you MUST have the URL to view it).
