Guidelines for Essays on Triads
History 106
For this course I am asking you to write a number of essays on triads. A triad is a list of three items (people, places, ideas, or concepts) that I propose are linked in a fundamental way in the context of the history we are studying.
The basic idea in each essay is to explain clearly the historical relationship among the three items. You want to focus above all on the connections, rather than addressing each item in isolation from the others: How are the items related to one another? In some cases the relationship will be causal (that is, some items caused the others to occur). In some cases, one item may be a context in which the other two items occurred. In still other cases, one item may be an issue over which two people or ideologies disagreed. And so on. In most cases, I have a pretty good idea about how I would put the three items together, but almost always there are a number of different connections you can make, all of which are valid. Therefore, I'm not looking so much for the "correct" answer (there really isn't such a thing for this exercise) as I am for a clear, well-argued, and convincing statement.
I would attempt in the very first sentence to articulate the relationship among the three items in a straightforward fashion. That means that all three items should appear in that first sentence, which then becomes your argument or thesis statement. This statement is obviously very important for the success of the essay, and you should therefore spend a good deal of time formulating it. Use the rest of the essay to elaborate on the connections. Make sure, even if you take some time to explain the individual elements, that you address the connections in the essay very clearly. You also want to be sure that you have considered all the available evidence (textbook, sourcebook, lecture & discussion notes). Citations from the sourcebook strike me as being particularly relevant, but these should be short and very carefully chosen. Block quotations are definitely bad news for such a short essay. In some cases, you may want to provide some background information–that is, you may wish to situate the issues you discuss in a broader historical context. Try to make it clear that the essay is the product of your own analysis. If you find yourself lifting passages from the textbook, you are almost surely on the wrong track. Think hard about the organization of the essay and make sure that you proofread it very carefully. Remember, I cannot read your mind, and poor organization and bad grammar deeply compromise the ability of an author to get his or her point across.
Time constraints prevent me from reading drafts of your essays before you turn them in, but I am happy to talk with you about them (for example during office hours). You should feel free to come by and bounce your ideas off me; I'll also be happy to respond to e-mail inquiries.
Grammar, Proofreading, and Plagiarism
Though I am most interested in your thought processes in your written work, I cannot exaggerate how important it is for you to have a solid grasp of the grammar of the English language. Proper grammar is absolutely central to clear expression; poor grammar will compromise even the most brilliant insight. If you know you have trouble with grammar (and we all do, to some extent), then you should consult a grammar textbook or some knowledgeable person. The same is true for spelling. With the appearance of computer dictionaries that can run spell-checks of your written documents, there is absolutely no excuse for turning in a paper with misspelled words. In short, grammar and spelling count.
It is also essential that you proofread what you have written before you turn it in to me. Virtually every text has at least a passage or two that could use further clarification or effective rephrasing. A good test of your writing is to give it to a friend or spouse and see if he or she can make heads or tails of it. If not, then you have work to do before you submit it me.
The question of plagiarism is frequently a source of confusion, but the basic definition is the use of other peoples' ideas and words without proper attribution or acknowledgement. We all use other people's ideas to develop our own thinking. Indeed this is how scholarship develops. But we must also acknowledge the source from which the idea came. This also means that if you do cite someone else, you must be absolutely certain that you have done so accurately. You must make sure not only that you have cited the passage verbatim (if indeed you choose to cite), but more generally that you have not taken the citation out of its context--that is, that you have represented the author's view fairly and accurately. If you are not sure, then ask me before your turn it in; afterwards is too late.
General Guidelines for Style
The following general guidelines should govern all of the papers that you submit to me. Each infraction of these guidelines will result in point reductions on the paper grade. If you are unfamiliar with any of the terms and concepts below, you will have to consult the necessary resources (including me) in order to familiarize yourself with it.
1. All papers must have a title, preferably one that says something about the contents and argument of the paper.
2. All pages must be numbered consecutively.
3. Do not use contractions in your paper. The only exception to this rule is when you cite a passage that contains a contraction in the original. In such a case, the issue is beyond your control.
4. Avoid use of the second person (you, your, etc.) anywhere in the paper (unless, once again, you are citing another source).
5. Do not use passive constructions in your paper unless it is absolutely unavoidable.
6. Give reference (at least author + page number) immediately following any and all citations from source texts. For the sourcebook, use the following form: (Perspectives, 345). The author of the words should be clearly indicated in the text.
7. Include references to any sources that you use in putting together specific portions of your paper, even if you do not actually cite any passages from those sources.
8. All book titles must be underlined or in italics (not "in quotations").
9. If you use any sources (including the internet) beyond those on course's reading list, you must cite those works in full, either in a bibliography or in footnotes.
10. Make absolutely certain, when you quote from another source, that you have cited the text exactly as it appears in the original and that you have not taken the quote out of context.
11. Proofread. Then proofread again. Then proofread one more time. And then give it another proofread before turning it in.