Assignment:
Research , identify, and analyze a critical turning point in the history of the United States from 1600-1900. As you write your essay, you must be sure to explain why the event or issue or development you research represents a turning point in American history. A turning point implies showing how things changed as a result of what you are evaluating.

Sources: Use at least three secondary sources and two primary sources. There are books on reserve in the library to be used in this project. Since all History 10 students are writing this paper, you may not check these reserved books out of the library. Your paper must be an argumentative essay so you need sources that are argumentative. While you may use encyclopedia-type sources for background, your best sources are well researched analytical pieces. These will be books or scholarly articles. Exercises in class will help you idenify the advantages and limitations of certain types of sources. The librarian and your teacher will help you find the most useful electronic sources. Students who remove books from the library could potentially receive a failing grade on their paper. There will be plenty of class time devoted to research. However, you are expected to work on your research and paper as homework every night. Papers are graded with the expectation that you devoted this time to mastering your subject.

Length: 1000 words--(4- typed pages, double-spaced) While your paper may exceed the 1000 word limit slightly, a significantly longer paper will result in a lower not a higher grade. This assignment is to synthesize what you have learned into a short, argumentative essay. Background on your subject should be limited. Turn in your final paper in a folder that includes this signed assignment sheet, all of your notes, and drafts.

Citations: Be sure to have a works cited page. Use MLA in-text citations. Ms. Sallee's webpage has samples of MLA style text citations, bibliographic entries, and a guide to avoiding plagiarism.. The library also has resources on line and MLA guides. One of your best sources for how to cite, paraphrase, and avoid plagiarism is Diana Hacker's A Writer's Reference, which you purchase for your English class. Be very careful to put quoted material in quotes as you take notes. It will also help you paraphrase if you don't look at the text you are summarizing when you put it in your own words.

Due date: C-day, May 2, 2008 the beginning of class. If your class does not meet, turn it in at chapel. Due dates may vary by teacher. If you need an extension, you are responsible for working the date out with your teacher. Last minute exentions will NOT be granted unless there is an extreme circumstance. Review late paper penalty (10 points per day). You must turn in a paper even if it is late to receive a term grade. You must also submit your paper to turnitin.com to receive a grade. Papers must have a bibliography and proper citations.

Sign here that you have read the due date, late paper penalty, turnitin.com requirement, and citation requirement:___________________________________________________________________.

Possible Topics: You will want to select a specific and narrow topic. You have the opportunity to write upon whatever topic you are interested in studying. The paper, however, must be a topic which is a turning point in U.S. history and a topic in which there are available primary and secondary sources for you to research. Here are some general suggestions for areas of study. Use this list to find a subject area you are interested in and then try to find a topic within that field of history.

Areas of Study:
Political History
Social History
Economic History
Diplomatic History
Intellectual History
Immigration History
Native-American History
African-American History
Mexican-American History
Environmental History
Women’s History
Periods or Issues to Study
The Colonial Period
The American Revolution
Antebellum Period
Moral Reform Movements
The American South
The Civil War
Reconstruction
Imperialism
The Gilded Age
The Populist Movement
The American West
Major presidential decisions or Supreme Court cases
Expansionism


Hints:

• You will have greater success if you focus upon a singular and specific event. A topic such as the American Revolution is too broad for this short of a research paper. Choose a specific issue or event within this category such as the Boston Tea Party or the writing of the Declaration of Independence.
  
• An author of a strong paper will also make an effort to explain why a particular event/issue/development should be considered a “turning point.”
  
• Avoid writing on military battles. Although they can be interesting to study, papers written on this kind of topic tend to be overly descriptive rather than analytical. They also have a tendency to overly hypothetical. In this assignment, we want you to investigate a particular subject through significant research and then analyze that particular issue.
  
• Thus, focus upon political, economic, social, intellectual, or diplomatic turning points. These are areas of study in which you can develop a more critical and thorough analysis.
  
• Use the books on reserve in the library. These have been selected for this project. We have just received some great new books. Try to avoid using older books that may be left on the general stacks. Anything older than twenty years is likely to be out of date in terms of its interpretation and bias. Be sure to review your sources with your instructor to make sure you are on the right track.
  
• Students have made mistakes on papers by using “inferior” sources. These include older books, historical books written for a “younger” audience, and certain internet sites which may have great graphics, but little substance.
  
• You may use books found at public libraries or at the University of Texas. Just make sure you show your instructor whatever “outside” book you use.
  
• Take advantage of the expertise of the librarian to help you find articles and other sources on your topic. They will be willing to help you if you ask. For example, there is the EBSCO database which has internet links to good scholarly articles. The "History Study Center" database is excellent for this project. A scholarly article could count as a secondary source.
  
• Primary sources can be found in a number of document collections that are on the reserve stacks, as well as on-line library holdings such as a CD rom collection of landmark American History documents.
  
• As you organize your ideas, follow a standard format of having a thesis paragraph followed by 3-4 support paragraphs. Since it is a short paper, you do not need to have a conclusion.
  

Taking notes: Since you cannot check books out of the library, it is important that you take notes on your sources during class time. Bring to class notebook paper or notecards. You will be required to turn in all of your notes, xerox copies of sources, outlines, and rough drafts with your final draft. These will be used to evaluate your methodology and research skills.
You must use the library time efficiently and productively to do this project well.

Using the Internet: Any source found on the internet must be specifically approved by your teacher before you start writing or doing research. BEWARE!!! THERE IS A LOT OF JUNK ON THE INTERNET. Begin by doing research in the reserve stacks BEFORE going on-line. You may NOT USE Wikipedia as a source. You may look at it as a resource to locate sources. The databases that the library subscribes to provide some of the best electronic sources.

Schedule: This will vary according to your own individual teacher. Check with them to see when you have to turn daily work/outlines/rough drafts in to your teacher.