From the suggested research topics, I want to write about
“The Rise and Fall of Southern Republican Parties, 1867-1877”.
Overview of the assignment:
- Students are required to write a minimum of full 5 pages; please keep the essay to no more than 6 pages. Format: Doubled-spaced, typed, font in Times New Roman or Arial, size 12. 1-inch margins all around. Written work for this course is to be submitted only in either Microsoft Word (.doc) or Rich Text Format (.rtf). Cover and sources pages do not constitute numbered pages.
- If having difficulty selecting an appropriate topic, a list of possible subjects for the paper can be found under Course Resources: Research Paper Instructions. These are only suggestions; students are by no means required to choose a topic from this list.
- This project will require fieldwork – using the library, the Internet, etc. Sources must be cited.
- Why a paper? Students will have the opportunity to gain an understanding of historical inquiry and writing. Reading is a significant part of any historical project. After selecting a topic, the student must include at least four sources; two must be primary sources (diaries, speeches, autobiographies, royal decrees, etc.) on which they will base the paper. Please do not cite the textbook and online encyclopedias Wikipedia, Britannica, and general information sites (such as ask.com or about.com). It is advisable to avoid using web sites that end in the suffixes “.com,” “.org” or “.net” altogether (conversely those ending in “.gov” or “.edu” are more acceptable). It is strongly recommended that students make use of academic history books available in your local public library system and articles, government documents, newspapers, and magazines accessible through Ivy Tech Library’s Discover! (Links to an external site.)
- Consider this project as an important reflection of one’s expertise and interest in the topic.
- Ultimately each student is responsible to submit a clear, concise and well-organized essay free of spelling and grammatical errors.
- Guidelines on how to organize the paper are located in Course Resources – Research Paper Instructions.