Advice for Research Paper
Before I receive questions regarding the research paper, I wish to address potential questions in this brief announcement. First you should have already picked your topic from the list provided at the bottom of this page. Second, when you pick a topic make sure you narrow it down significantly. For example instead of writing a paper about Andrew Jackson’s entire life, you should look at the particular contributions he made towards the development of the United States and explain their importance. Third, make sure you include a clear introduction with a thesis statement. The thesis statement gives your paper a specific direction and an argument. History is much more that the description of a person or event but the importance of the topic. Fourth, make sure to follow the instructions listed in the “Paper & Journals”” link and provide citations throughout your paper, especially quotations. You may use any format you are familiar with, but they need to be accurate and provide page numbers. Additionally, avoid using websites. Instead use all the sources available to you through the CTC Online Library. Lastly, and most importantly, make sure to put everything in your own words to avoid plagiarism. I wish everyone the best of luck for their papers. The more effort and analysis you provide in your paper the better the score. Follow the advice in this message and your score will be better. Best of luck and as always feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. Dr. Grear
· https://ctc.blackboard.com/images/ci/sets/set08/assignment_on.gif
https://ctc.blackboard.com/images/ci/icons/generic_updown.gif Research Paper
Note: Before beginning this assignment, read through information contained in the Scholastic Honesty link in the course menu to the left.
The core assignment of this course is a documented research paper (850-1100 words in length (excluding title, bibliography, citations, etc.) = approx. 3-4 pages double spaced, 12-point font, Times New Roman).
· The paper should support a thesis statement with information gained from research or investigation.
· The paper will not be just a report presenting information, but will be a paper that carefully examines and presents your own historical interpretation of the topic you have chosen and your interpretation of the information you have gathered.
· The paper may include consideration of problems and solutions, define key terms, or refute arguments against your thesis statement.
It will be important to choose a topic of interest to you. See list below for some possible topics. This topics should be used as a starting point. Narrow your topic further to something manageable for a 3-4 page paper.
· Approach this assignment with an open and skeptical mind, then form an opinion based on what you have discovered.
· You must suspend belief while you are investigating and let the discoveries shape your opinion. (This is a thesis-finding approach.)
· Once you have found your thesis, write the paper to support it.
You will use some of the following critical thinking skills in this process:
2. Choosing an appropriate topic, limiting the topic
2. Gathering information, summarizing sources
2. Analyzing and evaluating sources
2. Defining key terms
2. Synthesizing information, comparing and contrasting sources
2. Testing a thesis, making a historical argument, using refutation
2. Amassing support for a position
2. Documenting sources
Because this may be a longer paper than you have written before and a complex process is involved, it is recommended that you complete this paper using the following steps:
2. Choose a topic related to U.S. History up to 1877 (Chapters 1-15) that you would truly like to explore and that you are willing to spend some time on. Your chosen topic should be focused. Pose a question that you really want to answer. You may want to begin with more than one topic in mind. See list below for some possible topics to research.
2. Do some preliminary reading on the topic(s). You may begin with the textbook, then further explore the information available. Refine your topic. Summarize your topic, your interest in the topic, the questions you want to answer, and a hypothesis you want to test.
2. Gather information from a variety of sources. Use a minimum of four sources for your paper, and at least one must be a primary source.
. Examples of primary sources are ones that are used in our discussion forums 2 – 8.
. They are sources that are contemporary to the times under investigation.
. An example of a secondary source is our textbook, though the textbook also contains excerpts of primary sources, which you may use as a source in your paper.
. DO NOT USE WEBSITES since they are unreliable. DO NOT USE ENCYCLOPEDIAS since they are not academically rigorous. There are many excellent sources in books and articles. Many of these are available online at the CTC Library.
· Outline the results of your research and the plan for your paper (you are not required to submit the outline).
· Write the final draft and be sure to include a Works Cited List, and use the correct MLA documentation style.
· Save your file under the following naming format: LastName, FirstName, Title of Paper.
Grade Rubric
INTRODUCTION: Includes a clear thesis statement, an assertion or position. Topic is original and manageable in a short research paper. /15
BODY: Body of the essay focuses on this thesis and develops it fully, recognizing the complexity of issues and refuting arguments in opposition to the thesis. /20
USE OF SOURCES: Uses sufficient and relevant evidence to support the thesis (and primary points), including facts, inferences, and judgments. Quotes, summarizes, and paraphrases accurately and effectively–appropriately introducing and explaining each quote. /25
UNDERSTANDING OF SOURCES: Shows a clear understanding of the sources; has evaluated each source and used it appropriately. Uses a wide variety of sources reflecting significant research. /10
FORMATTING: Uses MLA format correctly; includes a Works Cited list; is free of errors. /15
CRITICAL THINKING: Introduces the topic in an interesting way; shows critical thinking and depth of understanding; uses appropriate tone; shows sophistication in language usage and sentence structure. /15
TOTAL: 100
Submission Instructions
Complete your assignment using word-processing software such as MS Word, Open Office (download free software at http://www.openoffice.org), or other per course requirements.
· Save your file as an .rtf (rich text format) or word document.
· Select the Browse My Computer button to navigate to the file.
· Locate and select your file.
· Select Submit.
. https://ctc.blackboard.com/images/ci/sets/set08/document_on.gif
https://ctc.blackboard.com/images/ci/icons/generic_updown.gifPossible Topics for the Research Paper
Class,
Soon you will start working on your second assignment for the course. Though you can choose any topic that fits in the scope of the course I have pasted below a list of 100 possible topics. Please make sure you narrow down the subject to some particular aspect of the topic so your paper will be more focused. . For example instead of writing a paper about the Civil War, you should look at a particular point in a battle on the decisions a leader had to make at a specific point/ battle. Third, make sure you include a clear introduction with a thesis statement. The thesis statement gives your paper a specific direction and an argument. History is much more that the description of a person or event but the importance of the topic. Lastly, make sure that you use legitimate sources such as published books and scholarly journal articles. Please avoid websites and encyclopedias. Remember to include specific page numbers in your citations. Remember, history is more than regurgitating basic facts, but you need to examine the impact of the event/person on society around them. Best of luck with the papers and I am looking forward to reading them.
Dr. Grear
HIST1301
100 Possible Research Paper Topics
Will Require Narrowing Down the Topics
1. Pre- Columbian America
2. Christopher Columbus
3. The Conquistadors
4. Spanish Explorers in the New World
5. The Jamestown Colony
6. The Plymouth Colony
7. Early Colonial Life
8. The Plantation System
9. The Pilgrims
10. The Puritans
11. William Penn
12. Anne Hutchinson
13. Bacon’s Rebellion
14. Slavery in Colonial America
15. The Middle Passage
16. Life in Colonial New England
17. Life in the Colonial South
18. The French and Indian War
19. Provincial Culture
20. George Washington
21. The Proclamation of 1763
22. Mercantilism and the American Colonies
23. The Causes of the American Revolution
24. Battles of the American Revolution
25. George Washington as a Military Commander
26. Popular Support for the American Revolution
27. Thomas Paine
28. The Invasion of Canada
29. The Loyalists
30. The Yorktown Campaign
31. Any Revolutionary War Military Figure
32. Thomas Jefferson
33. Slavery and the New Republic
34. The Constitution
35. Alexander Hamilton
36. The Federalists
37. Washington as President
38. The XYZ Affair
39. The Louisiana Purchase
40. The Lewis and Clark Expedition
41. The Indian Wars in the Old Northwest
42. The War of 1812
43. The American Navy in the War of 1812
44. The Battle of New Orleans
45. The Building of the Erie Canal
46. Robert Fulton
47. Andrew Jackson
48. The Missouri Compromise
49. Slave Rebellions
50. The Monroe Doctrine
51. The Spoils System
52. The Trail of Tears
53. Henry Clay
54. The Alamo
55. Sam Houston
56. The California Gold Rush
57. Irish Immigration in Ante Bellum America
58. America and the Industrial Revolution
59. Women in 19th Century America
60. The Development of the Railroads
61. The Mormons
62. The Rise of Public Education
63. The Utopians
64. King Cotton
65. Free Men of Color
66. The Abolitionist Movement
67. The Underground Railroad
68. Frederick Douglass
69. The Oregon Trail
70. Manifest Destiny
71. James K. Polk
72. The War with Mexico
73. Future Civil War Generals in the Mexican War
74. The Oregon Boundary Dispute
75. “Bleeding Kansas”
76. Abraham Lincoln
77. The Dred Scott Decision
78. Fort Sumter
79. Northern Strategy in the Civil War
80. The First Battle of Bull Run
81. Confederate Naval Innovations
82. The Civil War in the East
83. The Vicksburg Campaign
84. Gettysburg or any other Civil War battle.
85. American Foreign Policy during the Civil War
86. Perry Opens Japan
87. The Civil War at Sea
88. The Northern War Governors
89. Grant and Lee: A Study in Contrasts
90. The Lincoln Assassination
91. The Freedmen’s Bureau
92. The South and Reconstruction
93. The Black Codes
94. The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson
95. The Klu Klux Klan
96. The Alaskan Purchase
97. The Radical Republicans
98. The Grand Army of the Republic
99. The Civil War as a Prelude to Modern Industrial Warfare
100. Tammany Hall
Before I receive questions regarding the research paper, I wish to address potential questions in this brief announcement. First you should have already picked your topic from the list provided at the bottom of this page. Second, when you pick a topic make sure you narrow it down significantly. For example instead of writing a paper about Andrew Jackson’s entire life, you should look at the particular contributions he made towards the development of the United States and explain their importance. Third, make sure you include a clear introduction with a thesis statement. The thesis statement gives your paper a specific direction and an argument. History is much more that the description of a person or event but the importance of the topic. Fourth, make sure to follow the instructions listed in the “Paper & Journals”” link and provide citations throughout your paper, especially quotations. You may use any format you are familiar with, but they need to be accurate and provide page numbers. Additionally, avoid using websites. Instead use all the sources available to you through the CTC Online Library. Lastly, and most importantly, make sure to put everything in your own words to avoid plagiarism. I wish everyone the best of luck for their papers. The more effort and analysis you provide in your paper the better the score. Follow the advice in this message and your score will be better. Best of luck and as always feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Dr. Grear
.
Research Paper
.
Note: Before beginning this assignment, read through information contained in the Scholastic Honesty link in the course menu to the left.
The core assignment of this course is a documented research paper (850-1100 words in length (excluding title, bibliography, citations, etc.) = approx. 3-4 pages double spaced, 12-point font, Times New Roman).
•The paper should support a thesis statement with information gained from research or investigation.
•The paper will not be just a report presenting information, but will be a paper that carefully examines and presents your own historical interpretation of the topic you have chosen and your interpretation of the information you have gathered.
•The paper may include consideration of problems and solutions, define key terms, or refute arguments against your thesis statement.
It will be important to choose a topic of interest to you. See list below for some possible topics. This topics should be used as a starting point. Narrow your topic further to something manageable for a 3-4 page paper.
•Approach this assignment with an open and skeptical mind, then form an opinion based on what you have discovered.
•You must suspend belief while you are investigating and let the discoveries shape your opinion. (This is a thesis-finding approach.)
•Once you have found your thesis, write the paper to support it.
You will use some of the following critical thinking skills in this process:
1.Choosing an appropriate topic, limiting the topic
2.Gathering information, summarizing sources
3.Analyzing and evaluating sources
4.Defining key terms
5.Synthesizing information, comparing and contrasting sources
6.Testing a thesis, making a historical argument, using refutation
7.Amassing support for a position
8.Documenting sources
Because this may be a longer paper than you have written before and a complex process is involved, it is recommended that you complete this paper using the following steps:
1.Choose a topic related to U.S. History up to 1877 (Chapters 1-15) that you would truly like to explore and that you are willing to spend some time on. Your chosen topic should be focused. Pose a question that you really want to answer. You may want to begin with more than one topic in mind. See list below for some possible topics to research.
2.Do some preliminary reading on the topic(s). You may begin with the textbook, then further explore the information available. Refine your topic. Summarize your topic, your interest in the topic, the questions you want to answer, and a hypothesis you want to test.
3.Gather information from a variety of sources. Use a minimum of four sources for your paper, and at least one must be a primary source. ◦Examples of primary sources are ones that are used in our discussion forums 2 – 8.
◦They are sources that are contemporary to the times under investigation.
◦An example of a secondary source is our textbook, though the textbook also contains excerpts of primary sources, which you may use as a source in your paper.
◦DO NOT USE WEBSITES since they are unreliable. DO NOT USE ENCYCLOPEDIAS since they are not academically rigorous. There are many excellent sources in books and articles. Many of these are available online at the CTC Library.
4.Outline the results of your research and the plan for your paper (you are not required to submit the outline).
5.Write the final draft and be sure to include a Works Cited List, and use the correct MLA documentation style.
6.Save your file under the following naming format: LastName, FirstName, Title of Paper.
Grade Rubric
INTRODUCTION: Includes a clear thesis statement, an assertion or position. Topic is original and manageable in a short research paper. /15
BODY: Body of the essay focuses on this thesis and develops it fully, recognizing the complexity of issues and refuting arguments in opposition to the thesis. /20
USE OF SOURCES: Uses sufficient and relevant evidence to support the thesis (and primary points), including facts, inferences, and judgments. Quotes, summarizes, and paraphrases accurately and effectively–appropriately introducing and explaining each quote. /25
UNDERSTANDING OF SOURCES: Shows a clear understanding of the sources; has evaluated each source and used it appropriately. Uses a wide variety of sources reflecting significant research. /10
FORMATTING: Uses MLA format correctly; includes a Works Cited list; is free of errors. /15
CRITICAL THINKING: Introduces the topic in an interesting way; shows critical thinking and depth of understanding; uses appropriate tone; shows sophistication in language usage and sentence structure. /15
TOTAL: 100
Submission Instructions
Complete your assignment using word-processing software such as MS Word, Open Office (download free software at http://www.openoffice.org), or other per course requirements.
1.Save your file as an .rtf (rich text format) or word document.
2.Select the Browse My Computer button to navigate to the file.
3.Locate and select your file.
4.Select Submit.
.
Possible Topics for the Research Paper
.
Class,
Soon you will start working on your second assignment for the course. Though you can choose any topic that fits in the scope of the course I have pasted below a list of 100 possible topics. Please make sure you narrow down the subject to some particular aspect of the topic so your paper will be more focused. . For example instead of writing a paper about the Civil War, you should look at a particular point in a battle on the decisions a leader had to make at a specific point/ battle. Third, make sure you include a clear introduction with a thesis statement. The thesis statement gives your paper a specific direction and an argument. History is much more that the description of a person or event but the importance of the topic. Lastly, make sure that you use legitimate sources such as published books and scholarly journal articles. Please avoid websites and encyclopedias. Remember to include specific page numbers in your citations. Remember, history is more than regurgitating basic facts, but you need to examine the impact of the event/person on society around them. Best of luck with the papers and I am looking forward to reading them.
Dr. Grear
HIST1301
100 Possible Research Paper Topics
Will Require Narrowing Down the Topics
1. Pre- Columbian America
2. Christopher Columbus
3. The Conquistadors
4. Spanish Explorers in the New World
5. The Jamestown Colony
6. The Plymouth Colony
7. Early Colonial Life
8. The Plantation System
9. The Pilgrims
10. The Puritans
11. William Penn
12. Anne Hutchinson
13. Bacon’s Rebellion
14. Slavery in Colonial America
15. The Middle Passage
16. Life in Colonial New England
17. Life in the Colonial South
18. The French and Indian War
19. Provincial Culture
20. George Washington
21. The Proclamation of 1763
22. Mercantilism and the American Colonies
23. The Causes of the American Revolution
24. Battles of the American Revolution
25. George Washington as a Military Commander
26. Popular Support for the American Revolution
27. Thomas Paine
28. The Invasion of Canada
29. The Loyalists
30. The Yorktown Campaign
31. Any Revolutionary War Military Figure
32. Thomas Jefferson
33. Slavery and the New Republic
34. The Constitution
35. Alexander Hamilton
36. The Federalists
37. Washington as President
38. The XYZ Affair
39. The Louisiana Purchase
40. The Lewis and Clark Expedition
41. The Indian Wars in the Old Northwest
42. The War of 1812
43. The American Navy in the War of 1812
44. The Battle of New Orleans
45. The Building of the Erie Canal
46. Robert Fulton
47. Andrew Jackson
48. The Missouri Compromise
49. Slave Rebellions
50. The Monroe Doctrine
51. The Spoils System
52. The Trail of Tears
53. Henry Clay
54. The Alamo
55. Sam Houston
56. The California Gold Rush
57. Irish Immigration in Ante Bellum America
58. America and the Industrial Revolution
59. Women in 19th Century America
60. The Development of the Railroads
61. The Mormons
62. The Rise of Public Education
63. The Utopians
64. King Cotton
65. Free Men of Color
66. The Abolitionist Movement
67. The Underground Railroad
68. Frederick Douglass
69. The Oregon Trail
70. Manifest Destiny
71. James K. Polk
72. The War with Mexico
73. Future Civil War Generals in the Mexican War
74. The Oregon Boundary Dispute
75. “Bleeding Kansas”
76. Abraham Lincoln
77. The Dred Scott Decision
78. Fort Sumter
79. Northern Strategy in the Civil War
80. The First Battle of Bull Run
81. Confederate Naval Innovations
82. The Civil War in the East
83. The Vicksburg Campaign
84. Gettysburg or any other Civil War battle.
85. American Foreign Policy during the Civil War
86. Perry Opens Japan
87. The Civil War at Sea
88. The Northern War Governors
89. Grant and Lee: A Study in Contrasts
90. The Lincoln Assassination
91. The Freedmen’s Bureau
92. The South and Reconstruction
93. The Black Codes
94. The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson
95. The Klu Klux Klan
96. The Alaskan Purchase
97. The Radical Republicans
98. The Grand Army of the Republic
99. The Civil War as a Prelude to Modern Industrial Warfare
100. Tammany Hall