Address the following criteria when writing your paper. In all cases be sure to use direct evidence from the book to back up your assertions. There should be at least ten instances where you directly quote from the book to back up your analysis. Also, you MUST CITE the page(s) for all your quotes and references from the book. MLA format is the easiest to use for this, but you are free to use any accepted citation technique.
Also, the papers should be double spaced, should use proper margins and spacing (1 top, bottom, and each side), and the font size should be 12.
1. Introduction:
The introduction should contain a thesis. The main theme and purpose of your whole paper to which all major points refer back to, either directly or indirectly. In this case, it should state what the book is about and what main contribution(s) this book provides to the understanding of the specific historical topic. This intro section should contain some general introductory statements and a very brief summary of the book (a few sentences at most). Lastly, please describe the main purpose of the author(s) as you see it (you may develop your own view or use the books introduction or prologue to assist you in this) and explain how successfully the author gets his point across in your opinion.
2. Body:
The Killer Angels: Choose one major character from each side of the conflict.
Describe some major aspects of each’s personality and describe the major motivations for each in this battle.
What reasons are given by these two characters for fighting in this war? What do they think the war is about?
Describe any two key turning points in the Battle of Gettysburg. Explain a key decision made by each side in these turning points. How and why did these decisions prove so decisive in the outcome?
Explain what aspect of each character’s personality helped shape the decision you describe above. Do you think the battle might have ended differently if they hadn’t made the decision? How?
Explain any one way in which the two characters, or their causes, were similar. What does this say to you about the Civil War itself
3. Conclusion:
In addition to general concluding comments, which should restate the thesis with some sense of conclusion or resolution added, please sum up what you learned about the historical event(s) portrayed in the book you chose. What impressions did this account leave you about the featured historical topic/era? Do you think the book presented the period accurately? Why or why not?
Grading Rubric:
Once you have completed and turned in your paper, I will grade the paper based on the following rubric. I have included this rubric as a helpful aid to you. You may want to check over your paper for these elements before you turn in your paper.
1. Grammar, Style & Presentation:
Proper grammar, spelling, punctuation:
Style:
Proper and formal term paper style and not too casual, colloquial, overuse of the 1st person
Well organized and smooth flowing of ideas
3. Presentation:
Title, name, and course prominently displayed on first or title page
Proper margins and spacing
Proper font size
Stapled properly
Neat and clean presentation: including clean paper, good ink quality, free of smudges, uniform color, free of erroneous marks or unrelated print.
2. Thoroughness: all required points and sections addressed sufficiently
3. Analysis:
Accurate
Sufficiently in-depth and thoughtful
Sufficiently frequent use of analysis
Well explained analysis
Historically relevant analysis
4. Use of Evidence:
Accurate
Appropriate use of evidence to support analysis
Sufficiently frequent use of evidence to support analysis
5. Balance: An even balance between personal analysis and supportive evidence
