Each student is required to write an 20-25 page analytical paper on some aspect of the British monarchy. Papers should be double-spaced, typed in 12-point font, and employ at least five primary and eight secondary sources. You will probably want to incorporate oral and/or material evidence (the former can include oral traditions such as myths or ballads; the latter, artifacts such as portraits, furnishings, household possessions, architectural styles, etc.) as well as written sources.
In selecting a topic, you might want to expand upon issues raised in class discussions, field trips, and journal entries (e.g., the use of symbolism in the portraits of Elizabeth I) or to choose one of the course themes (e.g., church and state conflict) and apply it to a particular monarch (e.g., Henry II) or dynasty (the Angevins). Topics should be submitted to the instructor on or before 27 July 2006. Obviously, the sooner you choose a topic, the sooner you can begin your research.
State your thesis (the point/points you wish to prove about your topic) and the arguments you will employ to develop it in your introductory paragraph. Give examples from both primary and secondary sources to illustrate your points but confine direct (verbatim) quotations to primary materials. Arguments from secondary materials, especially textbooks, should generally be paraphrased (put in your own words). Summarize your conclusions in a final paragraph.
Acknowledge all your sources, whether quoted or paraphrased. When in doubt, CITE! Use endnotes in the humanities format to cite your sources. Endnotes involve consecutive numbers at the end of the sentence or paragraph which you have quoted or paraphrased. The actual note giving author, title, place of publication, publisher, date of publication, and pages consulted will appear consecutively numbered at the end of the paper. Here's an example of an endnote page:
Papers will be graded on both content and style. Thus, it is
that you proofread carefully for spelling and grammatical errors.
Make sure that your thesis is clearly stated and that it is adequately
supported by the evidence. Each paragraph should deal with only
main idea, and paragraphs should follow logically from one
Use transition sentences, not separate headings, to move from topic to
topic. Papers should be mailed to my office (Department
History, College of Charleston, 66 George Street, Charleston, SC 29424)
or sent as a Microsoft Word attachment (email@example.com)
23 September 2006.
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