The Different Types of History Exam Essay

Only readings listed on the syllabus by these authors are eligible for the exam: Rilke, Neruda, Achebe, Mahfouz, El Saadawi, Al-Shaykh, Yan, Thiep, Allende, Pamuk, and Adichie. While you have your choice of texts from the last three weeks of the course to use in this exam, at least ONE text you discuss has to come from the Week #9 readings (Allende, Pamuk, or Adichie).

In the final few weeks of the course, authors reflect on many ideas, but one thread that runs through most of the texts is a focus on history. Sometimes the focus is on family history, or sometimes the focus in on specific cultural history or the history of humanity. In your exam, use at least three specific examples from assigned texts in the final three weeks of the course to show how we see a discussion of history (family history, cultural history, the history of humanity, or whatever other historical focus that you notice). Where specifically do we see history referred to or portrayed in the text? What does the author seem to be saying about history in that context? What can we learn about history, of ourselves or of others, through these examples?

Length and Content Requirements

Your essay response must be a minimum of 750 words (there is no maximum but try to avoid writing a book).

While you may use some of an author’s biography to make your point, keep in mind that your discussion should include a discussion of the texts we have read in class and not rely solely on biographical information.

This should be entirely your own argument, and you are not allowed to use any secondary material in this exam (your textbook or the version of the assigned text you are using is your only source).

As much as these are your own arguments, you should minimize your use of “I” unless absolutely necessary.

I would also argue against cutting and pasting information from your discussion posts and using that as the core content for your essays. If you choose to do so and heavily revise that content, it can work, but some students have used it as a shortcut method for completing the exam in the past, and it tends not to work well without carefully tailoring that information to the specific question posed below.

Formatting

Your exam must be in conventional essay format (contain an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion).

Any paraphrases or direct quotations of material from the texts you are using must be properly punctuated (clear use of quotation marks for direct quotations, for example) and must contain a parenthetical citation (in MLA or APA format) noting the page number of the material. There is no need for a works cited page if you’re using the assigned textbook, but if you’re using any other version of the assigned texts, you must provide a works cited page, noting full bibliographical information for your source material, with the submitted exam.

Submission and Due Date

I prefer that your exams are attached as files to the “Exam #3” location in “Assignments” in the Canvas menu (also located in the Week #9 module). Uploading a file is a better idea all around, as I will be looking at your paragraphing and other formatting, and a file upload preserves that better so that I can see exactly what you intended. However, I have left a cut and paste option in case anyone has file compatibility issues. The papers will go through a Turnitin.com review once uploaded—I’d like to work under the premise that students always do their own work, but I often average a 5-10% plagiarism rate in these online courses that tells me that is, unfortunately, not always the case. Turnitin just helps me streamline the plagiarism checking. **Just to be safe, if you are using Apple’s Pages to type your paper, convert it to a .pdf or .rtf file while saving it to make sure I have the ability to open it once it is uploaded.*

Grading Criteria

Your submission will be graded based on the proper use of essay format (clear paragraphs, a clear introduction, a thesis statement, etc.), the clarity of your writing (including proper use of spelling, punctuation, and grammar), proper punctuation/citation of any source material, the strength of your argument, and your ability to use examples from the assigned texts to strongly support your argument.

Rough Draft Review

You may take advantage of writing assistance via NetTutor (there is a link via our course menu) to help you with composing, organizing, and polishing your work (although keep in mind that they do not provide instant feedback, so you need to submit a draft at least two to three days before the due date). I am also happy to review rough drafts as long as they are emailed to me no later than 72 hours before the due date and time (no later than noon on Wednesday, October 7th—and they need to be a .doc, .pdf, .rtf, or other file type I can open). I will not proofread for you, but I will review the draft to tell you what kind of errors you are making (and how to fix those errors) and also highlight places in the text that might be confusing or that need more development. Also, my review of any exam draft is no guarantee of an “A” grade—I can provide guidance and feedback, but I do not know what that will look like after you’ve made the changes and cannot guarantee you’ll have everything perfectly corrected in your final submission.

The article name appendix and scoring criteria are in the file respectively, and all the materials and information are here.