Hist 1301 Research Project Instructions: The Purpose Of This

Hist 1301 Research Project Instructionsthe Purpose Of This Research Pr

Hist 1301 Research Project Instructions The purpose of this research project is to enhance your abilities as a researcher, writer, editor, student and future professional. You will be required to choose a historical topic and demonstrate what you have learned in your tenure as a student. Learning Objectives 1. Create an argument through the use of historical evidence. 2. Analyze and interpret primary and secondary sources. 3. Analyze the effects of historical, social, political, economic, cultural, and global forces on this period of United States history. Tasks This research project divided into a series of tasks, each with its own set of instructions. 1. Select your Topic 2. Compile a Research Journal 3. Outline your Ideas 4. Write your Research Paper 5. Make Corrections Minimum Requirements for the Paper Your paper must meet or exceed the minimum requirements listed below: 1. Minimum of approximately 1,500 words. (I will be checking.) You will lose ten points for every 100 words below the minimum limit. 2. Your work needs to be cited in Chicago format with footnotes. There will be no excuse for not having proper citations. There are plenty of materials on my website and the internet on how to do this. No Citations = No Grade 3. Your paper must contain at least three primary and four secondary sources. The secondary sources must come from academic journals. 4. Using Direct Quotes – You are limited to two direct quotes. Five points will be deducted for each direct quote in excess of two. 5. The paper needs to be submitted in Adobe (.pdf) or MSWORD. Below you will find a step-by-step guide to assist you in developing your research project. Step 1 – Select your Topic Selecting a topic for your paper is an important part of the research process. Selecting a topic that is both interesting to you and that there are enough available resources available is essential. First, the topic must be interesting to you because you will find the paper more engaging and manageable. Second, choose a topic with sufficient resources; for example, topics like pre-Columbian Native American societies may lack primary sources. If you wish to discuss a topic with me, you need to visit me during tutoring, office hours or by appointment. We can also discuss your topic through email. There are a few topics that are off-limits. You cannot write papers over topics covered in other assignments in this course. I also ban the Salem Witch Trials, out of redundancy. Requirements for Topic Selection 1. The topic must be between the years 1607 and 1865. 2. The topic should not be a biography or a summary of an event. 3. The topic should be about United States History. 4. Do not choose topics that are too broad, such as the Civil War, given the short paper format. Please submit your topics to the corresponding area in the Canvas Modules. Step 2 - Compiling a Research Journal A research journal will help you organize and track your sources throughout the research project. There is a Research Journal Worksheet in the Major Paper Module in Canvas. This worksheet will assist you in completing your paper’s bibliography. Step 3 – Developing an Outline At some point, before you begin to write your paper, you will need to organize your thoughts and information you have collected. A poorly organized paper is confusing and will leave the reader wondering what the purpose of the paper is. Organize the information you have collected into major themes you wish to discuss. You will need to distinguish between your main arguments, secondary arguments, and supporting evidence. A sample outline is available at the end of this document (click here).

Paper For Above instruction

The Hist 1301 research project aims to develop students’ abilities in historical research, critical analysis, and academic writing. Specifically, students are tasked with choosing a focused historical topic within the period of 1607 to 1865, relevant to United States history, and constructing a well-organized research paper that demonstrates their understanding and analytical skills based on primary and secondary sources.

The core objective is for students to create a cogent argument supported by credible evidence, illustrating how various forces—social, political, economic, cultural, and global—shaped the history of the United States during this era. To achieve this, students are instructed to follow a series of structured tasks: selecting an appropriate topic, compiling a research journal, developing an outline, writing the paper, and making revisions. These steps are designed to guide systematic research and thoughtful composition.

Minimal requirements for the paper include an approximate length of 1,500 words, properly cited in Chicago style with footnotes, and supported by at least three primary and four secondary (academic journal) sources. Students are limited to using two direct quotes, with penalties applied to excess usage. The final submission must be in PDF or MS Word format.

Topic selection is critical; students must choose subjects that are sufficiently narrow and interesting, avoiding overly broad topics like the Civil War, and ensuring the topic is neither a biography nor a mere event summary. Topics must fall within the specified date range and must not duplicate prior course assignments or banned themes such as the Salem Witch Trials. Guidance is available through office hours and email communication.

Developing an organized research journal helps track sources and streamline bibliography completion. Creating a clear outline before drafting ensures logical flow and focused argumentation by categorizing major and supporting ideas into themes, with reference to sample outlines provided.

References

• Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty!: An American History. W.W. Norton & Company, 2017.
• Naoroji, Dadabhai. "The Poverty of India." Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 1852.
• McPherson, James M. Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. Oxford University Press, 1988.
• Berlin, Ira. Many Thousands Gone: The Legal Boundaries of Enslavement. Harvard University Press, 1998.
• Wilentz, Sean. The Rise of American Democracy: Jefferson to Lincoln. W.W. Norton & Company, 2005.
• Egnal, Marc, and Page Smith. The American Dreams and Realities. Harper & Row, 1981.
• Johnson, Paul. A History of the American People. Harper & Row, 1983.
• Litwack, Leon F. Trouble in Mind: Black Southerners in the Age of Jim Crow. Vintage Books, 1998.
• Schlesinger, Arthur M. Jr. The Colonial Mind: The Development of Modern American Thought. Harvard University Press, 1969.
• Karl, Rebecca. The Pale of Settlement. Yale University Press, 2019.