Junior Paper Information

APUSH/HAL 2009

Purpose: To integrate U.S. history and American literature To realize the mirrored reflection of history and literature To use literature to provide insight into the realities of history To use both primary and secondary sources for research Task: 1. For the junior paper, you will begin by choosing a book of your choice written by an AMERICAN author. A suggested list is posted on Learning Point. You must get teacher approval of the book. There will be a book share on Wednesday when you can exchange ideas (and books, if you like). You must choose your book and BRING IT TO CLASS by Friday. 2. During and after your reading of the book, you will begin researching the time period about which the book was written. Think of the following questions and take notes while you read your chosen book: What historical issues was/is the author responding to? How does the historical context influence the novel? How does the literature reflect the time period? What are the main points or major themes of the book that relate to the time period? 3. We will be doing research in the library after Ms. Tomboc-Brownlie gives a presentation on resources, documents, citing work and bibliographies. 4. While reading the book, you will begin research on your paper. Before writing the paper and deciding which sources you will use, you will create an annotated bibliography that must include at least ten sources. The annotated bibliography should include both primary and secondary sources. 5. After doing substantial research, you will begin working on your main thesis. Your thesis will be a work in progress itself as you come across new, different or contrasting information. However, you should have a main idea or focus while working on your annotated bibliography. The main thesis should argue a historical point, as seen in the examples presented in class. History and its relationship to the literary piece must be a substantial part of your argument, not necessarily part of your MT statement. The Paper: This research paper combines what you have learned in the American literature course (meaning, emotion, personal reflection, and interpretation) with that which is presented in APUSH (facts, motives, outcomes, causes and effects). You will be paying close attention to the novels connection to an era, event, idea, or movement in American history. The following are suggested ideas for combining the two disciplines: How does the literature reflect the historical period? How does the character in the literature symbolize the historical era? How does the literature satirize the political environment, economic forces, or social values of a period or movement? How do the ideas presented in the novel change over time? How were the issues and themes in the book during the historical time period? How are the issues and themes viewed now? What historical issues are relevant or important in order to achieve a greater understanding of the book? How does our perception of history change as a result of reading this book? Structure:

Use Modern Language Association (MLA), parenthetical documentation format. The paper will be 6-8 pages in length. It will include a works cited page and an annotated bibliography. The introduction places the reader in the historical period, introduces the specific topic and the explanatory answer (the thesis). This paragraph provides the reader with signposts of the argument(s) to be made and culminates in a historical main thesis (MT) that may or may not directly incorporate your chosen literary piece. The body or support paragraphs comprise organized information and analyzed data that supports the thesis. Each paragraph should have a support thesis (ST), concrete details (historical data, quotes or paraphrasing from the literature or primary/secondary sources), commentary (your reasoning, interpretation, connections, analysis, synthesis, compare/contrast, etc. which may also include secondary historical analysis from credible historians), and closure. Transitions are likely to appear at the beginning of each paragraph. There is evidence to support each component or assertion (ST) of the argument. Historical CDs may include summaries, facts, dates, quotations, statistics, graph analysis and the like. Commentary is your interpretation, analysis, explanations which also may include quoted/paraphrased commentary of literary or historical critics/scholars. However, your commentary should be a substantial part of your support paragraphs; the scholars commentary should support your ideas. The conclusion (or second to last paragraph before the conclusion) should deal with the subject/topic/issues in light of later changes in society; i.e. more contemporary events. Answer the questions, So what? and Why is this important? For example, after explaining how and why the American Civil War was inevitable, place this idea back into the perspective of the meaning of the Civil War and how that relates to a greater understanding of the this nation today. You may deal with this modern day reflection/connection as a separate body paragraph or as part of the conclusion. It should not feel like it was added on in the end. Your connection needs to reflect on issues that are relevant to our lives today. Source requirements: You must use a minimum of six academic sources. The novel you are reading is ONE of your sources. The other sources will be the following: two primary sources, one journal/periodical, one book/textbook, and no more than two reliable websites. A works cited page MUST be included or paper will NOT be accepted. A works cited page is NOT the same as a bibliography. A works cited page means that ALL references listed are directly quoted or paraphrased in your paper. We will be reviewing the correct arrangement of references with Ms. Tomboc-Brownlie in the library.