Midterm exam. AMH 3500. S2011.
Exam to be turned in 3/2/11.
Below
are four generalizations about American labor during the period ca.
1870-1940. Write an essay analyzing one
of these statements. Try to go
beyond filling in factual information to probe the factors underlying the
generalization and the implications that flow from it. Try to use your sources critically. Follow
the rules for take-home exams specified below.
1. Although the
2. The
3. Although American workers exhibited a high
degree of positive support for the
4. Although the mainstream labor movement
largely ignored female workers, gender considerations are crucial for the
understanding of the character and development of the
Rules for
take-home exams
1.
In grading these papers, I give great weight to the first paragraph. In any essay, the first paragraph is
critical. It must contain your most
significant conclusions about the subject under discussion. It should not take more than a half page but should
include sufficient specific references to enable the reader to use it as a road
map through your essay. It is likely
that you will re-write the first paragraph after finishing the main body of the
essay because it is often the case that a writer gains a full sense of her or
his argument only after working through the issues.
2. Double space and staple the sheets
together. No hard covers, please.
3. Answers must not exceed 1500 words (the
equivalent of 6 typed, double-spaced sheets).
4. Respond to the question in your own
words. Confine quoted material, which
must be informally cited by author, to no more than 10% of your wordage. Draw on class presentations, material on the
website, required reading, and one additional source, as described
below, for illustration and support of your judgments. Remember that the course website contains session outlines, class
commentaries, and other relevant information.
5. Be precise in references to people,
organizations, legislative acts, court decisions, and so forth. Make sure the essay contains frequent
references to chronology and that it develops in a clear chronological
fashion.
6. In writing your essay, make every effort to
deal with the required readings (i.e., required texts and ARES readings) and to
incorporate insights and information from your outside source. Refer
specifically to the books and articles upon which you draw, whether you quote
them or merely refer to them. Always
make the identity of the author clear.
("As Woodly Darrow argues. . ."; or, "Contrary to the view of Freida Burpp. . .").
7. In addition to the required class reading, find
and use one additional article relevant to your subject from a scholarly
journal in developing your essay.
Probably the most convenient way to locate an appropriate source is to
access the library database JSTOR. The most likely journals in which to find a relevant article are probably the Journal of American History; the American Historical Review; and the Journal of Southern History.
Choose
an article that supplements the commonly required readings and use it in
developing your response to the question. Include a full bibliographical citation to the
chosen article at the end of your paper.
Include author, full title in quotes, title of the journal in itals or underlined, and the date published. Here’s an example: Albon P. Man,
“Labor Competition and the New York City Draft Riots of 1863,” Journal of
Negro History (Oct. 1951). There is
no need to use footnotes or to include any other bibliographical information.
8. Finally, do take seriously the writing
recommendations linked on the syllabus website.
Grading weights
First paragraph. 15 pts.
Cogency of overall approach. 25 pts.
Factual accuracy and chronological development. 20 pts.
Use
of required readings and student-selected source: 20 pts.
Quality of writing (organization, clarity, observance of writing rules). 20 pts.