Mini-Analysis Writing Assignment for History Course

Task

1. Independently analyze primary and secondary source evidence using historical context and evidence.

2. Develop argumentative and evidence-based academic writing skills.

3. Interpret essential historical information, narratives and debates using complex and well-reasoned methodology. 

1. Assignments should be in Times New Roman (or standard) 12 point font. Double spacing is preferred with one inch margins. Avoid using large, bold, or colourful text.

2. Each semester's mini-analysis has slightly different instructions, so make sure to label Each component clearly and complete All parts of the assignment.

3. See below for detailed instructions for each of the Three parts. 

DUE:  Students must submit at least FIVE mini-analyses during the semester. If more than five are submitted, the best 5 marks will be counted for the final grade. 

1. Choose one sentence from one of the assigned readings. Your choice will be considered in the mark.

2. Quote this sentence and provide a short CMS citation with a footnote.[1]

3. In five or six sentences, present an explanation for why you believe that this sentence reveals an important insight about the week's topics. Look for connections to important course themes/concepts (ex. women's rights, labour movements, political reforms, imperialism/colonialism, nationalism etc.).

4. Creativity and originality in the analysis will secure more points than standard or simple explanations.

1. Consider the collection of readings for the week. Including specific references to authors or works from the readings will result in higher marks.

2. Present an argument in five or six sentences that explains your point of view about what is the dominant or most significant theme in the readings for the week. (Some starting points might be: women's rights, gender roles, social movements and class, cultural/national identity, military/strategic power, race/racism, political ideologies etc). More specific arguments will earn higher marks rather than broad generalizations.

3. The best arguments will avoid summarizing the content of the week and instead focus on what makes the topic important for us as historians. Explain one good reason why a person should read these documents.

1. Reflect on the selection of readings for the week.

2. In a paragraph of five or six sentences, explain one WEAKNESS in the content of the readings. In your scholarly opinion, what major bias or point of view is influencing the kind of sources that were assigned for the week. This may be political, gender, religious, ideological, cultural, racial etc. The goal is to think critically about the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the source material.

3. You do not need to describe everything. Pick one thing that you think is particularly imnortant and nresent a strong argument.