Research Paper
For HIST 151

You will write a 2,250+ word paper (title page and bibliography are not part of the word count) in proper MLA format. Papers that are not in proper MLA or APA format will receive a 0.0

Theme of Paper

Your task is to prepare a paper focusing on one of the voices who typically left out of presentations on American history; voices that have not traditionally been part of the dominant culture.

For example, I would not approve a research paper on Jonathan Edwards even though he has one of the most brilliant minds in colonial America because his voice is represented as part of the dominant culture.

Writing for Quality

I tend to be a "hard grader" when it comes to research papers. But, more importantly, I realize that you are learning the research process and that you might make mistakes--even serious mistakes--through ignorance. Therefore, you will be permitted to revise your paper once I have evaluated it.

Please do not use the ability to revise as a reason not to do your best quality work the first time you submit the assignment. The module for your final exam begins one week after your research paper is due. If your research at this point is inferior, you will end up doing serious revisions on your paper while also completing your final exam.

I am not going to take a simplistic approach to defining research topics.

Some students will find it ironic that I would not be inclined to approve a paper on Phillis Wheatley’s poetry for the same reason I would likely not approve a paper on Jonathan Edwards “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” Even though Wheatley is an African slave, I believe that her voice—like that of Edwards—is already well represented as part of the dominant culture.

When we address this issue in class, I will cite Wheatley's "'Twas mercy brought me from my pagan land" to support my position.