Length: 4-6 pages, typed, 12 point font, double-spaced
Term paper: Students will write one term paper on Susan Kingsley Kent’s book The Influenza Pandemic of 1918-1919. A Brief History with Documents. Read the introduction (pages 1-24), then read the short primary documents that follow. After you have completed these readings, choose one of the two essay topics below. Do not answer both essay topics. The term paper will address allof the interrelated questions in the essay topic chosen. You may cite the introduction as a source. However, you must also cite at least four of the short primary sources in Kent’s book in answering the essay topic questions. Students should make sure that their name is listed on the first page of their term paper, along with the essay topic they have chosen. The two essay topics with their questions are as follows:
Essay Topic 1:Victims and Medical Personnel
What was the origin of the influenza epidemic of 1918-1919? How did it spread around the world? And how did it impact some areas of the world more than others? What was the influenza epidemic like from victims, including those who survived and those who did not? What was the influenza epidemic like for medical personnel such as doctors and nurses? How did they attempt to treat patients? What results did their efforts have? Who did people blame for the influenza epidemic and why? In the end, what does the influenza epidemic tell us about the state of the world in 1918-1919? What are its lessons for our world today?
Essay Topic 2: Governments and World Events
How did the First World War contribute to the outbreak and spread of influenza? What sorts of problems did the influenza epidemic of 1918-1919 create for governments? How did governments react to the influenza epidemic? What were some of the results? How did the influenza epidemic influence the outcome of the First World War? How did it influence events that followed the war such as the Paris Peace Conference and unrest in European colonies? In the end, what was the overall impact of the influenza epidemic on the world and why? What are its lessons for our world today?
Instructions for the term paper:
When you read the documents in Kent’s book, pay attention to details, but do not get lost in them. Always try and keep in mind the author’s purpose and the big historical events related to it.
You may find it useful to underline important passages or take some notes as you read. Before you begin writing, you may also want to make an outline to organize your thoughts.
When you write your paper, make sure you completely answer the questions. The best papers fully answer the questions and do not significantly veer off the subject.
Please keep in mind that this is a term paper and not a book report. Book reports simply sum up a book while term papers seek to answer more substantive questions. Although your term paper will to some degree sum up the book, you should only do so in ways that help answer the questions.
You should have a clear thesis statement. The thesis statement is a sentence or two in the introductory paragraph that gives the paper’s main argument. It will tie the paper together from the beginning to the end. You should refer back to it again in your conclusion. For example, with essay topic 2, you could argue in your thesis that the influenza epidemic had a major impact on the outcome of the war and the Paris Peace Conference. Or, you could argue in your thesis that the influenza epidemic only had a minor impact a major impact on the outcome of the war and the Paris Peace Conference.Your thesis statement should reflect your views, although whatever they are, you should have a clear thesis statement and evidence to support it.
You need to have evidence for your argument to be convincing. This includes giving specific examples and citing sources. Papers that do not cite and quote from the text are almost always weaker than those that do. You may sum up information from a source or directly quote from it. As a rough rule of thumb, you should have at least one or two source citation per paragraph. For quotations that are several sentences long, use block quotations. However, please avoid using excessive citations, and especially numerous lengthy or block quotations as this will clutter your paper and drown out your voice, causing you to lose significant points.
You should cite the page numbers where you found specific information or quotes. Please use the Turabian Style of citation (otherwise known as the Chicago Manual of Style) as it is the standard citation style for the discipline of History. Do not use MLA. More information on this citation style is given below under the heading “Citation Style.”
You will find it useful on occasion to directly quote from a source to illustrate a point. Please do not simply quote to fill space, but instead give specific relevant and credible information to address the term paper questions. When you include direct quotes, use the ICE method of Introduce, Cite and Explain. First, do not simply drop quotes into your paper. Rather, introduce each quote with an introductory or stock phrase. Examples of introductory phrases to use just before a quote are as follows:
According to Susan Kingsley Kent, “being quotation here”
Kent argues that “begin quotation here”
As Kent notes “begin quotation here”
Kent suggests that “begin quotation here”
In Kent’s view (or opinion) “begin quotation here”
Kent’s research shows that “begin quotation here”
For Kent “begin quotation here”
As Kent details “begin quotation here”
Next, at the end of the quotation, cite your source using the Turabian style of citation. Finally, after using a quote, briefly explain or expound upon it in your own words. This helps the reader understand the quote as well as why you have included it. Moreover, it ensures that your writing “flows” well. In the end, the ICE method gives you a chance to analysis the material a bit and hopefully tie back to your thesis statement.
Solid papers are well-organized and well-written. Your paper should have an introduction, main body, and conclusion. The main body should be organized in a logical fashion and the paper should be generally free of spelling, grammatical, and stylistic errors.
A cover page is optional, but you should have your name on the first page of your paper and your essay topic. You should also have a Bibliography at the end. A Bibliography is simply a separate listing of sources in alphabetical order at the end of your paper. For more on how to properly list sources in a Bibliography using Turabian, see the section on “Citation Style” below.
Avoid using first person, i.e. “I” “me” or “my” in your paper. This paper is not based on your own personal experiences.
While you may use your lecture notes or the Video Textbook for background material, by far the main focus of your paper should be Kent’s book. Remember, that you are required to cite at least four of the short primary source documents found in her book.
You need not do any outside research for this paper and should only use sources assigned to you by the instructor. The use of any other sources, especially internet sources (with the exception of the textbook), is strictly forbidden for this assignment.
Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated.Plagiarism on the term paper will result in an “F” in the course. If you have any questions about what constitutes cheating and plagiarism, please see the syllabus, which describes it in great detail. You should also speak with the instructor if you have questions about what constitutes plagiarism.
As listed on the syllabus, if you are ill or for some other reason are unable to come to class the day your term paper is due, you may send it to me by e-mail and I will count it as on-time. However, you will still need to turn in a paper copy of your paper. I do not grade papers until I receive a paper copy. Students who ultimately fail to turn in a paper copy will receive a zero.
Papers are due at the beginning of class on the due date. Please note the late policy as listed on the syllabus, namely late papers will be penalized 10 points each day, and will not be accepted after two days (48 hours after the beginning of class on the due date).
Citation Style:
Students must use Turabian, otherwise known as The Chicago Manual of Style as the citation style for this paper. You may find a brief online version of the Chicago Manual of Style at the following link:
http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html
Below are two examples of the proper use of this citation style:
Book, single author, Kent’s book (the introduction):
Footnote/Endnote: Susan Kingsley Kent, The Influenza Pandemic. A Brief History with Documents(New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2013), 15.
Bibliography: Kent, Susan Kingsley. The Influenza Pandemic. A Brief History with Documents. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2013.
Book, single author, Kent’s book, short primary source document:
Footnote/Endnote: Erich von Ludendorff, “The Offensive in the West,” in The Influenza Pandemic. A Brief History with Documents, ed. Susan Kingsley Kent (New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2013), 103.
Bibliography: Ludendorff von, Erich. “The Offensive in the West,” In The Influenza Pandemic. A Brief History with Documents, ed. Susan Kingsley Kent, 102-103. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2013.
Textbook:
Footnote/Endnote:Bronson Long, “The First World War,” in Video Textbook, World Civilization II, eds. Steve Blankenship, Jayme Feagin and Bronson Long (Rome, GA: Georgia Highlands College, 2018), Module 5.
Bibliography: Long, Bronson. “The First World War.” In Video Textbook, World Civilization II, eds. Steve Blankenship, Jayme Feagin and Bronson Long, Module 5. Rome, GA: Georgia Highlands College, 2018.
Lecture notes:
Footnote/Endnote: Bronson Long, “Class lecture.” October 22, 2018
Bibliography: Long, Bronson, “Class lecture.” October 22, 2018.
How to insert footnotes/endnotes and use Turabian:
You should cite the source of specific summary information and direct quotes that you use in your paper with either endnotes or footnotes at the very end of the sentence. Choose either endnotes or footnotes and use them consistently throughout your paper. To insert and endnote or footnote in Word, go to the tabs at the very top under “Insert” and scroll down until you see “Footnote.”
Please note that for footnotes and endnotes, after you cite a source once, you should not give the location of publication and the publisher the next time you cite the same source. Rather, all you need to cite is the author, title and page number. Also, in footnotes and endnotes, if you cite the same source two or more times in a row, for all times after the first citation you should cite the source as Ibid (Latin abbreviation for “the same place”) instead of giving all the information.
Examples of how to use properly use footnotes, both for a direct quote and a summary citation, are in the following sentences below:
According to Kent, “unlike its predecessors, which tended to take infants and the elderly, this strain of influenza preferred men and women aged fifteen to forty-five, victims in the prime of their lives.”[1] As the influenza epidemic struck towards the end of the war, this included soldiers. German general Erich von Ludendorff especially noted that “influenza was rampant, and the army group of Crown Prince Rupprecht was particularly affected.”[2] This played a role in the failure of the German offensive in the spring of 1918.[3]
Grading of term papers:
Insightful, thought-provoking papers which meet the basic requirements for the assignment, are well-written, well-organized, have a clear thesis statement and uses supporting details to completely answer the question will receive a letter grade of “A” for the term paper. Papers will be graded on a sliding scale. Papers will lose points according to the degree in which they do not meet the standards listed in this guideline. The instructor will gladly offer suggestions and look over outlines and/or rough drafts of papers before the due date. The instructor uses a rubric in grading term papers. Please see the following page to better understand how papers will be graded.
Students who have problems organizing and writing their papers are encouraged to seek assistance at the Tutorial Center, which is located in the library on the Rome campus. More information about the Tutorial Center can be found at its website as follows:
http://www.highlands.edu/academics/academicaffairs/success/tutorial/index.htm
A rubric the instructor will use to grade each term paper can be found below:
World Civilization II, H1112
Dr. Bronson Long
Term Paper
Grading Rubric
Student name:
Grading scale:
4=A, 3=B, 2=C, 1=D, 0=F
Categories:
Thesis/Well-argued paper 4 3 2 1 0
Use of Turabian 4 3 2 1 0
Organization of paper 4 3 2 1 0
Paper answers the question 4 3 2 1 0
Writing style/Grammar/ 4 3 2 1 0
Spelling
Followed directions on 4 3 2 1 0
Guideline
Evidence for argument/ 4 3 2 1 0
Use of specific examples
Cited sources/ 4 3 2 1 0
Proper use of quotes
______________________________________________________________________________
Other/Comments:
Overall Grade:
[1]Susan Kingsley Kent, The Influenza Pandemic. A Brief History with Documents (New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2013), 2.
[2]Erich von Ludendorff, “The Offensive in the West,” in The Influenza Pandemic. A Brief History with Documents, ed. Susan Kingsley Kent (New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2013), 103.
[3]Ibid.
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