Was Indian Removal Humanitarian or Racist?

Term Paper Overview

Your Term Paper must be written on the same topic you chose for the Term Paper: Thesis Development and Library Assignment.  This topic must come from the Term Paper Topic List above. The purpose of the paper is to analyze the issue you have chosen by answering the question posed, and to support and defend your position (thesis) on the topic.  Your essay should clearly present the topic, the time-frame you are discussing, your thesis, the counter argument to your position, your evidence, how the topic impacted the historical time period OR how it has impacted the social, political, international, economic or military development of the United States.  Remember, this is not a report, you must take a stand and present and defend your point of view.

This assignment calls for logical analytical writing, rather than recall narrative writing and is meant to develop analytical skills in relation to historical time period, cause and effect per SLO 1.

Term Paper Instructions:  Topic, Formatting, Citations, and Submission

You must use proper MLA citations for all direct quotes and when paraphrasing and you must include a Works Cited. Your Works Cited does not count toward the  page minimum.
You must use a minimum of three sources ; NO wikipedia, NO dictionaries, NO encyclopedias, NO random webpages, and NO textbooks other than America’s History, Vol. 1, or Taking Sides (available in the VVC library). Internet sources should be limited to academic websites and journals found online

Term Paper Content:  Writing an Analytical Term Paper

A structured analytical research paper is composed of the following 3 parts:

1. Introduction—immediately provides the reader with an overview of what they are about to read.

Make sure your opening paragraph or introduction clearly conveys the nature of the paper the reader is about to read and the timeframe you are exploring.  What is the debate?  What are you trying to prove in this essay?  Remember a thesis is something that is debatable.  Example:  The Aztec lived in Mesoamerica (NOT a thesis—not debatable); The Aztec were the most advance civilization in Mesoamerica (a thesis-some scholars may or may not agree with this statement).

Next, let the reader know how you are going to prove this thesis?  In addition to a clear thesis, your introduction should also include a quick summary of the evidence (the points) you intend to use to prove your thesis.  This is important because it will provide an outline for the body of your paper.

2. Body—proving your thesis.

Start out with no more than one or two paragraphs of background information concerning your topic.  Restate your position on the debate and give some background information about the counter-argument regarding the debate.  Then, begin each of the following paragraphs with a topical sentence related to your thesis and evidence (the points you are going to use to prove your thesis).  Start with your first named topic (your evidence), then explain how this topic or point is connected to what you are attempting to prove and the overall theme of your essay.  Make sure all of the information in the paragraph relates to the topical sentence and that the topical sentence somehow relates to your thesis.  The body of your essay should contain several paragraphs organized in a logical progression, and each paragraph should be devoted to a main point.  Therefore, the number of paragraphs is determined by the number of points you intend to make.

3. Conclusion—wrapping it all up.

Write a forceful statement which lets the reader know that this is the conclusion.  In its simplest form, the conclusion can be indicated by “In conclusion . . .” There is nothing so direct as those two words.  More sophisticated statements can be found such as:  “It is clear that when one looks at this topic. . .”  The conclusion should be used to remind the reader of all that has been written in the essay.  It should show how and why the topic is significant to US History.  Restate your thesis, briefly summarize your evidence, and then end your paper with a final statement of significance.

Term Paper Grading Rubric
Student Learning Outcome #1:  Students will develop analytical skills in relation to historical
time period, cause and effect.
Your Term Paper is an analytical Research Paper (based on 100 points):
1) Term Paper Introduction (15 points)
 Introduction contains some information about the debate topic, but does not clearly
convey the time-frame, thesis and evidence that will be provided. (0-5 points)
 Introduction contains some information about the debate topic and time-frame and a
general thesis, but does not clearly summarize the evidence that will be used to support
thesis (6-10 points)
 Introduction contains a clear debate topic and time-frame, a well-developed thesis, as
well as a summary of the evidence that will be provided.  (11-15 points)
2) Term Paper Body (40 points)
 Student presents some information about the topic weakly connected to the thesis with
little evidence or analysis and/or mostly narrative.  No mention of the counter-argument.
Paragraphs do not begin with a topical sentence related to evidence and the paper has
little or no organized flow. (0-15 points).
 Student presents information connected to their thesis and evidence, with some analysis
of the information and a brief mention of the counter-argument. Some organized flow and
some topical sentences relating to evidence at the start of each paragraph.  (16-30 points).
 Student demonstrates that he/she has a clear understanding of the debate topic and has
presented clear evidence to support a clear thesis with strong analysis. When appropriate,
paragraphs begin with topical sentences related to evidence.  (31-40 points).
3) Term Paper thesis development and evidence.  Does the student provide a clear thesis
regarding the topic throughout the paper, with analysis and evidence to support his/her position?
(25 points)
 Student provides weak or little evidence and little or no analysis clearly related to their
thesis/position on the topic. (0-10 points)
 Student provides a clear a thesis and some analysis and evidence to support their
thesis/position on the topic.  (10-20 points)
 Student takes a strong stand regarding one side of the debate or presents a new theory
regarding the topic, along with clear, strong evidence to support the his/her thesis (21-25
points).
4) Term Paper topic impact on the historical era and/or the social, economic, political, foreign
policy and/or military development of the United States. (10 points)
 Student weakly demonstrates his/her understanding of how the debate topic is connected
to the historical period and/or the social, economic, political, foreign policy and/or
military development of the United States (0-2 points).
 Student clearly demonstrates that he/she understands how the debate topic is connected
and relevant to the historical period and/or the social, economic, political, foreign policy
and/or military development of the United States (3-7 points).
 Student strongly demonstrates his/her understanding of how the debate topic is connected
and relevant to the historical period and/or the social, economic, political, foreign policy
and/or military development of the United States including its cause and effect (8-10
points).
5) Has the student followed all of the directions regarding the Term Paper: minimum page
requirement, paper formatting, and submission of the assignment? Does the paper contain proper
grammar, including MLA citations and a Works Cited?  Has the paper been properly proofread
for typos and clarity? Does the paper demonstrate college level work? (10 points)
 The student has followed some of the directions, but the paper has many formatting and
grammar problems and has been poorly proofread.  The paper does not meet the
minimum page requirement or contain “proper” MLA citations and a Works Cited-
clearly not college level work (0-2 points).
 The student has followed most of the directions and the paper has few formatting and
grammar problems and been somewhat proofread.  The student has included a Works
Cited and or made an attempt to cite sources but has not used, or consistently used
“proper” MLA citations.  at or about college level work (3-7 points).
 The student has carefully followed all of the directions and the paper has few or no
formatting and grammar problems—strong proofreading.  Paper meets the minimum
page requirement and has proper MLA guidelines for citations and a Works Cited.
Definitely college level work (8-10 points).