David M. Lauderback, Ph.D.
Professor of History

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Document Reviews
U.S. History I

http://www.austincc.edu/dlauderb

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Document Reviews

The Document Reviews are required for students who desire a grade of B or better.

Each Document Review will cover a separate chronological period:

        1492-1815 & 1815-1877.

The Document Review is comprised of a: Outline (10 pts) and Final Draft (15 pts). Combined, each Document Review will equal the value of one exam grade.

Completing the Document Reviews does not guarantee a B or A in the course; instead, the Document Review(s) will be averaged in with the rest of the graded parts of the course: Discussion, Chapter Quizzes, and Exams.

If you do NOT complete a Document Review the highest grade that you can receive is a C. 

Please see the Course Schedule for the dates by which you must:  Outline and Final Draft.

Coerced Labor in America

Students will examine in detail some aspect of the life of indentured servants and slaves in the United States since 1607.  Students will take advantage of a wealth of documents and images from the course Blackboard site to research and write about servant and slave life.

The Document Reviews will require a sustained effort over the entire semester.

Each Chapter in Foner, Give Me Liberty! An American History has two "Voices of Freedom." The Chapter Course Materials on the class Blackboard page also has a number of Sources of Freedom documents and images to choose. For each evidence paragraph in the Document Review, students will pick AT LEAST:

·      four (4) documents and/or images; and at least one (1) of the sources has to be a document and at least one (1) of the sources has to be an image.

from

·      two (2) chapters from each Unit covered. So, in each Document Review, students must select at least two (2) chapters from the first Unit covered and two (2) chapters from the second Unit covered for the review

Students will submit the Outline and Final Draft for each Document Reviews electronically via e-mail as a DOCX or PDF document to dlauderb@austincc.edu The Document Review and will follow the Format and Documentation guidelines below. Papers must be between 900-1000 words triple-spaced. Reviews are due at 11:59 pm on the date due. Each Document Review will count twenty-five (25) points. 

Note: Document Reviews that do not arrive via email by the 11:59 pm deadline will lose points.  See below.

Preparing the Outline (10 Points)

The Outline will follow the format below.  Copy and paste the Outline to a Word document, and then insert your details:

"Title" 
By [Your Name]

I. Introduction

Use the Introduction to: introduce your subject, provide some background, and offer a dynamic thesis.

1. Topic sentence

Start with a topic sentence that sets the stage. Introduce the main historical actor(s), the ‘who.’; say ‘what’ they did; and explain ‘why’ they acted as they did.

Always, be sure to explain ‘who’ did ‘what’ and ‘why’.

2. Transition Sentence
3. Main Theme
4. Main Theme
5. Transition Sentence

6. Thesis

State your thesis.  In one sentence, tell me what you have learned from your research about the battle for freedom in the United States. Be sure to make this an active sentence that tells the reader who did what and why.

II. Analysis

NOTE:  In Document Review 1, students will concentrate on the life of indentured servants in A. and slaves in B.; in Document Review 2 students will concentrate on the life of slaves in both A. and B.

 

A. Document Evaluation

1. Topic sentence

Start with a topic sentence that explains the most important point you want to make in this section.

Be sure to explain who did what and why.

Use quotes from at least four (4) different Document(s) and/or Image(s) from at least two Chapters.  Use the quotes to highlight key issues from the source and that tie in with critical course themes.

2. Quote from Document or details from Image with end note. 
3. Quote from Document or details from Image with end note.
4. Quote from Document or details from Image with end note.
5. Quote from Document or details from Image with end note.
6. Quote from Document or details from Image with end note.

7. Concluding thought

Use the concluding thought to frame the paragraph and set up the next paragraph.

Be sure to explain who did what and why.

Be sure to give the appropriate citation for the Document(s) and/or Image(s).

See Documentation below for the guidelines for academic citation of your respondent and other sources.

B. Document Evaluation

1. Topic sentence

Start with a topic sentence that explains the most important point you want to make in this section. Be sure to explain who did what and why it matters.

Use quotes from at least four (4) different Document(s) and/or Image(s) from at least two (2) Chapters. Use the quotes to highlight key issues from the source and that tie in with critical course themes.

2. Quote from Document or details from Image with end note. 
3. Quote from Document or details from Image with end note.
4. Quote from Document or details from Image with end note.
5. Quote from Document or details from Image with end note.
6. Quote from Document or details from Image with end note.

7. Concluding thought

Use the concluding thought to frame the paragraph and set up the next paragraph.

Be sure to explain who did what and why.

Be sure to give the appropriate citation for the Document(s) and/or Image(s).

See Documentation below for the guidelines for academic citation of your respondent and other sources.

III. Summary


In this paragraph you must summarize your paper.  Briefly restate your purpose, summarize your main points, and offer some final thoughts.

[Outline format]

1. Topic sentence -- Restate Thesis

Remember, explain: who did what and why.]

2. Transition Sentence
3. Main Theme A.
4. Main Theme B.
5. Transition Sentence

6. Concluding thought

Expect that your Analysis paragraphs in the body of the essay will be the longest paras.  And, try to keep them about the same length.  Your Introduction will be shorter than the body paras.  And the Concluding paragraph will be the shortest of all.

Students must also follow the Format and Documentation guidelines below in producing their reviews.

Format Requirements 

ALL DOCUMENT REVIEWS MUST CONFORM TO THE FORMAT SPECIFICATIONS BELOW.  Document Reviews that do not follow the format requirements for the completed take-home exam will lose Points:

Documentation

ALL PARTS OF THE DOCUMENT REVIEWS – OUTLINE AND FINAL DRAFT – MUST CONFORM TO THE DOCUMENTATION SPECIFICATIONS BELOW.  ANY OUTLINE or FINAL DRAFT THAT DOES NOT CONFORM TO THE DOCUMENTATION SPECIFICATIONS BELOW WILL Lose Points. See Above.

The documentation requirements for the completed Document Review are:

To ensure that you give credit where credit is due, please refer to the source from which you extracted information with an endnote and a bibliography.  Start with the The Chicago Manual of Style Online.  Please use end notes to document your sources using the appropriate formatting (see above).  For the correct style, you can also see Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 6th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996). The ACC Library has a link to Turabian, but the guide is currently under renovation and has several inaccuracies. Use the The Chicago Manual of Style Onlineg Both the Chicago Manual of Style and the Turabian guides can be found at the ACC Library. 

Please do NOT use reference style where you put the author's name and page number at the end of the sentence. (Lauderback 2013, 1) Instead, be sure to insert an endnote in your text to tell your reader you have details that come from a source that is not you. Go to Microsoft Word Help and enter 'endnote' for how to insert notes. See the The Chicago Manual of Style Online for:

The ACC Librarians have put together a remarkable page with all kinds of details and examples for you to follow. And, a link for asking questions! Check out Turabian. Please use the appropriate formatting -- including margins, font size and type, and spacing (see above).

Include a Bibliography on a separate page (with no page number), at the end of your Outline and Final Draft.  Here you provide a complete citation for each work cited. A bibliography is NOT the same as a Works Cited. And, a bibliography is NOT the same as the endnotes. And while a bibliography includes most of the same information as the notes, there are important differences, e.g., the order of the author's names, the use of commas, periods, parentheses, and page numbers. Please use the appropriate formatting -- including margins, font size and type, and spacing (see above). 

And, please, do NOT ask if you can use MLA.  Use Turabian. Thank you!

Grading Policy

The Outline (10 Points)

Your grade on the outline will be based on how well you: 

Recognize that an Outline rife with misspellings and grammatical errors will NOT be considered acceptable. If you submit your Outline before the deadline date in the Course Schedule and it is graded "NOT ACCEPTED" you may revise it and resubmit it prior to the deadline date. Any Outline submitted after the deadline requirements listed above will NOT be accepted.


The Final Draft (15 Points) 

Your grade on the Final Draft will be based on how well you: 


For more details, see the Document Review Final Draft Comments Rubric. (Below)

 

Recognize that a Final Draft rife with misspellings and grammatical errors will NOT be considered acceptable. If you submit your Final Draft before the deadline date in the Course Schedule and it is graded "NOT ACCEPTED" you may revise it and resubmit it prior to the deadline date.  Any Final Draft submitted after the deadline requirements listed above will NOT be accepted.


See your Course Schedule for the dates by which you must:  submit a preliminary Outline and the Final Draft.

Deadlines

ALL ASSIGNMENTS ARE DUE NO LATER THAN 11:59 PM ON THE DEADLINE LISTED IN THE COURSE SCHEDULE;

and

STUDENTS WHO DO NOT TURN IN AN OUTLINE BY THE DEADLINE LISTED IN THE COURSE SCHEDULE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO SUBMIT A FINAL DRAFT;

and

ANY FINAL DRAFT THAT IS NOT SUBMITTED BY 11:59 PM ON THE DEADLINE LISTED IN THE COURSE SCHEDULE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Students may submit the Outline and the Final Draft via e-mail as a Word attachment or by turning in a hard copy to my box at ACC Rio Grande by 11:59 pm on the deadline listed in the Course Schedule.

See your Course Schedule for the dates by which you must:  submit the Outline and the Final Draft.

Document Review Final Draft Comments Rubric

Remember: tell me ‘who’ does ‘what’ and ‘why’

Mr/Ms.  [Student Name],

So, let’s start with the title . . .

[NOTE:  The title is your first chance to communicate with your reader.  Be sure to focus on explaining your purpose. 

Subtitle: Explain ‘who’ did ‘what’ and ‘why’

Start with the subtitle. Keep it short and snappy and informative.

Then, use the remainder of the title to tell your reader ‘who’ did ‘what’ and ‘why’]

And how do you continue the conversation with the opening wedge?

[NOTE:  The topic sentence of the intro – what I call the ‘opening wedge’ – represents your next opportunity to convince your reader.  So build on the title; continue the conversation you started with the title.  Use the wedge to grab your reader and advance your cause.

Remember, explain ‘who’ did ‘what’ and ‘why.’]

And on to the body of the intro . . .

[NOTE:  Here I am looking for three things:  some useful historical context; the main theme of the two evidence paragraphs, and your thesis.

Remember, explain ‘who’ did ‘what’ and ‘why.’]

Now, for your thesis.

[NOTE: state your case.  Tell your reader the most important information you want to convey. Do not just reiterate your evaluation of the sources.  Instead, concentrate on your purpose, your point, what matters to you.  Tell me your thesis.  Make your thesis the driving point of your review.

Remember, explain ‘who’ did ‘what’ and ‘why.’]

And on to the topic sentences

[NOTE:  See how the first topic sentence comes right after you state your thesis?  Use the topics to continue your conversation, to advance your case, to push your thesis. 

Please do NOT tell me what you think of the authors of the documents and/or images the in the topic sentences. Save that discussion for the body of the para. Instead, use the para to target a key theme of the work that you can also use to make your point.

In other words, explain ‘who’ did ‘what’ and ‘why.’]

And the evidence paras . . .  [The text of the five body paras]

[NOTE:  here is where you get to tell me what you think of the documents and/or images as you target key events/issues/themes/concepts etc. Make your sentences active and explanatory. Be sure to tell me what the historical actors or the author sought and what you think of their efforts. Use active verbs to not only move the prose along but to convey your opinion.  For example, “The historical actor or the author ‘seeks’ or ‘tries’ or ‘attempts’ or ‘proves’; or the historical actor or the author ‘demonstrates’ or ‘examines’ ‘shows’ ‘reveals’ and so on.

Remember, you want to insert a quote or paraphrase the author or relate directly to a specific point in the source in every sentence of the evidence paragraph but the topic and concluding sentence. So, that means you will need an endnote for every sentence of the para except the topic/concluding.

And, remember, explain ‘who’ did ‘what’ and ‘why.’]

Finally, the conclusion.

[NOTE:  just restate (and not copy):  the thesis, your topic sentences, and then wrap it up with a pithy phrase.

And, as always, explain ‘who’ did ‘what’ and ‘why.’]

Grade:  /15.00

Let me now if you have any questions.

DML

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© David Marcus Lauderback, 2019, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED