Primary Source Deeper Dive Rubric—HIST 1320
Key Reminder: To do well on this option, you have to research and analyze TWO things: the author of the text PLUS the ideas in the text. Do NOT simply do a report on the author. You have to engage with the key ideas in our reading, too!
YOU MUST CORRECTLY CITE ALL OF YOUR SOURCES FOR THIS ESSAY. Failure to HAVE sources, failure to CITE sources, copying & pasting, copying & pasting while changing 1 word here or there = PLAGIARISM = YOU WILL FAIL. IF YOU PLAGIARIZE, YOU WILL FAIL. YOU MUST MAKE A GOOD FAITH ATTEMPT AT DOING CHICAGO-STYLE CITATIONS AND FORMATTING.
Guidelines and help will be located in Canvas.
Excellent (A)
Sophisticated / Nuanced
Good (B)
Successful / Thoughtful / Solid Fair (C)
Basic / General / Non-specific Superficial (D)
Limited / Inaccurate Unsuccessful (F)
Criteria Not Done / Understanding Not Shown
YOUR THESIS / Conceptualization of Answer to the Prompt——WORTH 10% OF YOUR GRADE
Your Answer to the Prompt:
What important life experiences did the author have that shaped the views/values/beliefs that come through in what he or she wrote in
the primary source reading?
Thesis provides a clear, specific, and explicit articulation of the focus of the essay
Thesis shows a sophisticated and nuanced analysis and understanding of how the author’s life experiences shaped the ideas in the text
Conceptualization demonstrates excellent depth of thought and insight and demonstrates a clear understanding of relevant research materials and content
Thesis serves as the controlling idea of entire essay—EVERYTHING included in the essay serves it. Your topic sentences advance it.
Thesis is both specific AND all-encompassing of every analytical point you make in your body paragraphs. You have figured out what analytical umbrella everything you discuss can fit under.
Thesis statements go beyond just listing the kinds of information or points you’ll develop to actually characterizing them (can be done in one to two sentences—you’ll fully develop in the body paragraphs! Dr. Law is OK with multiple-sentence thesis statements!) MAKE SURE TO LOOK OVER THIS HELPFUL SITE ABOUT THESIS STATEMENTS:
https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/thesis-statements/It cannot just be the type of point you’ll make—you have to really capture precisely what your answer is!
Thesis provides a good, clear, thoughtful articulation
Conceptualization demonstrates depth of thought and understanding
Thesis serves as the controlling idea of the essay
Thesis statements do have good specificity and clarity but do not nail the characterizations as well as the A range Thesis sets up essay but does not specifically articulate focus
Analysis shows a general understanding
Conceptualization demonstrates basic thought and understanding of research materials
Thesis serves as the controlling idea of most of the essay
Statements lack specificity in characterizations
I can basically tell what you’re going to talk about in your paper, but I can’t tell exactly where you’re going with your analysis and/or conclusions!
Thesis does not provide clear focus OR is not actually proven in the essay
Does not show adequate analysis, thought, or understanding
Conceptualization is either severely limited or problematic due to inaccuracy
Shows a lack of familiarity with research materials
Thesis is unclear and/or superficial
Has very little characterization or specificity OR statements contain problematic inaccuracies
I can only somewhat tell what you’re going to talk about in your paper (very little of your actual analysis or conclusions)
Is not clearly articulated / has no thesis
Does not control / fit with content in essay
Does not show a vision of topic or research
I can’t tell what you are going to talk about!
YOUR RESEARCH—WORTH 20% OF YOUR GRADE (Remember that these are your MINIMUM requirements!)
Note: You need 4 total sources (NOT counting the primary source text)
Demonstrates a command of the research tools available through the Alkek search tools and holdings
Finds required number of quality sources:
Uses at least 2 highly relevant scholarly MONOGRAPHS from the library (physical or e-book). THESE MONOGRAPHS HAVE TO BE AS SPECIFIC AS POSSIBLE GIVEN YOUR TOPIC. For example, say you are writing about the Texas Rangers. A general history of the United States is NOT the best you can do! Look for the most specific treatments that will have the most relevant information (such as a book about the Texas Rangers or a book about violence along the Texas-Mexico border during that time period)!
Don’t freak out about my using the term monograph. That’s a book written by a scholar about a particular topic. As long as you’re not using a reference material like an encyclopedia, the odds are that you’re using a monograph. If in doubt, just ask me!
Class sources do NOT count here but need to be cited correctly in your analysis if/when used
Uses at least 2 highly relevant scholarly JOURNAL ARTICLES. THESE ALSO NEED TO BE ON-POINT GIVEN YOUR TOPIC. Often students end up with whatever the search engine shows first. Your articles need to be the most helpful for your analysis. Do NOT end up with a weird, off topic article!!
Must be peer-reviewed
Must be substantive (not just 1 page or a couple of paragraphs)
A single chapter in an edited work can count here (again…our reader does NOT count towards your research requirement for sources you find)
Conducts targeted research to find the relevant information to insightfully discuss the historical experiences of the author
Questions determined from own analysis
Key life experiences that shaped their views/values/ beliefs
How/why they wrote about what they did in the primary source
What happened to them after they wrote what they did
Uses good sources and meets requirements of number and type
Uses research to find good biographical information that explains key aspects of the content of the primary source
Shows a solid ability to use the Alkek search tools and holdings
Sources are too generalized or may be lacking a source
Uses research to find basic biographical information
May contain some irrelevant information to the content of the primary source
Shows a basic ability to use the Alkek search tools and holdings
May contain a source that is professional but not scholarly (like encyclopedia-style source) Sources are limited or may be lacking required sources
Includes inaccurate or superficial information
Research information does not show adequate work or relevance to the content of the primary source
Relies on general internet sources that may or may not be reliable; does not do adequate research through Alkek’s search tools and holdings
Contains some sources that are not professional and are not scholarly Did not do adequate research or none at all
Lacking multiple sources
Does not include adequate biographical information
Biographical information is unrelated or wholly inadequate regarding the content of the primary source reading
Does not show the ability to use university / scholarly resources
Contains multipole sources that are not professional and are not scholarly
THE APPLICATION OF YOUR RESEARCH to Your PRIMARY SOURCE ANALYSIS—40% of your score
This section is where you earn credit for your argument / elaboration. Make sure that the argument is anchored in that application of your research to your primary source analysis! REMEMBER THAT YOU CANNOT PROVE A POINT WITH JUST ONE PIECE OF EVIDENCE!
Adeptly connects biographical information to content of the text of the primary source for an insightful and sophisticated discussion of the author and their views
Demonstrates a nuanced understanding of the primary source reading as it reflects the author’s experiences and views
Uses specific and convincing evidence from the primary source reading AND biographical research
Provides excellent analysis and commentary on evidence (both textual AND biographical information)
Evidence provides convincing support for thesis / conceptualization. IN OTHER WORDS, ANY POINT YOU MAKE YOU BACK UP WITH EVIDENCE!
Commentary on evidence is insightful and smoothly connects evidence to thesis
Analysis is good
Evidence provides solid support
Commentary on evidence shows good thought
Shows solid understanding of topic
Evidence provides solid support
Commentary on evidence shows good thought Analysis is general / basic
Evidence is not highly relevant or is lacking
Commentary on evidence basic
Shows basic understanding
Evidence is marginally related or just general in nature
Commentary on evidence is basic Does not show adequate analysis, thought, or understanding
Statements unsupported by evidence or elaboration
Does not show adequate analysis, thought, or understanding
Includes inaccuracies that undercut argument
Information appears cut and pasted with no real thought to fitting things together
Some statements unsupported; evidence inappropriately used or mischaracterized Analysis is not done or does not show understanding
Does not provide evidence or elaboration
Does not provide commentary
Does not analyze required number of sources
Does not show understanding
Serious inaccuracies
Your Proper Use and Command of the Chicago Style of Documentation— WORTH 10% OF YOUR ASSIGNMENT GRADE
A failure to use footnotes and give proper credit can result in a penalty greater than the grade percentage of this section and can result in no credit for the entire assignment.
Pays attention to the difference between how books are cited and how journal articles are cited (in both footnotes and works cited sections)
Proper credit is given to ALL sources
Any direct quotation has a footnote at the END of the sentence.
SPECIFIC PAGE NUMBERS ARE PROVIDED FOR ALL CITATIONS RELATED TO SOURCES THAT HAVE PAGE NUMBERS.
If you cannot see page numbers for an eBook or article, you need to download the chapter or article in PDF form. Then the numbers should be visible!
Any paraphrased material has a footnote at the end of that discussion (unless you have a direct quotation in there, you can have several sentences of paraphrased information with a footnote at the end of that chunk of writing)
Every paragraph with source information has a footnote or footnotes to properly give credit. (The only way you have a body paragraph without a footnote is if you don’t use anything from any source in that paragraph. You should be discussing the primary source text AND/OR your research source(s) in each paragraph, so not having anything to cite would have a truly negative impact on your argument score.)
FOOTNOTES are formatted correctly
Word’s reference insert footnote tool is used (NOT endnotes)
Number in text is placed correctly at the END of the sentence—NOT in the middle
The text in the footnote section is font-size 10 and has uniform size and font with no extra spacing
There is excellent attention to detail in following the FOOTNOTE example from the Chicago Quick Guide (showing an understanding of the difference between the note form, which means footnote in our case, and the bibliographic form)
Pays attention to the difference between how you cite a source for the very first time in an essay and how you subsequently cite it (notes vs. shortened notes examples in the Quick Guide)
You have a proper Works Cited / Bibliography page
Make sure to refer to the CANVAS resources about how to use Chicago! A good-faith effort but not as much attention to detail as the A range Mostly a good-faith effort but with several minor errors Shows a superficial attempt. Requires consult with Dr. Law about giving proper credit and/or using Chicago Does not make a good-faith effort; does not give adequate credit to show academic integrity. Requires consult with Dr. Law about giving proper credit and/or using Chicago
Your Conceptualization and Writing—- WORTH 20% OF YOUR ESSAY GRADE (ALL TOGETHER)
Note: not doing well on these smaller categories can impact your scores in the previous categories!
Criteria
Each Worth 5% There will be different ranges of success on these criteria:
A = Excellent, B = Solid, C = Fair, D = Problematic Unsuccessful
Intro
THIS IS YOUR INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH and how you work up to your thesis.
Your thesis is scored separately in the first section!
Do NOT write this part of your paper or your thesis until you are crystal clear about your analysis and what your evidence proves!
Has a good lead-in (your first sentence or two that you use as a starting point)
Is a single, introductory paragraph (you do not need multiple set up paragraphs!)
Introduction serves as an excellent lead-in for your essay and your answer to the prompt—frames the rest of your paper
Introduces your topic (specific enough to show clarity and understanding) and puts it into context: the time frame, the place(s), the people(s) involved
Shows an understanding of the way the paper is framed—I can see you working your way to your thesis and characterizations by getting more and more specific
Flows smoothly to the specific thesis statement(s) by keeping focus on key ideas or questions
Attracts your reader’s attention and interest
Avoids meaningless generalizations like “Throughout history…” or “From the beginning of time….” Your first sentence needs to be more specific to something involving your topic!
Does not introduce the larger topic
Is not clearly articulated / has no thesis
Does not control / fit with content in essay
Does not show a vision of topic or issue
Just has sentences that are unrelated, that do not go anywhere
Organization Every section of essay is tightly connected to thesis
Transitions and analytical connections make the writing flow smoothly and logically from one point to another and create a smooth expression of ideas
Weaves evidence from sources smoothly into argument using transitions (don’t dump clunky quotations into your paragraphs…work them into your writing!)
Every sentence and paragraph serve to develop and support the thesis
Each body paragraph has a clear topic sentence. THE FIRST SENTENCE OF EACH BODY PARAGRAPH HAS A SENTENCE THAT SETS UP HOW THAT CHUNK OF INFORMATION FITS WITH YOUR THESIS!! Think of it as a miniaturized thesis just for that body paragraph.
Essay is disorganized and/or disjointed
Limited or no transitions make the information choppy or jumping around = hard to follow ideas
Lack of connections makes essay more a collection of unrelated thoughts or information
Not all information serves the essay topic and thesis
Use of Language Well written, good vocabulary—accurately uses historical terms, proper spelling, grammar, mechanics, plus a Non-Boring, Original Title that Connects to a Key Point in Your Essay!! Is not something blah like the name of your author!! It sure as heck isn’t “Research Paper”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Writing is simplistic, and errors detract from meaning
Professionalism
Comes prepared on Peer Review Day and responds to any other process workshop or check in.
Paper is typed, double-spaced, font size 12, 1-inch margins, 4 pages minimum (not including title page/bib page—NOTE: 3.5 pages does not equal 4!) and 6 pages maximum (it’s OK if you go over onto the next page), has footnotes (font size 10), has pages numbered with your last name in the header, has title page and bibliography that look exactly like the examples provided (spacing, place on the page, etc.); sources are cited correctly using Footnotes and Turabian/Chicago-style format. Heads up: the title page is NOT page 1!!! See link provided in Canvas for help with this!
Show me that you cared enough about your work that you carefully looked over the formatting examples that I provided.
Note: essay will automatically be screened by Turn It In when submitted digitally into Canvas. Make sure that any direct quotations have quotation marks around them and that you cite every, single source.
***If an e-book does not have page numbers, do the download as PDF option…that should have page numbers to put in your citations.
Note: a 4-page paper does not guarantee you a passing grade. Neither does a 6-page paper. You have to do adequate research and develop your ideas in your body paragraphs in order to do well on this assignment.
Does not come prepared on Peer Review Day
Does not follow format; falls short of minimum length
If you have any questions about what anything means in this rubric, reach out to Dr. Law or your IA for clarification! We want to see good papers, and we want you to do well. Ask about anything in here!
