HIS330: United States History between World Wars

 

Albert Bender, Poster for the CCC (1934)

 

Paper #3: 1930s

 

Due                 Topic & Outline:         Wednesday, November 15th 

 

Note:               You have an option of    (1) writing a shorter research paper and a take-home exam.

                                                  OR        (2) writing a longer research paper.  If you are a History Major, you will probably want to write the longer paper.

                       

                        Paper Due:                     Monday, November 27th (8-10 pages)

                                                  OR        Wednesday, December13th (20 pages)

 

Form               Papers must be typed, double-spaced, and have page numbers.  It must have a clearly stated thesis, a good title, and a conclusion that does something more than repeats the thesis.

 

                        You must use formal footnotes, and include a bibliographic list of references.  Refer to the following style guides:

*      Chicago Style

*      MLA Style

 

Topic              Choose your own topic that focuses on 1930s United States history.  You may make comparisons to the 1920s (and most topics will probably benefit from some comparisons), however your thesis and argument must be about the 1930s.  Pose yourself a question and answer it.  The question should be broad enough that it gets at something you deem significant and telling about the character of U.S. society (or an important aspect of it) during the Great Depression. 

 

                        You must first hand in a Topic & Outline.  This must include an Historical Question, a (tentative) Thesis Statement and argument.  Identify the sources you will use and the information you will use to support your argument.  Also, you must include transitions which link your points and establish the structure of the argument.  The outline should be about 2 pages.  The quality of the outline will affect the grade you receive on the paper. 

 

                        You must make use of course materials.  More importantly, you also must also make use of primary sources from the 1930s.  You must find these yourself. Anything produced in the period can count as a primary source.  I strongly prefer non-internet sources.  Magazine articles, memoirs, novels, film, journal or newspaper articles or advertisements, etc. are all reasonable sources.

 

                        This does not necessarily mean that your main argument depends on primary source material that you found on your own.  The primary material may be supplemental to the course material used to support your paper. 

 

 

Note:              Make sure that you ask a question for which you can offer an answer (argument) using the sources you intend on using.          

 

                        Feel free to stop by to discuss your topic during office hours.