Directions:
Be sure to review the small group discussion requirements and grading policy in the class syllabus – including definition of and penalties for plagiarism – before beginning.:

Essays
1. Choose one (not one per chapter) of the following questions to answer for your essay. Each student in the group addresses a different question. Students who submit an essay late or answer a question that has already been claimed by another group member before all questions have been answered will receive reduced grades.

2. Announce your question by Thursday, December 5: Click on “Exam 1” above and select “Create Thread” to announce which question you will be answering. Put “Chapter ____, Question # _____” in the subject line. (This will help prevent multiple students answering one question and leaving others unanswered and reduce the time it takes to figure out who is answering which questions.)

3. Post your essay by Monday, December 9: Select “Reply” to your announcement and submit your initial post. (Selecting “Reply” will reduce the number of discussion threads and make it easier for you to complete your assignment.) The initial post must contain an introduction paragraph with a thesis statement, at least one body paragraph, and a conclusion paragraph. (minimum 525-600 words – roughly equivalent to 3/4 – 1 page, single spaced)
****Note: If you attach a file with your essay to the discussion board post, be sure to save your essay as a rich text or pdf file so everyone can read your essay. Not everyone has Microsoft Word.****

Replies
Respond to at least four classmates’ posts by Wednesday, December 11: You may address the same question or a different question for your replies. You may address classmates’ essays directly or another group members’ replies to essays. The purpose of the replies is to create substantive discussion about the subject material of the essay, as if you were sitting in a group together discussing the topic. (Consider the significance, impact, cause, effect, relevance to another topic studied in the class or to current events today, your own connection to the material…..) Replies are NOT to be literary or writing critiques. (minimum 125 words – roughly equivalent to one paragraph).

Reminder:
**The essay is worth one exam grade.
**Each of the four replies is worth 20 points, and the total score of the replies is worth one exam grade.

Exam Essay Rubric: Maximum Score = 100 Points (Equals One Exam Grade)

Historical Arguments:

• Strong thesis makes a claim connected to the body of the paper;
  At least three strong historical claims in the body of the paper 35-40 pts.
• Thesis makes a claim but there is not a clear connection to the
  body of the paper, and/or at least three adequate claims in the
  body of the paper 30-34 pts.
• Weak thesis or thesis is merely a factual statement; fewer than
  three adequate claims in body of paper 24-29 pts.
• No clear thesis; only factual statements in body of paper or no
  clear claims in body of paper 0-23 pts.

Historical Evidence

• Sufficient factual information supports claims throughout the
  paper; bibliography; sufficient citation in paper 35-40 pts.
• Some factual evidence but needs more or needs stronger connection
  between evidence and claims; adequate citation in paper 30-34 pts.
• Insufficient factual evidence / lack of clear connection between
  evidence and claims; insufficient citation 24-29 pts.
• Lacks historical facts; missing bibliography; lacks citation 0-23 pts.

Organization

• Clear organization with introduction, thesis statement, multiple body
  paragraphs, and conclusion; flow of paper is clear and comprehensible 10 pts.
• Missing 1-2 of the above 6-9 pts.
• Missing 3-4 of the above 3-5 pts.
• Lacks organization 0-2 pts.

Mechanics

• Good punctuation, capitalization, etc.; proper citation format 10 pts.
• Some errors 6-9 pts.
• Many errors 3-5 pts.
• Many errors / no citation format 0-2 pts.