Overview
Here is a google drive link, which contains ALL the sources from the entire course including primary sources, secondary sources, and lecture slides, as well as templates on how to write a good thesis statement, how to write your essay, and how to properly cite your sources. You will use this to write your essay: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1HTw7xA4imU...
See "example of another student's work" I put in the google drive link so you have an idea of what your essay should look like. Make sure to read through all the PDF's I attached regarding "Thesis Statements," "How to Structure an Essay" and "How to Cite Sources and use Footnotes" because the teacher is VERY PICKY about this.
Your essays should:
Basics
- have a cover sheet with the following elements:
- full name
- ID number
- the number of the prompt you selected (see below)
- your paper title (Make sure to pick a good one that explains my essay)
- have no identifying markers or information beyond the cover sheet (i.e. don’t put your name, perm number, and paper title at the top of the page above your introductory paragraph)
Mechanics
- feature a well-developed introduction featuring a clearly worded and underlined thesis statement (or central argument)[1] PICK A VERY GOOD THESIS STATEMENT. Teacher is very picky on this.
- use both secondary (including lectures I attached in the google drive) and primary source readings from 4 OR MORE WEEKS (with an adequate engagement with a bare minimum of 7 secondary and 13 primary sources)
- Make sure to use different sources from at least 4 or more weeks, which are all on the google drive link above. The purpose of this essay is to show your understand of the overall course material.
- use Chicago Style citations (i.e. footnotes)[2]
- be at least 6 (but no more than 8) full pages in length[3] MAKE IT ALMOST 8 FULL PAGES
- be double-spaced
- use 1-inch margins on all sides
- use Times New Roman in font size 12
Polishings
- be spellchecked and polished
- include a bibliography on a separate page at the very end of your papers, with separate sections for secondary and primary sources
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Your essays will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
- strength of your central argument
- your use of sources—including secondary but especially primary sources—as evidence in support of your argument
- quality of analysis and engagement with our sources (i.e. what do your sources show in regard to your central argument?)
- the larger stakes / situating in context (i.e. “This argument is important / significant because ...”)
- a consideration of change over time
- quality of structure and prose (i.e. polish and sparkle in proofreading)
ESSAY TOPIC/THEME OPTIONS (choose 1 to make your essay about, and make sure to display which one you chose in the cover page)
Option 1: “Freedom”
At the end of World War II, with the destruction of the so-called “Fascist Bloc,” Europe was divided between two divergent sociopolitical ideologies: liberal democracy in the West, and communism in the East. Throughout the Cold War, both Western Europeans (along with their American partners) and the Soviets deployed contrasting notions of “freedom” from the other side’s so-called “tyranny.” What were both sides’ working definitions for “freedom”? Freedom for what? Freedom from what? And freedom for whom? Finally, what role, if any, did these contrasting definitions play within the Cold War’s conclusion during the early 1990s?
Option 2: “Domination”
Despite their mutually exclusive claims to pursuing “liberation” for their respective citizenries, both Western European countries (along with the United States) and the Soviet Union engaged in various forms of (in)direct domination during the post-World War II decades within and beyond the boundaries of Europe. What were the stated purposes, or objectives, of these programs of domination and subjugation? And in what ways were they rationalized, or justified?
Option 3: “Progress”
Compared to the years immediately following the end of World War II, Europe – from West to East – not only rebuilt its destroyed cities, its various governments sought to develop new types of societies motivated largely by contrasting notions of “progress.” Thus, Western Europeans pursued “liberal democracy with a social conscience,” allowing for economic and political competition within specific legal boundaries, while the Soviets developed a “classless,” cooperative society, purportedly “free” from the antagonisms of capitalism and the perennial chaos pluralistic politics. What did “progress” mean for both sides? And what sacrifices, or downsides, were considered necessary by both Western and Eastern Europeans in the building of their respective “progressive” societies?
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Cover page and bibliography do NOT count as the page count for overall essay.
****- PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make sure to grammar and spell check the entire paper. I notice there are a lot of mistakes sometimes that I have to go back and fix.
*************DO NOT USE any type of AI, ChatGpt, etc. NOTHING! This must be 100% in your own words. Make sure that it is 0% detectable on ALL AI detectors because the teacher will check and so will I. The teacher knows all these works like the back of her hand, so she will know if you are making something up or leaving something out. Some of the AI detectors I will use to detect for AI are, but not limited to, GPTzero, Grammarly, Quilbot, Copyleaks, zerogpt, etc. So please make sure there is absolutely no AI use.****************