Writing Assignment Guidelines – AMH3540, Spring 2017

Throughout the semester, we will be reading and discussing a number of scholarly texts related
to the study of American military history. Historiography is the study of how historians write
about the past, based on evidence and critical analysis, and is the basis for the academic
discipline of history.

Your writing assignments in this course will be based in your own historiographical analysis of
the texts used in class. Developing strong writing and critical thinking skills is an essential
component of historical education, and these writing prompts have been structured to help you
synthesize and analyze the topics and readings covered in class.

Throughout the semester, you will be required to submit THREE 1000-word essays, each using
no fewer than THREE assigned readings for the course. One of those readings may come
from the textbook, but the others must be from the individual articles or book excerpts assigned.

When writing your essay, consider primarily what the historians are arguing, what kind of
evidence they use to back up their conclusions, and how their individual arguments relate
to one another. Do the authors seem to be in agreement? Do they contradict one another? Are
they using separate categories of analysis (e.g., one author may focus on evidence related to
gender, while another might be more interested in foreign relations/diplomacy)? Reading the
prompt carefully, asking these sorts of questions, and finding answers and evidence in your
analysis of the text(s) will provide the basis of a good paper.

All papers must use Chicago Manual of Style formatting for bibliographies/works cited, as well
as citations/footnotes. DO NOT QUOTE OR PARAPHRASE A SOURCE WITHOUT
PROPERLY CITING IT – failure to do so is considered plagiarism and will be dealt with
according to University guidelines (see syllabus for more information).

Make sure that your paper has been adequately copy edited and re-read for content, style, and
accuracy of citations! If you are having trouble, please come see me in my office hours and I will
be happy to help you. Additionally, Florida State provides numerous resources to assist
students with writing assignments at the Reading-Writing Center on campus. You can find
out more about their services here: http://wr.english.fsu.edu/Reading-Writing-Center

Papers are due at the beginning of class on the due dates indicated in your syllabus. All students
must submit a digital copy of their work to Turnitin as well as a stapled hard copy by the start
of class. Failure to submit a hard copy or digital copy of the writing assignment will result
in an AUTOMATIC 10-point reduction from your grade – don’t lose points needlessly by
not following directions!

Please make sure you are accurately following the writing prompt provided, and that your
work is written with the rubric guidelines provided. This rubric will serve as the basis for
how I grade all of your papers over the course of the semester, and provides specific information
about the manner in which points are allotted for your assignments. If you have specific
questions about the prompt or rubric, you are responsible for seeking clarification from the
course instructor to ensure that all directions are followed.

WE WILL DISCUSS THE PAPER ASSIGNMENTS IN DEPTH IN CLASS ON

THURSDAY, 1/19. PLEASE COME PREPARED WITH QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT
HAVE.
Writing Assignment Prompts
Paper #1 (mandatory prompt, due in class on 2 February):
Based on your readings on war though 1865, is there evidence of a uniquely “American” way of
war? What characteristics of these early conflicts help support or reject this notion? You might
consider indigenous warfare, the influence of military theorists, or social conditions that shaped
(or did not shape) American ways of war.

Paper #2 (choose one of two prompts, due in class 23 March):

How did participation in the World Wars impact American society at home and abroad?
Consider changes regarding race, gender, and class in your answer.

OR

How did science and technology affect the ways in which military operations were conducted
between the end of World War I and the end of World War II? Consider in your answer the
impact of chemical weapons, international law regarding wartime conduct, and the development
of the atomic bomb, among other factors you consider most significant.

Paper #3 (choose one of two prompts, due in class 18 April):

How did American ideas about the U.S. military and its role in both domestic and international
spheres change during the Cold War? What caused these shifts? Consider in your answer both
official foreign policy and military activity.

OR

How would you define the primary function of international law after 1945 in guiding both
official policy and the personal conduct of individual soldiers in the field? What were the
primary laws or events that shaped these ideas? Consider especially the major changes that
happened between 1945 and the end of the Cold War that influenced American ideas regarding
“just war” theory, the role of civilians, POWs and other protected groups, and the international
bodies that govern these spheres (e.g., the United Nations, International Criminal Court).
Name:___________________________________
Score:___________/100

Writing Assignment Rubric

AMH 3540-Military History of the United States

Argument/Thesis
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
 The student presents a strong and clear thesis statement in direct response to the
prompted question

Content
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
 Content is factually correct
 Content is relevant to answering the prompted question

Sources
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
 At least three assigned sources are cited
 No more than one source has come from the textbook

Analysis
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
 Reflects critical thinking and analysis of sources

Self-Contained
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
 The paper stands well on its own, and its subject is apparent to the reader

Spelling/Grammar
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
 Paper is free of grammatical and spelling errors

Vocabulary/Style
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
 Author uses proper vocabulary and avoids jargon, slang, and clichés

Format
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
 Paper is stapled, in order, and has page numbers
 Paper is double-spaced in Times New Roman, size 12 font, with 1 inch margins

Length
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
 Total word count (not including bibliography) falls between 900-1100 words

Citations
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
 Sources are properly cited using Chicago Manual of Style