This assignment will prepare you for the Final Paper by initiating the research process and helping you map out specific events and developments which you will explore in depth in your paper. Review the instructions for the Final Paper laid out in Week Five of the online course or the Components of Course Evaluation section of the Course Guide before beginning this project. Note, that for the Final Paper you will need to discuss at least six specific events or developments related to your chosen topic

For this assignment, you will choose your topic and the six (or more) related events and developments that span the years 1865 to the present. You will then find one scholarly source related to each event or development plus two additional scholarly sources for a total of 8 scholarly sources in addition to your textbook. At least four of your scholarly sources must come from the Ashford Library and at least two of your sources must be primary sources. Primary sources are documents or artifacts that were created at the time of a historical event or by someone who personally experienced a historical event. Primary sources can be newspaper or magazine articles, books, letters, speeches, photographs, oral histories, paintings or any other record of a historical event. The best place to find scholarly sources is the Ashford Library’s research databases and ebook collection.

In a paragraph or two at the beginning of the paper, state your thesis and identify the events and developments you will discuss in your final paper and explain why you believe they are significant. Your thesis should be a one or two sentence summary of the main conclusions that you drew while researching your topic and that you will support in your paper by constructing a logical argument based on evidence (sources).

You will then create an annotated bibliography. To create an annotated bibliography, list each source in full APA reference format. Then, beneath each source write a brief (one or two paragraph) explanation of the important information in the source and how you plan to use it in your paper. The annotations must be in your own words. It is not acceptable to copy and paste the abstract or any other text. You must have annotations for all 8 sources.

Please notice that you have been provided with many wonderful primary and secondary sources in the required reading and recommended reading sections for each week. Feel free to use these sources when constructing your assignment. Please visit the Academic Research section on your Course Home page (accessible through the Student Responsibilities and Policies tab on the left navigation toolbar) to review what types of materials are not acceptable for academic, university level research.

This assignment must meet the following minimum requirements: 

• The paper must be three pages in length and formatted according to APA style. 
• You must use at least eight scholarly resources other than the textbook to support your claims. 
• You must use at least one scholarly source for each event or development plus two more scholarly sources for a total of 8 scholarly sources. 
• You must use at least two primary sources and at least four scholarly secondary sources from the Ashford Online Library. 
• You must provide a concise thesis statement. 
• You must provide a short (1-2 paragraphs) annotation for each source. 
• YouFinal Paper Understanding history can be more difficult than many people imagine. Historians concern themselves not only with what happened but with why it happened. They analyze and assess a variety of sources, including primary sources (ones created during the time period the historian is examining) and secondary sources (ones written by other historians after the period), to create their own interpretations of the past. For the Final Paper, students will not only learn about the past, but also experiment with the interpretive, analytical methodologies of the historian.

  Choose from one of the topics below and review its history from 1865 to the present. Select six specific events or developments that span the years covered by this course, based on their impact on the topic and write a thesis. Your thesis should summarize the main conclusions that you drew while researching your topic and that you will support by creating a logical argument based on evidence (sources). In your paper, make sure to connect each of the events or developments you have chosen back to your main thesis

  For example, a paper about African Americans might choose the Harlem Renaissance and the Black Power Movement as two of its events. In that case, the paper would provide basic information about the two movements. It would explain what each one revealed about the role of African Americans in broader American society in, respectively, the 1920s and the late 1960s, explain how and why the roles of African Americans in the 1920s differed from their roles in the late 1960s, and explain how events in the 1920s may have contributed to developments in the later decade.

  Choose one of the following topics:

  1. Native Americans
  2. African Americans
  3. Immigrants
  4. Women
  5. Foreign affairs
  6. Civil liberties
  7. The economy
  8. The role and powers of the presidency

  The paper must be eight to ten pages in length and formatted according to APA style. The paper must include an introduction, a thesis and a conclusion that synthesizes and summarizes the findings of the body paragraphs. You must use at least eight scholarly sources other than the textbook to support your claims. Of the eight scholarly sources, at least two must be primary sources and at least four must be from the Ashford Library. Many great sources have provided for you in the recommended readings section for each week; feel free to use those in your paper. Cite your sources within the text of your paper and on the reference page. For information regarding APA, including samples and tutorials, visit the Ashford Writing Center, located within the Learning Resources tab on the left navigation toolbar, in your online course.

  Writing the Final Paper

  The Final Paper:

  1. Must be eight to ten double-spaced pages in length, and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
  2. Must include a title page with the following:
     1. Title of paper
     2. Student’s name
     3. Course name and number
     4. Instructor’s name
     5. Date submitted
  3. Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.
  4. Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
  5. Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.
  6. Must use at least eight scholarly resources, including a minimum of two primary sources (such as those that are linked throughout the course) and four secondary sources from the Ashford Online Library. 
  7. Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
  8. Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

  Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.. must cite your sources within the text of your paper and on the reference page.