It can be on any topic related to what we have been studying in class.
You are encouraged to explore a topic that interests you. Here are some examples:
– Compare and contrast the status of Chinese women under the Guomindang and Chinese Communist Party. Which party was more successful in promoting women’s rights and why?
– Was Lu Xun justified in his condemnations of Chinese traditional culture in his short stories? Why or why not?
– Should Soong Meiling be judged positively or negatively in Chinese history?
– Was Jung Chang’s portrayal of Mao Zedong and his policies fair in “Wild Swans?” Why or why not?
– What was Deng Xiaoping’s contribution to Chinese development? What were the positive and negative elements of his policies?
– Evaluate the relationship between China and the United States over the last twenty-five years? On what issues have their been cooperation and conflict?
– Assess the effectiveness of the “one-child policy.” Has it met its goals? What have been some of its social costs and unintended consequences?
– Choose your own topic
Details
Format: Double-spaced, 12 point font. Paper should have a title
Format: Double-spaced, 12 point font. Electronic file (. pdf, .docx, .doc, and .odt are acceptable) submission to Blackboard. Filename = “paper_yourlastname”
Citation style: Chicago, MLA, or APA
Criteria for Evaluation
Argument – The paper makes a clear statement on a question of historical interpretation. Logic used to prove the validity of the argument is persuasive. Describing events or explaining the obvious do not make a good argument. Remember that the best arguments start with a question that can be answered equally well in more than one way.
Sources – Evidence of effort in research. An even mix of books, academic articles, and web resources used to support argument. Since documents from the era in question are more persuasive than a present day historian’s opinion, most of the paper should be based on a thorough analysis of PRIMARY sources. As for the number of sources, one per page of the final paper is a good rule of thumb. Our course readings, especially the Documentary Collection will be your first stop for sources. For scholarly articles, I recommend using the JSTOR database available through our library at http://www.linfield.edu/linfield-libraries.html
Mechanics – Spelling, grammar, punctuation, and Chicago-style footnotes and bibliography are correct. The paper has a clear structure with a thesis statement, topic sentences for each paragraph, and smooth transitions that link one idea to the next, and a conclusion.
Style – Paper is a pleasure to read with a provocative topic related to the main themes of this course, elegant choice of words, and a vigorous writing style appropriate to a formal academic setting.
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