WORLD HISTORY / Europe in the World

Task
This essay assesses your ability to construct an argument.  It is based on the lectures, tutorial discussions and dossier readings from Weeks 6-13.  You must formulate an argument in response to ONE of the following questions:

1.    Was the Renaissance a European or a global phenomenon?

OR

2.    How did the European colonisation of the Americas in the early modern period (c.1500-1700) impact the peoples and societies of the Atlantic world?

OR

3.    Why did official attitudes to pirates change in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries?

OR

4.    How did the Age of Revolutions (c. 1760-1840) transform the Atlantic world?

OR

5.    To what extent were World War I and World War II conflicts between and over empires? How did this period of global war witness a shift in the international balance of power?

OR

6.    Is ‘globalisation’ a recent phenomenon?

List of Requirements

1.    The essay must be no more than 1500 words in length (excluding bibliography and in-text referencing).
2.    The essay must consist of an introduction, main body, and conclusion, and it must also have a coherent structure.
3.    The essay must contain an argument, which is clearly outlined and appropriately supported.  It must build a strong case rather than simply present a list of facts.
4.    All sources used in your response must be cited appropriately and listed IN FULL in a bibliography.
5.    You must use a 12 sources.  You may use sources from the Dossier, but only 2 Dossier sources can count towards your total number of sources.
6.    Unacceptable sources include lecture notes, encyclopaedias, and unverifiable internet sources (e.g. Wikipedia).
7.    Each essay must be written in at least 12 point font, with appropriate margins and at least 1½ spacing.

PLAGIARISM will result in an AUTOMATIC FAIL for this assessment item

Marking Criteria
In assessing this essay, academic staff will be looking for demonstrated effort, skills and ability in the following areas:
1.    CONTENT: Is the information accurate?  Is it relevant to the question?  Is there evidence of breadth of reading?
2.    UNDERSTANDING: Is there a coherent response to the question?  Have the sources used been well understood?  Is there evidence of judgement of the significance of material?
3.    ARGUMENT: Has a plausible argument been constructed in response to the question?  Is the argument persuasively made and appropriately supported?
4.    STRUCTURE and ORGANISATION: Is there a coherent structure?  Is there a logical sequence of ideas?
5.    EXPRESSION: Is the essay well written?  Does the writing display fluency, clarity and grammatical correctness?
6.    REFERENCING: Have the sources been cited according to appropriate scholarly conventions?  Is the bibliography correctly formatted?

CREDIT:
To obtain this level, the essay must develop a plausible argument in response to the question.  The argument will demonstrate that the appropriate historical context has been clearly understood, and it will be supported by scholarly sources outside of the dossier.  The writing will possess a coherent structure and a greater degree of fluency.  The sources used must be cited appropriately and appear in a bibliography.

DISTINCTION:
This level will be reached if the essay constructs a plausible and sustained argument in response to the question.  The argument will be logical; it will exhibit excellent understanding of the appropriate historical context; and it will be supported by a number of scholarly sources, well integrated with the rest of the writing.  It will also have a coherent and effective structure.  The prose will demonstrate a high level of fluency and grammatical accuracy.  The sources used must be cited appropriately and appear in a bibliography.

HIGH DISTINCTION:
To achieve this level, the essay must meet all of the criteria for a DISTINCTION, plus the argument must be persuasive.  It must demonstrate a breadth of reading, and may utilise a combination of primary and secondary sources.  All sources must be skilfully integrated into the main analysis.  The argument will have a superior, cogent structure, which builds up to a substantive conclusion.  Fluency will be excellent: the prose will be precise and lucid.  The bibliography will also be of excellent standard.