Guidelines for the Final Paper

The Final Paper for the course will be an investigation of a historical event or period and an discussion of the "imperalistic" elements contained therein. The paper will by nature deal with the student's view of what is, or is not, "imperialism" and should strive of some generalized definition of the phenomenon.

The student is expected to demonstrate detailed knowledge of the subject matter chosen. The level of "detail" will vary depending on the scope of the paper — a paper dealing with "The Crusades" will have a broader scope of "detail" than once dealing with Napoleon's seizure of the Duc d'Enghien or Hitler's attack on Poland.

The paper should demonstrate:

1. A knowledge of the subject matter, free of factual error.

2. An intelligent discussion of the aspects of the subject matter that elucidate the student's thesis on the definition of "imperialism".

3. An introduction stating the topic and thesis; a body, containing an exposition of the factual material interwoven with the thesis; and a conclusion, summarizing the argument.

As always, some thought is expected, good writing is appreciated, and correct grammar is required.