Evidence-Based Writing – Compare and Contrast to Primary sources

Evidence-Based Writing – Compare and Contrast to Primary sources

This assignment will focus on developing the skill of “evidence-based writing.” You will compare and contrast two primary sources
related to the course. The first source you can select from the course readings assigned between the renaissance and the first
industrial revolution. The second (from the same period) you can choose from a list of provided sources.
Instructions
In this assignment, you will compare and contrast the sources of your two authors and their primary sources. This assignment is
NOT a research paper based on secondary sources, but a careful reading of primary sources. You must reference the textbook and
the lectures to establish the context, but do not quote outside secondary sources. Your evidence must come from primary sources.
All primary source readings are on the course Blackboard. Your paper should attempt to explain the main point of the text and
incorporate the course themes in the essay. Look for texts that have contradictory positions on a given subject. In the case where a
text is short, you will want to have more than one reading to support an idea on one side of the argument and one or more on the
other. On the other hand, many texts are over 10 pages and represent an idea well; thus, using only two contrasting sources fulfills
the assignment. Every paper MUST have at least TWO authors & their texts.
Formatting and Requirements:
“Evidence-based writing”: Each paper should be 3 pages in length (1000-words). Formatting should include one-inch margins, a
standard 12-point font, and double spacing. Each response must quote several times (minimum three per source) from each
primary source as evidence, using footnotes (Chicago Manual of Style, CMS). Always clearly state your claim/ idea first, and then
quote from the source, then interpret the evidence considering your claim & idea in the paragraph.