. DESCRIBE THE MAIN SUBJECT AND ITS SCOPE IN TERMS OF TIME AND PLACE IN HISTORY. PART II
Part I
Briefly summarize the book. Describe the main subject and its scope in terms of
time and place in history.
Part II
Identify and expand upon the book’s main argument or the overarching themes that
emerge to interpret the book’s subject.
Part III
Discuss the book in relation to other history books, including textbooks you may
have read, or to conventional understandings of United States history more broadly.
Specifically state how the book challenges or supports existing historical knowledge,
or introduces a subject that has received little or no attention. What does the book
contribute to our understanding of history?
Part IV
Focus in on the quality of the book in itself. Does the author adequately support
their claims with evidence? If so, what types of evidence or examples did you find
convincing? If not, what kind of evidence or examples would you need to have seen
to be more convinced? Briefly discuss the aesthetic quality of the book. Is the
author’s writing style enjoyable? Does the narrative build anticipation or merely
recount events. Be specific about what did and did not work and why.
Part V
Conclude by summarizing Part II-IV.