Native American History – “New Worlds For All” Book Report.
Native American History – “New Worlds For All” Book Report
New Worlds for All Book Essay Description Book essays are the mechanism that historians use to evaluate monographs (books) published within their specialty. They make an argument about the author’s interpretation. The most important element of this essay is that it is a commentary, not merely a summary. It allows you to enter into dialogue and discussion with the work’s creator and with other audiences in that field of history. That dialogue is the essence of historiography. The elements contained in book essay include: a concise description of the book’s structure and a summary of the content including a relevant description of the topic. a discussion of the overall perspective, argument, or purpose of the book. an examination of the source material used, particularly the author’s use of primary sources. an explanation of how the work clarifies United States history. Instructions Read the book. Use the following sets of questions as a guide: Who is the author? Nationality, political persuasion, training, intellectual interests, personal history, and historical context may provide crucial details about how a work takes shape. What is the thesis—or main argument—of the book? If the author wanted you to get one idea from the book, what would it be? How does it compare or contrast to the world you know? What has the book accomplished? How does the author support her argument? What evidence does s/he use to prove her point? What does this book add to the study of that topic? How has this book helped you understand the subject? Once you have made your observations and assessments of the work, carefully survey your notes and attempt to unify your impressions into a statement that will describe the purpose or thesis of your essay. Develop an argument using specific evidence from the book. Point to examples from the work, using quotes from the text, that highlight the important parts. Organize your argument and evidence and draft your essay in Microsoft Word or Google Docs to prevent the loss of your work due to a technical malfunction. Use the bibliographic entry listed above as the “title” (headnote). Most book essays are organized similarly with an introduction that introduces the argument of the essay, the author, and their argument, a body of evidence to support the argument of the essay that summarizes the work and draws on specific details, such as quotes or paraphrases, from sections of the book as examples, and a conclusion that reiterates the argument of the essay and explain what it has contributed to United States history. Be sure to cite the page number in parentheses of for quotes or paraphrases used from the work. Book essays must be at least 750 words.