For this paper, you will be examining increasing interconnection between peoples and places throughout
the Early Modern and Modern Periods. Below is a list (but not exhaustive) of some societies or regions
you could choose. Using both primary and scholarly secondary sources, you will examine the impact,
influence, and effect that contact and connection had between these two societies or places. Start with
research, and let your interests and the available sources guide your choices. Do not choose two
neighboring countries with a longstanding history of interaction before the early modern period.
Your paper structure should be the following:
A description (3-5 pages, approximately 900 to 1200 words) of the two regions or societies you
have selected. This is the historical background and context for analyzing interaction. Think
about the 5 W’s. Consider:
o Who the major ethnic, linguistic, or religious groups were in this time period
o Where the major cities or peoples were located, or where the capital and general
boundaries of the region were
o When a society began or was founded, when they are generally considered to have
peaked, and when any major political or social shifts were
o Why the region or society is important to the study of world history in the early modern
or modern period
An analysis (5-7 pages, approximately 1500-2100 words) of the interactions between the two
societies or regions, including any lasting long-term effects up to present day. Do NOT talk solely
about present day – we must see change over time. You will be leaning heavily on the
information you can glean from your primary and scholarly sources to inform your writing.
Obviously, after you have done sufficient research you need to develop a thesis, a coherent
argument that relates to the information you have found pertaining to the interactions between
these societies or regions.
If you feel that you have a good idea for your term paper that does not quite fit these guidelines,
feel free to speak to me personally. I am willing to grant exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
Paper Requirements
1) Papers should be 2500-3200 words in length, double spaced, in 12 point Times New Roman or Calibri
font, and with 1” margins all around. The word count does not include a title page, pictures, captions,
graphs, or your bibliography.
2) You must use at least TWO credible primary sources in your paper, ideally one from each area you are
studying. Having multiple perspectives is key in attempting to view interactions objectively. We will go
over some good places to start primary source research. Any primary source held in an academic library
collection will likely be considered credible.
Papers without at least two primary sources will receive a grade no higher than D.
3) You MUST use at least two academically appropriate sources other than the textbook. This includes
scholarly books and articles in peer-reviewed journals. Encyclopedia articles are useful for greater
background information, but do not count toward your two additional sources. Wikipedia DOES NOT
COUNT AS AN ENCYCLOPEDIA, nor does New World Encyclopedia. JSTOR.org is one of your best
resources for this, as is our own Paul Horgan Library.
Papers without at least two academically appropriate sources will receive a grade no higher than D.
4) In general, most websites are NOT appropriate sources for an academic research paper. If you think
you have found an exception, please contact me personally and we will discuss whether you should use
information from the website while writing your paper.
Papers with a significant amount of information pulled from non-academically appropriate sources
will receive a grade no higher than D.
A description (3-5 pages, approximately 900 to 1200 words) of the two regions or societies you
have selected. This is the historical background and context for analyzing interaction. Think
about the 5 W’s. Consider:
o Who the major ethnic, linguistic, or religious groups were in this time period
o Where the major cities or peoples were located, or where the capital and general
boundaries of the region were
o When a society began or was founded, when they are generally considered to have
peaked, and when any major political or social shifts were
o Why the region or society is important to the study of world history in the early modern
or modern period
An analysis (5-7 pages, approximately 1500-2100 words) of the interactions between the two
societies or regions, including any lasting long-term effects up to present day. Do NOT talk solely
about present day – we must see change over time. You will be leaning heavily on the
information you can glean from your primary and scholarly sources to inform your writing.
Obviously, after you have done sufficient research you need to develop a thesis, a coherent
argument that relates to the information you have found pertaining to the interactions between
these societies or regions.
If you feel that you have a good idea for your term paper that does not quite fit these guidelines,
feel free to speak to me personally. I am willing to grant exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
Paper Requirements
1) Papers should be 2500-3200 words in length, double spaced, in 12 point Times New Roman or Calibri
font, and with 1” margins all around. The word count does not include a title page, pictures, captions,
graphs, or your bibliography.
2) You must use at least TWO credible primary sources in your paper, ideally one from each area you are
studying. Having multiple perspectives is key in attempting to view interactions objectively. We will go
over some good places to start primary source research. Any primary source held in an academic library
collection will likely be considered credible.
Papers without at least two primary sources will receive a grade no higher than D.
3) You MUST use at least two academically appropriate sources other than the textbook. This includes
scholarly books and articles in peer-reviewed journals. Encyclopedia articles are useful for greater
background information, but do not count toward your two additional sources. Wikipedia DOES NOT
COUNT AS AN ENCYCLOPEDIA, nor does New World Encyclopedia. JSTOR.org is one of your best
resources for this, as is our own Paul Horgan Library.
Papers without at least two academically appropriate sources will receive a grade no higher than D.
4) In general, most websites are NOT appropriate sources for an academic research paper. If you think
you have found an exception, please contact me personally and we will discuss whether you should use
information from the website while writing your paper.
Papers with a significant amount of information pulled from non-academically appropriate sources
will receive a grade no higher than D.
5) PLAGIARISM IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. Plagiarism is passing off someone else’s ideas or words as
your own. Please paraphrase, quote, and cite responsibly. You must cite ALL ideas and information, NOT
just direct quotes. Cadets will be given a grade of 0 (ZERO) for any assignment that they have found to
have plagiarized all or part of, as well as likely suffer other consequences. For a useful resource on
avoiding plagiarism, see https://wts.indiana.edu/writing-guides/pdf/plagiarism.pdf. Papers will be
uploaded to Canvas and checked by Turnitin for plagiarism.
6) Your paper will be due 8 April. You will be turning in various stages of your paper as well, such as an
annotated bibliography, preliminary notes, outlines, and a rough draft. Late work, from any stage of the
writing process, will only be accepted under extreme circumstances.
7) All sources MUST be cited. MLA or Chicago-style notes and bibliography are acceptable. You must
cite ALL facts, information, and ideas – NOT just direct quotations. Take thorough notes.
Papers missing a significant number of citations will receive a grade no higher than D.
your own. Please paraphrase, quote, and cite responsibly. You must cite ALL ideas and information, NOT
just direct quotes. Cadets will be given a grade of 0 (ZERO) for any assignment that they have found to
have plagiarized all or part of, as well as likely suffer other consequences. For a useful resource on
avoiding plagiarism, see https://wts.indiana.edu/writing-guides/pdf/plagiarism.pdf. Papers will be
uploaded to Canvas and checked by Turnitin for plagiarism.
6) Your paper will be due 8 April. You will be turning in various stages of your paper as well, such as an
annotated bibliography, preliminary notes, outlines, and a rough draft. Late work, from any stage of the
writing process, will only be accepted under extreme circumstances.
7) All sources MUST be cited. MLA or Chicago-style notes and bibliography are acceptable. You must
cite ALL facts, information, and ideas – NOT just direct quotations. Take thorough notes.
Papers missing a significant number of citations will receive a grade no higher than D.