Writing Objectives (or, What I’m Looking for in Every Essay) Please be sure that your essay includes a thesis (a main argument or statement of opinion) in the introductory paragraph. The introduction should also include the main points (at least three!) that you’re going to develop in the body of the essay (so, it has a sort of “road map” of the main points that you’re going to cover). Each of those main points should be supported and developed using quotations or examples from the readings. Essays should be a minimum of five paragraphs, including the introduction and conclusion, but your essay can certainly include more body paragraphs. This essay will be graded on its clarity, its arguments and its organization. I will look for a thesis statement in the introduction, a topic sentence in every paragraph and a strong conclusion that draws on the points you present in the body. The conclusion should be a separate paragraph that restates the thesis and drives your main arguments home. In those paragraphs, after you give me the topic sentence (the main point or idea of the paragraph) then flesh out that idea by offering reasons, examples, supporting quotations from the lecture or readings, etc. Each paragraph should contain information and evidence that supports your idea. You will use examples and quotations from the readings (your sources). Be sure to cite ALL of your primary and secondary sources and to use the correct MLA format for the Works Cited list (the bibliography) on an additional page at the end of your essay (that Works Cited page comes in addition to the 3-4 pages of the essay itself). So every time you have a quotation or example from the readings, follow that with a citation that shows me where you got that information. For a short essay, you don’t need to give citations in footnotes or endnotes, but can simply include a parenthetical citation. Be sure to include a citation (inside parentheses as shown in this online guide) for EVERY quotation you use in the paper, and for any specific examples, statistics/numbers, etc. Be sure to build your answer using evidence (material from both the lectures and reading assignments) to support a thesis, or argument, which should be presented at the beginning of the essay. Be careful also to keep careful control over your grammar and choice of language. You should draw upon the readings in particular, and use quotes and examples from the readings to build your discussion. When you quote from a reading assignment, please note the source in parentheses; for example, you could quote from page 110 of Family Fortunes and then write “(Family Fortunes, 110).”
Using the materials for units 2 and 3, please contrast and compare how gender shaped the formation of both the European bourgeoisie and the working class during the period of industrialization. You may want to include a discussion of how notions of gender shaped paid labor roles in each class; the distribution of power and work within the household; and how gender influenced aspects of lifestyle and habits in each class (you have more from “Family Fortunes” to work with on this last part, I realize); and contrast women’s work and roles in each class. Before you start writing, make sure that you understand what the bourgeoisie was (hint: NOT the working class!); you might want to review the definition at the start of Lecture 2.
