ONLY SIGHT USING THE ARISTOPHANES BOOK As for any of the topics any which you pi
ONLY SIGHT USING THE ARISTOPHANES BOOK
As for any of the topics any which you pick is fine. Thank You
Choose one of the following topics.
Topic 1. Using information from the plays and the assigned introductions, examine Aristophanes’ attitudes toward democracy as he expressed them in Acharnians and Lysistrata in order to consider whether the Peloponnesian War undermined support for democracy in Athens. In particular, you should consider whether Aristophanes’ was an opponent of democracy as a system of governance in Athens or merely critical of its implementation in Athens.
Topic 2. Using information from the plays and the assigned introductions, examine Aristophanes’ critique of sophists in the Clouds in order to highlight the threats that sophists posed to Athens during the 420s BCE when Athens was at war with Sparta. In particular, you should consider how Aristophanes portrayed the influence of demagogues in Athenian politics and what the sophists’ influence on such demagogues was.
Topic 3. Using evidence from the assigned readings in Genesis and Exodus along with information provided by Brooks (textbook), examine the types of covenants described and how they reflected the concerns of the ancient Hebrews. In particular, you should consider what God offered the Hebrews and the sacrifices that they had to make for His support.
Topic 4. Using both the preamble to the code and specific laws, along with information provided by Brooks (textbook), explain how the Code of Hammurabireinforced his authority over his empire. In particular, you should consider how the code promoted his right to rule and encouraged social and economic stability across his empire.
Important Instructions
Using one of these questions as a prompt, write an analytical essay. Formulate a thesis, present evidence, and suggest a conclusion based on your analysis. Avoid narration. Analyze the subject matter at hand. Stay within the 750-word limit, which does not include footnotes, title and bibliography. Use page numbers. Double-space your essay. Include a title that reflects your thesis. For more information on writing an analytical essay, please visit the History Department page about that topic and review the grading rubric that I use to evaluate your paper.
To receive full credit you must place the electronic version of the paper in either MS Word, or Adobe pdf file format into the course dropbox by the due date listed above. Please avoid waiting until the last minute to write this short paper assignment. Please do not submit your pages in either Apple Pages or Google Docs format as they will not render in Canvas. You need to convert them to pdf or MS Word files before placing them in the dropbox.
You should rely entirely on the assigned readings from the class. Please consult with me if you want to include sources beyond the assigned readings. The purpose of this assignment is that you can read and interpret the assigned readings by using historical context provided in the readings and the lectures.. Avoid using Wikipedia or other internet-based sources. First and foremost, you should demonstrate familiarity with the assigned readings in the syllabus related to your topic. If you use a source beyond the assigned readings, make sure that you include it in both a footnote and a works-cited page. Although I am more concerned with consistency and clarity in footnoting rather than conforming to a particular style, you can find specific examples of how to cite a history paper in the History Department instructions about referencing sources helpful.
Writers always have to cite a direct quote or ideas taken from a source. Furthermore, it is often useful to cite facts from a source in order to lend authority to evidence that supports your analysis. If you use a source and fail to cite it, you may fail the course and face an honor code hearing. Please avoid that scenario.
Please use footnotes to cite your sources. Historians generally use the Chicago style. However, because we are relying entirely on the assigned editions of the readings, as long as you provide the author’s name and location information (page number, line number, or chapter number if neither of the former are available), that is sufficient information for the footnotes on this assignment.
Suggestions
Writing ideas: The biggest problem that I encounter in undergraduate papers is the lack of a thesis. To overcome this weakness, I encourage you to consider the key factors that will address the topic at hand. Let’s call these factors “analytical categories.” Usually these categories are the topics that you are going to use to analyze the subject matter at hand. Next, arrange those analytical categories in a logical sequence by considering how they are interconnected. This step will help you identify the organizing logic of your essay. For example, if one factor influences the development of others, you probably want to start with that analytical category. Next, formulate a single sentence that connects those factors together in that logical sequence. See if that works as a thesis statement. If it does, then arrange your essay around supporting that statement. If it does not, seek help from the writing center either online or at one of several locations across campus. Use the logic of your thesis statement to interconnect paragraphs throughout the essay. Finally, when you arrive at your conclusion, it should be a logical extension of the essay. Avoid conclusions that merely restate what you have already said. Instead, use the conclusion to emphasize the significance of what your essay has demonstrated.
I encourage you to write a rough draft of your paper as soon as possible. You should take advantage of the writing center in the library. They offer free advice on how to improve your grammar, punctuation, word choices, and overall clarity of expression. I consider these features of the paper very heavily when I grade your paper. To obtain an idea of the types of problems that I often find on papers, review this list of common writing problems and the codes that I use to identify them. You should write this paper as if you are trying to impress someone with your command of the English language because that is essentially what I am asking you to do.
I will grade the papers according to your use of evidence, your writing mechanics, and your analytical abilities. For a more detailed understanding of these points, please read the history department’s guidelines and review the paper grading rubric. Those guidelines are particularly helpful because they address the features of a formal writing that will be used to evaluate your writing. I consider those guidelines and especially that rubric when I grade your paper, which should appear formal and professional.
Finally, I encourage you to write succinctly. The maximum length for this paper is 750 words, approximately two and a half pages. By padding your paper with lengthy quotations and then failing to analyze the material at hand, you will inevitably dilute the content of the paper and achieve an unsatisfactory grade. I also encourage you to read materials very carefully and consider them in light of other readings and the lectures. If you have any questions about this assignment, you should not hesitate to contact me at your earliest convenience.
