43.329 Childhood in Pre-modern Europe
Prof. Carlsmith, UML Spring 2007
Guidelines for Primary Source Paper
This assignment is intended to give you additional experience at analyzing a historical primary source about childhood in pre-modern Europe. Please ask the professor if you have additional questions.
Choosing a Source: You may either identify a primary source on your own, or you may use one of those listed on the Primary Source Bibliography. Identifying useful primary sources is an essential skill for historians, and by looking beyond the prepared list you might find something that more closely matches your own interest. The Internet is one place to look, but you are encouraged to consult with the Reference librarian and with Prof. Carlsmith. You may not use a source which we will be reading for class (unless you read a different excerpt of that source; for example, you could choose other sections of Abelard or Dominici). The source you choose must be rich enough (and long enough) to merit analysis; prior experience suggests a minimum of 10-15 pages. A bonus of 10 points will be awarded if you choose a primary source in a language other than English.
The Analysis: Each primary sources poses different issues, and each student will bring a different focus to that source. Thus there is no “right” question/answer that applies to each paper. Some general questions that you might consider include the following:
• Who is the author, and what expertise does s/he have about children?
• In what context (i.e., when/where/why) was this document written?
• Who was the intended audience?
• What are the main ideas of this source with regard to children?
• Does this source reflect any earlier ideas (e.g., Aristotle, Cicero, Augustine, et al)?
• Does this primary source build upon the work of others, or strike off in a bold new direction?
• How does this document compare with other primary sources, and/or with the secondary sources that we have read?
Due Date: The paper is due in class on Monday, Apr 2, 2007. No other reading is due that week.
Length: No specific requirement exists—the paper should be long enough to offer a substantive analysis of the primary source. 5-7 pages is probably a ballpark estimate.
Citations: In this assignment, you are expected to refer to the primary source using some kind of footnote. These may be parenthetical citations (i.e., MLA style, as in your English or Psychology classes) or regular footnotes (i.e, Chicago style, as in other History classes). The first citation should be a full citation, including author, title, publishing info, translator, etc. Subsequent citations may be abbreviated. References to secondary sources should also use the same kind of citation as for the primary source. For further information about citation, you can consult the UML Library homepage, at http://www.uml.edu/Libraries/Create_Bibliography/q-cite.html.
Style: The paper must be typed in 10- or 12-point font, with one-inch margins and double-spaced lines. Paragraphs should be indented five spaces. Do not add extra lines between paragraphs. Include your name, and the page number, on each page. A title page is not necessary. If you include a bibliography, that must appear on a separate, numbered page at the end of the paper. If you include footnotes (and you should), each footnote should include the author, title, and page number of the source being cited. Footnotes are cited in sequential order throughout the paper. For further information, consult the Style Sheet on Prof. Carlsmith’s website.