week 10 assignment generic image ,” hist H u m a n i t i e s

Primo Levi’s “If This is a Man” (1947–published in the United States as “Survival in Auschwitz” presents a stark, and bleak, look at humanity. Levi was a Jewish Italian who was interned at the Nazi extermination camp of Auschwitz in Poland and was one of the few survivors.

Assignment: Write a thoughtful and well-written 1-2 pages (about 250-500 words) historical analysis and please try to submit the assignment by the end of Week 10 (Sunday, November 1st) if possible (you can still submit it after that).

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Expectations: 1-2 pages (about 250-500s words) of clear and strong quality writing, definitely proofread!, using any appropriately cited evidence to support your interpretation.

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Topic: Individual/Collective Responsibility (“Complicity”)

“Complicity” means being part of something (either directly or indirectly).

Based on both your knowledge of modern world history and your study of World War I and World War II, I’d like you to consider this issue of complicity and collaboration and to make an argument regarding how we should approach people in world history who might not have led particular actions but nonetheless went along with actions that today we might condemn. Using the World Wars as a starting point, how should we approach individual and/collective responsibility in world history?

If you choose you can also link this to other events we’ve studied to compare or contrast.

[I appreciate that this might be a difficult topic to think and write about so, if you prefer, you can cover a slightly less intense topic: Was World War II continuation of World War I and a new “30 Year War?” Why or why not?]

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NOTE:

• *An informal citation using a webpage/artifact can appear in parentheses following your discussion of the artifact and looks like this: (Name the creator of the artifact if known, skip otherwise, first, “Name the object,” and if it is from a website use <url here>, finish with the date you accessed the page)
• Example: This joke has grown old so I am sticking with the previous format, “that History 3B’s Assignment 8 webpage contained a picture.” (Blake Johnson, “Week 10 Assignment Generic Image,” HIST-3B-35356-F20 Accessed [put date here]).

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Tips: You can (but don’t have to!) consider any of the following:

• Guilt: Is there such a thing as collective guilt/responsibility? What would be the necessary conditions?
• Reparations: What, if anything, should be done regarding making up for negative actions done to others? What would be the necessary conditions?
• Punishment: What, if anything, should be done to punish societies who engage in negative actions done to others? What would be the necessary conditions?
• Memory: How should historical “horrors” be remembered and communicated to future generations?
• “Judging:“ Do we have the right to judge people from the past and their actions? Why or why not?

*NOTE: There are no right or wrong arguments; I just want you to practice making connections to produce a historical argument.

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Feedback: Your feedback, which will become part of your overall evaluation in this course, will be based on 5 criteria of emphasis–

1. POINT: This will be your specific response to the question (“World War II demonstrates that collective responsibility ___________”). Usually 1 sentence; this is the thesis or topical sentence.

2. EVIDENCE: Cite strong evidence to support your POINT. Remember, evidence should directly relate to your point and support it and you need to identify and cite it as necessary.

3. EVALUATION: Having explained your EVIDENCE you then need to tie your argument together by explaining how and why the EVIDENCE supports your POINT. This evaluation, or analysis, connects your argument together to form a strong circle: POINT-EVIDENCE-EVALUATION-POINT.

ARGUMENT: How well you are combining your point, evidence, and evaluation together to form an overall ARGUMENT. The clearer and more specific your connections between your POINT, EVIDENCE, and EVALUATION are the stronger your overall ARGUMENT will be to your audience.

WRITING: The quality of your WRITING doesn’t have to be perfect, but any argument is stronger when it is well-written so be sure to proofread for spelling, grammar, and word-choice.

POINTS: CANVAS LOVES USING POINTS EVEN IF I DON’T WANT TO. PLEASE NOTE:

• THE RUBRIC “POINTS” ARE NOT COUNTED AND THE RUBRIC TOTAL WILL NOT FACTOR INTO YOUR FINAL GRADE! IT’S JUST A WAY TO GET A SENSE OF AREAS OF STRENGTH AND AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT.
• THE ASSIGNMENT POINT (1 POINT) IS BASED ON WHETHER YOU HAVE SUBMITTED THE ASSIGNMENT AND I PROVIDED YOU FEEDBACK–IT IS OTHERWISE MEANINGLESS!

Rubric

Writing Assignment Rubric

Writing Assignment Rubric

Criteria	Ratings
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomePointIs the thesis statement/point clear, specific, strong, and is it related to the proposed topic?	Proficient Describes a position and perspective related to the topic accurately and clearly. Developing Identifies an over-simplified position or perspective with minor inaccuracies or a lack of clarity. Needs Improvement Incomplete or missing a position or perspective or presents a position or perspective in very unclear or inaccurate terms. Missing Missing.
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeEvidenceIs the cited evidence clear, specific, accurate, and related to the point/topic? And, if necessary, is the evidence cited correctly?	Proficient Presents/cites information (data, ideas, or concepts) accurately and appropriately in a context that relates to the point/topic. Developing Reports/cites information (data, ideas, or concepts) with minor inaccuracies, irrelevancies, or omissions. Needs Improvement Missing necessary evidence or using/citing information (data, ideas, or concepts) inaccurately, incompletely, or omitting relevant information as evidence. Missing Missing.
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeEvaluationIs there a historical interpretation communicated that employs connections, perspectives, ideas, and/or themes to provide effective analysis and evaluation of historical information?	Proficient Provides an interpretation of information, ideas, or themes that is detailed and well-explained in a logical and clear manner. Developing Provides an interpretation of information, ideas, or themes that is generally logical and clear but needs more explanation and specific detail to provide a stronger interpretation. Needs Improvement Provides an unclear interpretation of information, ideas, or themes that contains inaccuracies, excessive generalities, and/or a lack of explanation. Missing Missing.
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeArgumentIs the overall assignment synthesizing, or connecting, ideas/arguments, evidence, and analytical/evaluative information into a coherent whole–effectively connecting POINT, EVIDENCE, and EVALUATION together?	Proficient Integrates ideas and/or develops explanations that are clear, coherent, cohesive, and sophisticated–creating a unique and strong argument. Developing Arranges ideas and/or develops explanations that are generally clear and coherent save, perhaps, an inconsistency or two caused by a lack of detail, connection, or explanation. Needs Improvement Forms ideas and/or develops explanations in a fragmentary manner without clear or coherent order or connection which creates an unclear overall argument. Missing Missing.
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeWritingDoes the writing use correct spelling, proper grammar and formatting, and clearly and effectively communicate the writer’s argument to their audience?	Proficient Writing is of clear and consistent quality (correct spelling and grammar); the writing effectively and clearly communicates the position or perspective of the work. Developing The writing can be unclear at points as the writing quality (spelling and grammar) varies. At points the writing is not effectively and clearly communicating the position or perspective of the work. Needs Improvement The writing quality (spelling and grammar, for example) is inconsistent and is frequently unclear and/or ineffective in communicating the position or perspective of the work. Missing Missing.