due: Thursday, 18 September
Turn in your paper at the beginning of class. See the syllabus “policies” section for information about late assignments.

grading information: This paper is worth 10% of your grade. 

further instructions:

• See the syllabus “assignments” section for important information about what constitutes a good paper and what materials and services you may use when writing your essay.
  

• Write a 3-page paper answering the question that entitles the unit we have just finished. (The question is reproduced at the top of the page.) If you must, you may write up to four pages, but your essay should be tightly argued. You may not write less than 3 pages.

• Use 12-point Times New Roman, one-inch margins, and double-spacing. Proofread your paper carefully before turning it in, as it is very difficult to evaluate the content of your essay when it’s shrouded in grammatical and spelling errors.

• As noted in the syllabus, I encourage you to take your essay to the Debby Ellis Writing Center—just realize that the consultants there will discuss your writing with you; they are not grammar and spelling checkers.

• Your essay should have a clearly stated and supportable thesis that appears toward the beginning of the paper. Do not try to address every aspect of the question. Rather, in your introduction, define one aspect of this question you want to discuss, and state a clear thesis (main argument) within that specific framework.

• You should include a conclusion that makes clear how the particular arguments and evidence in the body of the paper ultimately led you to believe your paper’s thesis to be true.

• Back up your arguments frequently with specific evidence, and always cite that evidence appropriately.

• Above all, make this material your own. What good is knowledge if you don’t make it yours? In other words, don’t simply parrot back to me what our authors say, or what I’ve said in class (though of course you should expend some effort in your paper making clear what their arguments are). Your essay should demonstrate that you have thought through these arguments yourself, and have come up with your own educated views on them. In short, your paper should be neither regurgitation of the course texts nor pure speculation. It should reflect your informed views based on a careful reading of those texts.

• Your essay must address why European sciences flourished after the 16th century, and why not Chinese or Islamic sciences. (Obviously, when you get to your discussion of why not China or the Islamic world, you will want to spend more time discussing China, since we have more direct material on the issue of why the Chinese did not independently develop modern science.)
  

• Your essay must contain a critical examination of Needham, Sivin, and/or Long.