due: Tuesday, 7 October
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.

• You may approach the question in a number of ways. Some possibilities are listed below. Choose just one of these possibilities for your paper, otherwise you will find it too difficult to answer the question thoroughly in the space provided.

• You might focus on the question of what were the fundamental changes at the core of the so-called Scientific Revolution. What one key shift was central to this revolution (even if the key shift you choose did not define the full extent of the revolution)?
• Or, you might focus on the word revolution: are the changes described in the texts really revolutionary?

• Remember to draw upon all available information. Look not only to Dear, but also to the web readings (della Porta, Galileo, Sprat, Voltaire) and the reader (Jacob). Class notes also contain valuable information. Do not try to cite every single text from this unit, but you must make at least one reference to a primary source and draw together insights from multiple texts to support your argument.

• Also remember to leave yourself enough space to make your own arguments. I like to see that you understand and can rephrase the reading/lecture material in your own words, but do not spend too much of the paper doing this. Rather, figure out what your own main argument is, then use the available material to make that argument.