First 25 Laws of the Code of Hammurabi
Primary Source Analysis Papers
For one of the assignments in this class, you will be asked to write a 500 word analysis of a selected primary source or sources (note that word count should not include any footnotes). The goal of this assignment is for students to conduct a close analytical reading of a primary source document from the time we are discussing, and to explain in their own words what this source tells us about a specific historical period or issue. After completing this assignment, students will be able to analyze a primary source, connect and contextualize it using other assigned materials in the course, and create an original argument about the source.
The paper analysis should include your answers to the following questions:
1) What does the source tell us about the person or persons who produced it? What can we tell about their views, fears, or concerns based on the source?
2) What does the source tell us about the surrounding context? What is happening around the production of this source?
3) Connections with other course materials. Does this source align with something you have been asked to read so far this semester? Does it contradict anything? How is your understanding of the source informed by the other course materials?
**Important: DO NOT Google the assigned source or seek information about it outside of the provided course materials. The point of the assignment is to conduct your own analysis of the source without outside help. Looking up the source also invites intentional or unintentional plagiarism.**
**No more than 10% of the total word count should be quoted material. Anything above 10% of the word count should be paraphrased. For every 5% of the paper that is quoted above 10%, half a letter grade will be deducted**
Papers should be typed in 12 point font, 1 inch margins, and submitted through the d2l dropbox. All material must be cited in accordance with the Chicago Manual of Style.
Assignment FAQs:
Q: Why can’t I Google the source?
A: The purpose of this assignment is to teach you how to analyze a piece of evidence rather than relying on someone else’s analysis. Looking at the Wikipedia page for the Epic of Gilgamesh will give you someone else’s interpretation of the important themes and images rather than your own.
Q: What is the difference between “author” and “context” and how do I figure that out from a source?
A: When you discuss the author of the source, you are talking about the specific mindset and goals of the person or persons who produced the source. This may or may not be aligned with the surrounding society and context. For example, reading Frederick Douglass’s speeches will give you the perspective of an author who experienced slavery and believes it must be abolished. The fact that they are persuasive speeches indicates that the surrounding context is one in which there are significant numbers of people who support slavery or do not realize how inhumane it is. Look for clues about how the author is responding to or viewing their environment.
Q: Why do we have to find connections between this assigned primary source and the other weekly materials? Those materials are already covered by the quizzes
