Hi everyone. Welcome to Professor Nielson’s History 310 at Cosumnes River College, summer semester 2024! This is your Learning Management System (LMS) for this course. It combines the best of Canvas and custom features designed to enhance your learning experience as we explore the nation’s history from pre-historic human occupation to the Civil War and reconstruction. Please find all relevant course information, guidance, assignments, etc. here for easy download below in the drop-down menu. All students must familiarize themselves with the course design, structure, resources and requirements as presented in the LMS. Each student will confirm with me that he/she/they have completed this task. Continue on below to explore and welcome-in!

Our class email for all class-related communication is aranmore469@hotmail.com. Please do not use my faculty email during the semester for class-related communications, assignments, etc.

Canvas Advisory

To all my students:

Our courses ARE NOT Canvas-based although they are published and cross-referenced on Canvas.

History both sections have their own dedicated website: jonathannielson.com. Click Academic Portal to access all class information for history 310 and 311.

Watch for your Zoom link and class rosters in your inbox.

Summer Advisory

History 310 2024 summer advisory (Lec11025) and (Lec 12250).

For students enrolled in my summer 2024 ‘asymmetric’ classes in American History please be advised of the following:

Summer semester is an intense, fast-paced class, mostly self-directed experience with sixteen weeks compressed into six! Consequently you should expect significant demands on your time and effort, and it will require you to manage your class-commitment carefully and strategically to complete course requirements. This is especially critical as our format requires no set class time or face-to-face faculty-student interaction.

First. Our class is heavily text-based. That is, you MUST have access to our text-Boyer, Enduring Vision, vol, 1 10^th edn, and understand that your reading and comprehension is critical to meeting even basic course objectives, as well as making the class a valuable learning experience. YOU MUST HAVE YOUR TEXT BEFORE CLASS BEGINS.

Second. We do not use Canvas although it is published on your Canvas. We have our own custom learning management System (LMS) website. It is jonathannielson.com. Click ‘Academic Portal’ in the tool bar to find all course assignments (GREEN BOX) by clicking ‘more information’ or simply scrolling down. You must read the ‘COURSE DESCRIPTION’ and SYLLABUS and be familiar with all FALL/SPRING semester course requirements and assignments which will also inform you of my approach to teaching. HOWEVER…

Third I have made a few revisions to accommodate our compressed summer schedule. YOU MUST BE AWARE OF THESE REVISIONS and adhere to them.

They are as follows: BLUE BOX. I have eliminated the ‘ARTICLE SUMMARY’ requirement although students are encouraged to sample these important perspectives and will be credited for doing so by submitting brief 1-2 paragraph summaries of each article read.

I have eliminated the VIDEO-LECTURE assignments that are part of the on-ground/ in-class curriculum. 

Discussion questions will be answered by students individually as there will be no class discussions because of our compressed format.

Chapter quizzes must be submitted weekly by FRIDAY (or weekend) of each week.

Module exam questions must be submitted as indicated on the course website (following completion of each five-chapter increment in Boyer.

Discussion Questions and Module Exams questions will be submitted no later than end of class-August 2.

Review and understand the SUMMER 2024 CLASS READING SCHEDULES as posted on the website for both courses.

ALL COURSE WORK (and all class-related communications, questions, etc.,) ARE TO BE SUBMITTED BY CLASS EMAIL: (aranmore469@hotmail.com) not my faculty email.

There will be a zoom orientation meeting scheduled for June 10 (LEC 12250) and June 24 (LEC 11025) at 8:00AM. It is not mandatory but highly recommended if you can make it. You will receive the Zoom invite and pass code by your CRC EMAIL as you specified when you enrolled but I am listing it here:  ID: 540 866 5246 Password: skhiju.

As explained elsewhere your summer course grade consists of several elements as follows:

1. Chapter quizzes
2. Module exams
3. Discussion Questions
4. Any Extra Credit work (i.e., 1. Going to the Source questions (Boyer); Article summaries (Website).

Summer Strategy

Course Strategy for Learning and Success

These approaches to your studies in online asynchronous History 310 will help you successfully navigate course requirements and most effectively manage your time commitment each week of summer semester.

1. Monday-Tuesday devoted to your reading in Boyer.
2. Wed-Friday devoted to taking your chapter quizzes.
3. Weekend for completion of weeks assignments and discussions questions.
4. Submission of work via class email.

Boyer

1. Begin each chapter by reviewing chapter themes (left facing page).
2. Review chapter chronology (right facing page).
3. Review The Whole Vision (blue text) at the end of the chapter.
4. Read the chapter for content and narrative flow.
5. Study closely your maps, graphics, illustrations, photos, and graphics found in each chapter.

Quizzes

1. Your quizzes are designed to test each chapter beginning to end as you read. Have your quiz questions to refer to as you read. Each prompt is addressed sequentially as you read in an easy to follow progression through the chapter. Answers require no more than a long sentence or short paragraph.

Discussion Questions

1. Discussions questions are designed for critical thinking on important topics presented in your reading. You may search outside sources if you wish. One or two paragraphs are sufficient. ‘Yes or no’ answers are not discussion.

Mini-lectures

1. Read the mini-lecture for each chapter (not a substitute for Boyer!)

Module Exams

1. Carve out time for your Module Exams (every five chapters), perhaps using weekends for completion and submission.

***Submission of work will be accepted at any time during summer semester but students are encouraged to remain current in their assignments.

Summer Schedule

JUNE 24-AUG 2

Class begins

24 chaps 1-3

July

1 chaps 4-6

8 chaps 7-8

16 chaps 9&11

22 chaps 10-12

29 chaps 13-14

Aug

1 15-16

Class ends

Course Description

History 310 and 311

Course Description

HISTORY MATTERS!

COURSE LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (WEBSITE): www.jonathannielson.com

CLASS EMAIL: aranmore469@hotmail.com

COURSE TEXT: Boyer, The Enduring Vision, Vol 1, 10^TH Edn

My courses are NOT CANVAS-BASED COURSES. THEY ARE PUBLISHED AND CROSS-REFERENCED ON YOUR CANVAS BUT THE COURSE IS FACILITATED THROUGH THE COURSE WEBSITE. IT IS YOUR RESOURCE FOR ALL CLASS MATERIALS ACCESSED THROUGH THE ‘ACADEMIC PORTAL’ AND DROP-DOWN MENU. ALL STUDENTS MUST ACCESS THE COURSE WEBSITE AND FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES WITH ALL COURSE MATERIALS!

For both history 310 and 311 I have adopted a similar format. My courses consist of an integrated, mutually reinforcing, holistic approach to learning. Active student engagement and immersion are two key concepts in DYNAMIC LEARNING. In my classes each of you is to be an engaged, active learner not merely a passive receiver of information. You will actively work with multiples sources of information applying critical thinking to understand concepts, and the who, what, when, and why  components of historical narrative.

Whether synchronous (ON CAMPUS OR REMOTE) or asynchronous (REMOTE), my classes are divided into seven segments: 1) Lecture; 2) weekly assigned chapters in the REQUIRED text; 3) discussion group questions; 4) chapter quizzes; 5) module exams; 6) written summaries of weekly assigned articles and video lectures; 7) and in class video-lectures and commentaries. IF THE CLASS IS ASYNCHRONOUS, THERE ARE NO SET WEEKLY CLASS MEETINGS AND CLASSES ARE STRUCTURED MORE LIKE DIRECTED SELF-STUDY. IF SYNCHRONOUS, CLASSES WILL MEET AT REGULAR TIMES EACH WEEK EITHER IN TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM FORMATS OR REMOTELY WITH WEEKLY CLASS MEETINGS CONDUCTED ON THE ZOOM PLATFORM. ATTENDANCE WILL BE REQUIRED FOR EACH CLASS MEETING REGARDLESS OF MODALITY (WHERE CONDUCTED). You will be provided with the zoom link by CLASS EMAIL.

READING

Whichever modality, students must set aside ‘Class Time (s)’ each day devoted to your reading IN THE TEXT or work on other course requirements. The Course Website drop down menu will provide you with a semester (WEEKLY) READING SCHEDULE offering  structure and ‘semester flow’. We cover one- sometimes two chapters per week during the 16 week semester. The READING SCHEDULE lets you know where you need to be in your reading (and other work) week-to-week through the semester. DO NOT fall behind in your weekly reading assignments.

LECTURE

I have prepared what I call mini-lectures for each chapter offering summary, context, interpretation, and analysis. Lecture IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR READING AND/OR WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS! For synchronous classes (remote or classroom) lecture will be given as part of the first class session each week. The Mini-lectures are also posted in the drop down menu for easy student access and review.

DISCSUSSION QUESTIONS

IF SYNCHRONOUS (REMOTE), the class will be divided into several discussion groups by last name initial. Each group will discuss the WEEKLY DISCUSSION QUESTION  provided on the CLASS WEBSITE identified for each week’s discussion (1-16). You are to facilitate GROUP DISCUSSION  by chat, email, text, or other platform your group chooses.  Each student will submit their written response to the question INDIVIDUALLY to me by CLASS EMAIL for review and grade. If SYNCHRONOUS (CLASSROOM), group discussion will be conducted in class as assigned by group but students will also submit their discussions individually either in hard copy or by CLASS EMAIL. If ASYNCHRONOUS, discussion questions will be submitted by each student to me by CLASS EMAIL for review and grade.

CHAPTER QUIZZES

WHETHER SYNCHRONOUS (REMOTE OR CLASS ROOM) OR ASYNCRHRONOUS FORMAT, THERE IS A CHAPTER QUIZ REQUIREMENT. For each chapter in the text I have prepared quizzes designed to enhance your grasp of key factual information covered in that chapter. Quizzes are posted on the drop down menu (1-16). Quizzes provide excellent self-check for comprehension and retention. Quiz questions are arranged in-sync with your reading in each chapter so answers are easily recognizable as you read. REGARDLESS OF CLASS FORMAT, quizzes will be submitted by CLASS EMAIL weekly if possible as you complete each chapter for review and grade. It is not recommended that you fall behind but due dates are flexible and class work can be submitted at anytime during the semester.

MODULE EXAMS

WHETHER SYNCHRONOUS (REMOTE OR CLASS ROOM) OR ASYNCHRONOUS, I have divided the course into three MODULES much like Canvas Modules. In our course, each Module comprises five chapters of reading in our text. At the end of each module is an exam consisting of essay questions. Each student will select from among the essay options for each module and submit written discussions of their chosen questions. Module responses will be submitted to me by CLASS EMAIL preferably following completion of each module for review and grading. No OUTSIDE SOURCES are allowed but you may use your text, notes, and any other course materials. AN EXCEPTION WILL BT MADE FOR AI ACCESSED information but only if it is clearly identified and used as specified (see ‘module exams’ in drop down menu).

ARTICLES AND VIDEO LECTURES

WHETHER SYNCHRONOUS (REMOTE OR CLASS ROOM) OR ASYNCHRONOUS, I require that students engage their critical thinking skills by summarizing scholarly or informed commentator articles or video lectures, The video-lectures and documentaries (Youtube-UT) offer the views of leading historians in their respective fields offering you different perspectives and interpretations to augment your reading and challenge your thinking.  The visuals provided in the documentaries offer important visual support for your reading and discussions.

Specifically, you are to view the video-lectures or historical video essays and/or articles (posted in the drop down menu as ‘WEEKLY ASSIGNMENTS’) that I have linked to your chapter reading. Most students will want to submit their WRITTEN SUMMARIES week-by-week according to the class READING SCHEDULE. WHETHER SYNCHRONOUS (REMOTE OR CLASS ROOM) OR ASYNCHRONOUS, students will submit summaries to me BY CLASS EMAIL.

*IMPORTANT! ARTICLES ARE OPEN SOURCE. SEARCH BY AUTHOR/TITLE ONLY NOT JOURNAL AS IT MAY TRIGGER A PAY WALL. If you encounter access issues, go to the next article).

*Additionally we will be viewing in-class video lectures as part of each class (remote or on campus) that will be assigned each class meeting for your viewing and commentary.

COURSE GRADE

Your final grade is comprised of your work in four key submission categories so you have lots of ways to do well.

WORK TO SUBMIT: 1) DISCUSSION QUESTIONS, 2) WEBSITE  WEEKLY ARTICLE/VIDEO LECTURE SUMMARIES AND IN-CLASS VIDEO LECTURES AND COMMENTARIES,3) CHAPTER QUIZZES, 4)MODULE EXAMS.

ATTENDENCE

IF SYNCHRONOUS (REMOTE OR IN CLASS) YOU MUST BE IN CLASS UNESS EXCUSED (communicate with me-I try to be flexible). IF ASYNCHRONOUS REMOTE, THERE IS NO REQUIRED ATTENDANCE.  If you are sick or cannot attend class for whatever reason, I must be notified.

COURSE GRADE RUBRIC: DISCUSSION 25%; CHAPTER QUIZZES 25%; MODULE EXAMS 25%, WEEKLY ARTICLE/VIDEO SUMMARIES AND IN-CLASS VIDEO LECTURES  AND COMMENTYARIES 25%. EXTRA CREDIT WILL BE GIVEN FOR WRITTEN RESPONSES TO ‘GOING TO THE SOURCE’ QUESTIONS (TEXT) OR FOR ADDITIONAL WORK I MAY ASSIGN DURING THE SEMESTER.

INCLUSION

This course is open to all students on the basis of equality, equity, inclusion, and diversity. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to improve your learning experience.

HAVE A GREAT CLASS!

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Text Description

Your text is one of the most popular and adopted US history texts in the US and in Europe. You will find it interesting and full of great illustrative material. The narrative is solid and engaging on many aspects of the nation’s past which are explored in some depth. Study your maps! They are great resources for understanding history!

You should take time to read the introductory material so you know what to expect, what’s in the text and the author’s objective. Reading in Boyer is critical to your success in the class. It is the core around which the other class components are built.

How to use Boyer is critically important! You must be proficient with these resources. Key elements are:

1. Chapter outline (left facing page of each new chapter. Self-test: You should be able discuss the questions in RED.
2. Chronology (right facing page each new chapter). Self test: Understand your time frame  and historical sequence.
3. Text boxes (red and yellow) found throughout each chapter. Know these key terms.
4. Going to the Source excerpts and questions.
5. The Whole Vision Questions (blue text) found at the end of each chapter. Self-test: Be able to answer these questions from your own reading and comprehension).
6. Key Terms (green and yellow text box) found at the end of each chapter. Self test: Understand their significance and how to use them in an essay.
7. Maps, graphs, and illustrations. These are important graphic resources. Do not neglect them and study you maps so you can interpret them.
   
   

What My Grade Means

A Range

Essay. Your essay is substantive, informed, and exceedingly well written (grammar, syntax, structure, spelling, vocabulary, in addition to clear, concise, logical organization). You offer excellent discussion of the question and support your discussion with important, selected factual examples and specific information. You support discussion with critical thinking. You identify historical significance -why and how important? You offer informed analysis and interpretation beyond simple description and generalization that merely restate the question or advance only superficial arguments. Your ideas and conclusions are relevant, thoughtful, and demonstrate  solid grasp of the question.

Identifications. Your identification clearly, accurately, and fully explains the historical significance of the individual, event, issue, term, or theme you are asked to discuss, in direct relation to your reading and study. You succinctly but informatively evaluate the five elements of a complete ID:

1. Who (who is involved)
2. What (what are the circumstances)
3. How (how and for what reason is this important)
4. When (when did this happen…time frame relationship)
5. Why (why did it happen the way it did and with what consequences)

These five elements overlap and will have different emphasis for different IDs, but this should be your general framework. (Good ID skills are imperative for superior essay writing).

B Range

Essay. Your essay is, overall, factually accurate and a well informed discussion of the question. It may contain minor factual, time frame, and interpretive errors. You offer generally solid but less rigorous and comprehensive discussion and provide fewer factual/specific examples or less relevant ones. You endeavor to identify historical significance, beyond mere generalization, by offering limited explanation and analysis. Your writing is basically solid in all of its elements and you well articulate your ideas and conclusions.

ID. Your ID clearly and accurately discusses the subject though it may be less substantive and may contain minor factual errors in the five categories of explanation (as cited above) or some categories may be omitted.

C Range

Essay. Your essay offers merely broad, general discussion of the question with little or no factual information or analysis and explanation. It contains considerable errors of fact, time frame, and offers few. if any specific examples or supportive evidence. It is uninformed beyond basic comprehension and shows little understanding of the reading or lectures. While adequate, your discussion suffers from poor organization, writing skills, confused or blurred focus, and/or repetition.

ID. Your ID offers only limited, general discussion and descriptive statements of the subject. You discuss only one or two of the required elements or have more serious factual errors. Your overall level of discussion is satisfactory but does not rise to the higher grade ranges.

Comment

This criteria is intended to serve as a general guideline for interpreting your exam score (and more broadly your course grade) and a critique of your strengths and weaknesses. Therefore your ‘score’ can serve as a guide for improvement and facilitate movement into a higher grade range. Scores reflect my assessment of where you fall ‘within a ‘range’ (A-B-C-D-F-I) and how your compare to other student work. Unless otherwise specified, I do not assign point scores per se to calculate your grade. Rather I assign a grade that falls within the appropriate range as identified in your syllabus (for example A to A- = 100-90 points). Written comments will be minimal as I prefer to discuss concerns with students individually in person or by email for remote classes. Moreover, you should consider this ‘criteria’ as both critique and guide in moving from one grade range to another as you aspire to become more academically proficient.

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Critical Race Theory

One of the most controversial subjects students have been grappling with recently is what has been called ‘critical race theory’ (CRT). Debate over its centrality to the American story has become highly politicized: generally liberals, progressives, the vast majority if the academic community and Democrats (politically) find CRT immensely instructive and convincing for explaining and the long legacy of slavery, Jim Crow segregation and ‘structural’ prejudice that so clearly, importantly and persistently  have  defined (and reframe) in many and pervasive ways what America is as a society. 

Generally for conservatives, libertarians and Republicans, especially those of the right and alt-right (politically), CRT is a deeply flawed construct that distorts the American narrative by overstating the effects of slavery and its legacies, while ignoring other important contributing factors and influences and imposing a ‘culture of white, collective guilt’ on non-colored people for whatever their ancestors may have done and for which they bear no responsibility moral or otherwise. School districts, parent groups and legislatures in some states want to ban the teaching of CRT and anything related to it claiming that it violates the nation’s triumphal narrative and true identity.

This in broad strokes describes the often heated arguments surrounding CRT, its historical accuracy,  relevance, and its place, if any, in the history curriculum. As students in my history classes you should inform yourselves about CRT and the arguments pro and con. Above all assess this theory against your own experience and perspective, while applying critical thinking approached for evaluating how and why CRT may or may not be accurate or constructive for advancing our understanding of the nation’s history in all of its complexity, nuance, and diversity.

Proponents of CRT do not claim that all white American are ‘racists’ as is alleged by many critics. Rather CRT seeks to understand, identify and account for the persistent realities of non-white inequalities of life experiences across a range of societal institutions and conditions such as wealth, income, health, family, crime, poverty, self-identity, exclusion and opportunity.  Is there a societal pathology  and/or ‘structural racism’ that helps us understand these disparities that can be measured and analyzed objectively that operates to perpetuate these asymmetries or are they a ‘just the way it is’ reality we can do nothing to mitigate? These are other questions should inform and direct your own exploration and conclusions.

You should begin by exploring the series of journalistic essays that accelerated the recent debates: the 1619 PROJECT published by the New York Times (Nicole Hannah-Jones, August 2019).

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Plagiarism

All student work must be their own and reflect their own study, comprehension, and interpretation. This applies to all written work and especially exams. NO outside sources are permitted. Only your text and notes may be used for exams and other work. You my incorporate quotes from the text of the articles and video-lectures BUT all such material MUST BE CITED as a reference or source.

Skillset Strategies

1. Apply terms relevant to your inquiry appropriately and accurately
2. Identify and Interpret different types of primary and secondary sources of substantial    relevance to your inquiry and informed understanding
3. Grasp of timelines for key historical events, people, and periods central to your inquiry
4. Acquire geographic knowledge of places and events using map resources and graphs
5. Analyze the importance of context and point of view in historical interpretation understanding that historians may interpret events based on personal values and societal influences (presentism)
6. Analyze and evaluate historical interpretations and sources identifying bias, perspective, credibility and authenticity, what can be verified or not, what is fact or interpretation.
7. Utilize research strategies, methods, and sources to locate, organize, and interpret historical data and sources
8. Formulate arguments and be able to understand and discuss differing interpretations of the same historical event using primary and secondary sources to support your own position
9. Compose an analytical essay containing a thesis, supporting evidence and a conclusion
10. Identify, analyze and understand elements of historical cause and effect and distinguish between causation and correlation and the nuances of ‘this therefore that’
11. Understand the patterns of change and continuity in history and both its circular and linear nature
12. Develop open-ended historical questions that can be explored through research, interpretation and critical thinking…the ‘why’ questions
13. Analyze how the past influences the development of individuals and the development of societies
14. Explain why ‘determinism’ in history is a fallacy
    
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Thoughts on History

“TO GO FORWARD WE MUST FIND AN HONEST WAY TO LOOK BACK.”

What good is knowing history. Why study it?

History is humanity’s mega narrative. It is the mother academic subject because everything we can conceive of has a history. It is the matrix for all human experience. We are the only species that is conscious of time and place, that can reason, is self-aware, that can conceive of a past, present and future. We know where and who we are in the world because we are self-reflective. We have consciousness of our own existence and our inevitable death.  We have language to speak, write, record and document our lives and those of others. We are a socially interactive, curiosity-driven species. We are problem-solvers.  We have imagination. We can comprehend contrast, contradiction and perspective and can discriminate between factual truth and falsehood.  We have a sense of morality and ethical behaviors. We can conceive of time and its passage. Because we are all of these things, history explains us to ourselves, allowing us to place our lives in a context, a frame of reference. Knowledge of history satisfies our intellectual curiosity and fascination with the human drama across time and our own lives. And it allows us to appreciate the lives of other unlike us or whose circumstances are different from ours. To have in a word…empathy. We have the capacity for forgiveness and for redemption. And the study of history nurtures the capacity for wisdom as individuals and as a society. Just as family history connects us to our genealogical heritage, comprehensive  historical knowledge connects us to humanity’s broader experience. And finally, historical knowledge is the essential foundation for careers in law, journalism, education and academic teaching, research and writing.  

History repeats itself…right?

Contrary to this popular notion, history never repeats itself except in the broadest sense. Each historical event is unique and unrepeatable in the same way that each of us is different as our DNA signature and our lives and experience share only very generalized correspondence. War is war, for example, but there is no comparison between the American revolution and WWII or Vietnam or Afghanistan, beyond death, wounding, destruction and upheaval.

History offers lessons…doesn’t it?

Again, this is a commonplace notion that is a deceptive generalization. In a sense, it is a self-serving advocacy once made by 19^th-century historians to justify history’s place in the liberal arts curriculum. Because no historical event is the same as another, it is problematic to claim that ‘history’ conveys universal lessons. History may indeed in some cases offer specific, discrete lessons or insights that may have utility as guidance of how to avoid ‘repeating mistakes’ by being aware of how and why certain decisions had unfortunate consequences and should be avoided. The problem with ‘lessons’ in history is that often these lessons are misunderstood, ignored, misapplied, or even manipulated by decision-makers whose perspective is clouded by ‘presentism’ , bias, prejudice, political or ideological positions and emotionalism or irrational behaviors. What knowledge of history does is offer us judgment, perspective, context, and the informed security of ‘hindsight’ that may contribute to foresight.

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What is a Discussion in History

Discussions in history consist of two elements the discussion question and the discussion. Discussion questions are invitations to discuss a statement or proposition.

Discussion questions NEVER call for ‘yes or no’ answers even if the questions could be answered in that binary.

Types of discussion questions.

1) understand what the question is asking. The most common elements in a discussion question are 1) factual, 2 interpretive, 3) evaluative….and often a combination. Some discussions questions may be presented as ‘problems’ and are intended to be controversial and lend themselves to critical thinking and disagreement 1) facts are a straight-forward, verifiable, and trusted consensus on an issue or topic or event…when, who, what, etc. 2) interpretation is understanding or parsing the meaning of the question or text… how it might be understood differently from different perspectives or by understanding the motives and objectives of individuals. Is the meaning clear and unambiguous or well…open to interpretation and or disagreement? 3) Evaluation asks for your (the student’s) informed opinion on the question, what you think about the question or idea presented.

How to Write a Summary

Writing a summary-analysis of an article or video-lecture in history is a two-part exercise.

1) Your summary begins with the title of the piece, its author and source (journal, website, etc).

2) You briefly discuss the content of the piece (its scope, focus time-frame) in your own words

3) You identify the author’s most important points or ideas (what’s the author trying to say what is their argument?) 4) You identify how the author supports their main arguments with specific examples (factual evidence).

Your analysis is your assessment of the article. 1) How did the piece inform your understanding of the topic presented 2) What is the author’s reason or purpose in writing the piece (ie., inform, critique someone else or some other POV-point of view, persuade, etc. 3) Is the argument authoritative….can the reader trust the author 4) Do you detect bias or prejudice or is the piece more objective and/or balanced in its presentation 5) Did you like the piece…if so why, if not why.