Select an architectural complex (such as the Parthenon in Athens or the Colosseum in Rome) or an architectural technique (use of the arch, for example, or the use of columns) associated with the topics and periods covered in this course (you may want to refer to the textbook for topics and periods), and in a 5-7 page paper discuss the influence of that structure or those techniques on modern architecture.
All papers must be done on a word processor, be double-spaced (using Times New Roman, 12 pt. font) and strictly adhere to length requirements – 5 to 7 pages in length (no more, no less). There is to be a one-inch margin on all sides (meaning top, bottom, & both sides). DO NOT add extra spaces between paragraphs. Because this is a research assignment, be sure to DOCUMENT YOUR SOURCES fully and carefully using footnotes, endnotes, or internal documentation/works cited page. Internet sources can be used, but you must document them fully and correctly, and although you may use the Internet, you will be required to use at least THREE actual books or articles in the writing of your paper (not from the Internet. You should also, if needed, include a bibliography at the end of your paper (you will only need to include a bibliography if you used any sources to complete your paper but did not cite them in your footnotes/endnotes or works cited page; the bibliography is thus only used to give credit to those sources not cited elsewhere). Bibliographical information for your paper should be single-spaced and include the book’s full title, author’s full name, place of publication, publisher, and year of publication (and page numbers when using footnotes or endnotes).
**Papers submitted without full documentation WILL NOT be accepted**
Grammar, punctuation and spelling should be correct and follow standard usage. You are strongly urged to consult a “Style Guide;” the most widely used (in historical studies) seems to be Kate L. Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations (style guides are particularly helpful for citations). One should always have a good dictionary and thesaurus handy as well; most word processing programs have them built-in, and you are encouraged to use them. These reference items will help you to express your ideas more clearly and more effectively.
In your paper, you should first, in your introductory paragraph(s), explain your topic and identify your thesis (the argument you will be making in the paper) clearly. Then, as you begin to present your research, offer a discussion of your selected architectural complex or architectural technique (ancient or medieval), providing thorough background information on the technique or the structure (its date of construction, its place of construction, its builder, its use, etc.). Then, using various sources, demonstrate clearly (use specific examples – size/dimensions, appearance, use, etc.) how that structure or technique has influenced modern architecture –DEMONSTRATING THIS INFLUENCE SHOULD BE THE FOCUS OF YOUR PAPER. You may want to make direct comparisons between the original structure(s) and a particular modern building (for example, the Pantheon in Rome compared to Thomas Jefferson’s house, Monticello, or to the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C.), or you may instead want to demonstrate how architectural techniques used in the past continue to be employed by builders in the present.
Because this is a Humanities course, and because visuals (art and architecture) are essential in the study of Humanities, you may want to – and you are encouraged to — include images in your paper (illustrations, photographs, diagrams, plans, etc.). However, images are not a substitute for writing/text. Should you decide to include images in your paper, you will still be responsible for 5-7 full pages of text.
As you write, make each word and sentence count – work on making it joy, instead of a labor, to read. Move clearly and concisely from point to point (using effective transitions where appropriate) in English that flows (in doing so, be sure to avoid personal pronouns and contractions). Proofread your paper very carefully. Please beware that word processing spellcheckers miss many errors of spelling, grammar, syntax, punctuation, sentence structure, word choice, and word usage.
PLAGIARISM:
Plagiarism occurs when one copies directly from any source without providing quotation marks and the proper documentation to recognize the copied source, and when one paraphrases by using the ideas, patterns of presentation or wording from any source without the proper documentation to recognize the source. You can easily avoid plagiarism by using quotation marks to enclose what has been directly copied and citing sources (using footnotes, endnotes, or internal documentation) that have been directly copied or paraphrased.
YOUR NAME ON YOUR BOOK REVIEW IS YOUR PROMISE THAT IT REPRESENTS 100% YOUR OWN INTELLECTUAL EFFORT UNLESS YOU EXPLICITLY ACKNOWLEDGE EVERY SOURCE.
Please don’t hesitate to consult with me in advance if you are unclear about plagiarism or other violations of Academic Integrity. Even if you use multiple sources, change some words, move some sentences around, or add some words of your own, if you do not fully and correctly indentify your sources (using footnotes, endnotes, or internal documentation), it is still plagiarism. Likewise, even if you claim that you did not mean to plagiarize when you plagiarized, or that you meant to include quotation marks and references but you forgot, or that your computer mysteriously omitted references, or that your friend typed your paper and omitted references without your knowledge, etc., etc., etc., it is still plagiarism and it is still a violation of academic integrity.
A SIMPLE RULE: IF YOU COPY AND PASTE ANY WORDS FROM ANY WEBSITE (OR ANY OTHER SOURCE) INTO YOUR PAPER, AND YOU DO NOT IDENTIFY (CITE) YOUR SOURCE, YOU WILL GET AN “F” IN THIS COURSE.
If you have any questions about the assignment, please do not hesitate to contact me.
