8/10/2019 Essay and Peer Review Guide
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HIST 1201AUSTRALIAN HISTORY: CURRENT ISSUES IN HISTORICAL
PERSPECTIVE
SEMESTER 1 2013IPSWICH CAMPUS
ESSAY DRAFT & PEER REVIEW EXERCISE GUIDE
ESSAY DRAFT:DUE 5PM FRIDAY 26 APRILvia Turnitin (in Blackboard:
Turnitin Essay Draft)1200 WORDSLATE ESSAYS WILL BE LOCKED OUT OF
THE PROCESS
PEER REVIEW EXERCISE:DUE 5PM FRIDAY 3 MAY
via Turnitin (in Blackboard: Turnitin Peer Review Exercise)MIN
200 WORDS (10%)
MAJOR ESSAY:DUE 5PM THURSDAY 16 MAYvia the Assignment Lodgement
System (Building 8) and Turnitin (in Blackboard: Turnitin Major
Essay)1800 WORDS (30%)
In order to help you with your major research essay we have
created a draft and peer review process. I
would like to note from the outset that you will not be marked
by your fellow students in thisexercise. You will get feedback from
your fellow students, but there will not be a mark attached tothat
feedback. You will only be marked by academic staff on your reviews
.
ESSAY DRAFT
The major research essay is a chance for you to investigate the
topic of your choice in greater depthand detail than we have time
for in lectures or tutorials. The ability to write an essay in
response to aquestion is a vital skill in history (as it is in many
other areas of study), and this is what we are testingin this task.
There are three things to remember:
Question: you must answer the question. This seems simple, but
its often what studentsstruggle with the most. Your essay must
answer the question, clearly, systematically, and onthe basis of
evidence from primary and secondary sources.
Argument: your essay must have an argument that responds to the
question. You will needone key idea that sums up your thoughts on
this topic, and you should be able to explain thisin one sentence
in your introduction. The rest of your essay is where you explain
why youthink this by presenting evidence and analysis in a coherent
and systematic way.
Research: history essays must be based on substantial and
relevant historical research. Youwill need to find primary and
secondary sources that are relevant to the question, and
youranswer. And you will need to use this research to support your
argument.
8/10/2019 Essay and Peer Review Guide
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The essay draft must be at least 1200 words. There are 11 essay
questions to choose from, and theycan be found in the Course Guide
(on Blackboard or in the Course Reader). The more work you havedone
on the essay, the more you will get out of the feedback process.
Once you have submitted youressay into Turnitin (in the usual way)
it will be distributed to 2 students who will then read it and
provide you with feedback. These comments will be based on the
following questions, which you
should have in your mind as you write your draft:1. Is the essay
based on a substantial amount of primary and secondary research?
How could it
be improved?2. Does the essay make an argument that responds to
the question? In what ways might the
argument be strengthened?3. Is the essay properly referenced? If
not, what needs improvement?4. Is the grammar and written
expression clear and correct? How might it be improved?
Please note: Unless you want other student to be able to
identify your work, please do notinclude your name or student
number anywhere on your essay draft. Please also note that we
cannot accept late submissions of the Essay Draft Turnitin will
lock the process down, andthere is no other way in.
PEER REVIEW EXERCISE
Once you have submitted your Essay Draft, you will receive 2
drafts to review (via Turnitin). Turnitinwill guide you through the
process you will see the questions listed above, and you will need
to
provide at least 50 words for each question before Turnitin will
accept your response. Please be awarethat the point of this
exercise is to provide feedback, not criticism think about what
kind of
information you would find helpful, and try to make sure this is
what you provide. The feedback you provide will be worth 10% of
your overall mark in this subject.
Please also note that it will take Turnitin takes 24 hours to
distribute the draft essays you willnot be able to see the essays
you have to review until Sunday 28 April.
MAJOR ESSAY
Once you have received your feedback on your essay, you will
have ten days to re-work your draftand submit the final essay. The
final essay is 1800 words and worth 30% of your overall mark for
thissubject. Essays will be marked on the following criteria:
primary research, secondary research,question & argument, use
of evidence, language & writing style, references and
bibliography.
