History of Science Online - Course Info - Time tips - Semester Schedule - Weekly Assignments - Timeline - Projects - Course Info: HSCI 3013 - section 995 - Fall 2008

Interpretation essay

Learning Objective: The weekly Interpretation assignment gives you practice in critical understanding, persuasive writing, and identifying diverse relevant points of view.

See Weekly Assignments and time management tips.

Your Interpretation essay should be at least 600 words long, and not more than 1200 words. Take this essay assignment seriously: it is one of the largest parts of your grade. It would be wise to plan to complete it at least one day before it is due; don't save it until the last possible moment!

History is not just context (background) and evidence (primary sources); it is also drama, because before specific episodes happened, people may not have known what to expect (any more than we can predict our future). History is also contingent, because things might have turned out differently than they did. Why did one thing happen rather than another? Why is it significant that it turned out the way it did?

In other words, history requires explanations, or interpretations, in order to become meaningful. Notes in the Background Readings and the Primary Source Readings will introduce you to several different points of view that offer different interpretations of what was important and different explanations for why things turned out as they did. Each week, you will choose one of these points of view and write an Interpretation essay that either defends or refutes it. That is, you will explain in your own words why the interpretation most persuasive to you makes more sense than other perspectives. This type of careful essay requires you to defend a thesis (interpretation), but the thesis you defend (or refute) is up to you. Every week you will take the "raw materials" supplied by the reading assignments, and turn them into a meaningful perspective of your own.

As you weigh evidence and consider different interpretations, you will learn to avoid the fallacy of rational reconstruction.

Tip: after completing the Starting Assumptions, but before starting the Background reading, take a quick glance at the Interpretation questions for the week, so that as you go through the Background and Primary Source readings you will be able to make a special note of points you want to make in your Interpretation essay.

Must your Interpretation be written in an analytical style? No! Feel free to write creatively; a dialogue may be more effective than dry analysis. See these Important guidelines on writing styles.

Sharing your Interpretations. You will post your Interpretation essay each week on the Yuku, where other students can read and respond to what you have written. When you post your Interpretation, just click the New Topic button in Yuku. You will also be reading and responding to the other students' Interpretations as part of the Reflection and Peer Responses assignment that is due later in the week. When you do, just hit the Add Reply button, or you can click on the Add Reply link that appears as part of their post.

The Interpretation essay is practice for your Web Project. The most important purpose of this assignment is to give you a chance to explore the aspects of the history of science that are most meaningful to you, some of which you might pursue further in your Web Project. On any given week, you might frame your Interpretation essay so that it is related to your Web Project assignment; that is up to you. It is fine if it lays a foundation for an Episode of your Web Project, so long as the Web Project shows evidence of further refinement and thought in light of additional reflection and dialogue with class participants.

Student-to-Student Interaction: Write your Interpretation essays for each other, not for the instructor. The Interpretation essay provides a setting for interesting interaction with your fellow students about the material you are learning each week. I strongly believe that interaction with other students in a way that is not mediated by the instructor is one of the chief advantages of an online course. When you read others' Interpretations, pause and do your best to understand where they are coming from. Take advantage of this opportunity to get to know them; you will be "seeing" a lot of them online through the course of the semester. Many students find this student-to-student interaction to be one of their favorite aspects of the course!

Note: To preserve the environment for student-to-student interaction, I rarely post comments to the Interpretation essays. So you are writing for each other, not for me. On any given week, I will read at least one third of them to get a sense of the ongoing conversations that have started. Send me an email if you want me to be sure to read your Interpretation on any given week! By the way, I always read each and every Reflection.

I also spot check them for any problems or difficulties that may arise, including Honor Code violations. If you see any violations of proper discussion board ettiquette, please notify me immediately.

Here are the instructions you will see each week for the Interpretation Assignment:

Instructions for Interpretation assignments: Take one of the questions or points of view listed here and consider how it relates to the assigned readings for this week. Consider both Reading 1 and Reading 2 assignments, whenever applicable. Write a short essay defending your thesis and/or refuting competing interpretations. An Interpretation essay must express a point of view, supporting that argument with specific evidence gathered from the assigned readings. Your Interpretation essay should be at least 600 words long, and not more than 1200 words (you can do a word count at Motionnet.com). This word count does NOT include the original question you are responding to, any quotations from assigned readings, or the two notes at the end of the essay. Spellcheck, word count, and proofread your essay. Since this is a longer writing assignment, you will probably want to use the spellcheck and word-count features in your word processor. In a one or two sentence note at the end of your essay (not part of the word-count), indicate why you chose to respond to that issue and how you came up with the interpretation. In a one-sentence note after your essay (not part of the word-count), identify which style or genre you selected (analytical, narrative, dialogue, etc.) and explain why you thought that would be the most effective way to convey your interpretation. Include reference citations or links to any textbook, website, course page, or Exhibits Online that are closely related to your Interpretation (e.g., "For Redondi's view, go here: insert link"). Additional reading beyond course assignments is not required, but you must include at least two citations or links to assigned readings that provide evidence and relevant historical context. These two sources must be either primary sources that pertain to the topic and come from the period being discussed or secondary sources (e.g., one of our textbooks or assigned web pages) written with demonstrable knowledge of the relevant primary sources (for example, in addition to the assigned background readings, professional historians of science may be assumed to be familiar with the sources they write about; see guidelines for evaluating sources). An argument that is not supported with documented evidence does not meet the minimum requirements for an Interpretation essay. For citations and links, use the forms described in the bibliographical guidelines. (For example, a citation to our text could be "Lindberg, Beginnings, p. #." ) Cut-and-paste your completed essay, with notes and links, and post it in the Interpretation forum for this week at the Yuku discussion board. After you have posted your Interpretation, complete the Gradebook Declaration in Desire2Learn. (Your Gradebook Declaration is subject to the Honor Code.)

	HSCI 3013. History of Science to 17th century Kerry Magruder, 2004-08 Report typos or broken links Many thanks to Mythology and Folklore and other online courses developed by Laura Gibbs.	Search course websites:
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