Overview: Throughout Modules Three and Four, you have continued to work on your Project 1: Writing Plan assignment, which you will formally submit for completion at the end of Module Four of the course. This progress check assignment provides you with an important opportunity to get valuable instructor feedback on the progress you are making and to ensure you are on the right track for your later submission. Prompt: Module Three: Communicating Historical Ideas has considered how historians communicate their message to a specific audience. Return to your submission for Progress Check 2 and identify an audience that would be interested in your event and research question and describe how and why you would tailor your message to that audience. You will also describe primary and secondary sources you could use to research your historical event. Specifically, in this assignment, you will submit the following elements of your Project 1: Writing Plan for review by your instructor: In Module Three: Communicating Historical Ideas, Learning Block 3-4 (page 2) in the webtext, you completed the following element: I. Describe the historical event that you selected. Why is this event significant? II. Describe at least two secondary sources that you could use to research your historical event. Your sources must be relevant to your event and must be of an appropriate academic nature. In your description, consider questions such as: What are the similarities and differences in the content of your sources? What makes them appropriate and relevant for investigating your event? What was your thought process when you were searching for sources? How did you make choices? III. Describe at least two primary sources that you could use to research your historical event. Your sources must be relevant to your event and must be of an appropriate academic nature. In your description, consider questions such as: How do these sources relate to your secondary sources? What do they add to your understanding of the event? What makes them appropriate and relevant for investigating your event? In Module Three: Communicating Historical Ideas, Learning Block 3-4 (page 3) in the webtext, you worked toward the following element: IV. Based on your review of primary and secondary sources, develop a research question related to the historical event you selected. In other words, what would you like to know more about? Create a thesis statement based on your research question. This will help you address these two critical elements later on: V. Identify an audience that would be interested in your historical event and research question. For example, who would benefit most from hearing your message? VI. Describe how and why you can tailor your message to your audience, providing specific examples. For example, will your audience understand historical terminology and principles associated with your event, or will you need to explain these? How will you communicate effectively with your audience? Please note that the numbering included above directly aligns with the numbering of these elements as they are presented in the Project 1 Guidelines and Rubric. You will need to add finishing touches to this progress check submission to prepare your final writing plan for submission in Module Four.
