BASQUE HISTORY:  Origins to 1700 Take home paper assignment

I.  PAPER TOPIC.  You are numerous options for your research paper, but the minimum requirement is that the bulk of the paper must cover a Basque related theme from early times to 1700.  If you want to A) strike out on your own path (which is encouraged), just follow the general guidelines below.  If however you are stumped as to what you should study, below is a sample that you can use and make your own.  Either paste the paragraph below to use as your paper's introduction after you have filled in the blanks or rework some parts if you'd like, but keep the key parts that you have filled in.

Who are these people we call the Basques?  There are many ways of telling their story, but in this documented essay we will follow the adage that a people's history can be found in their myths and legends.  In the late 19th century two investigators, Mariana Monteiro and Wentworth Webster, gave us an English language window into this world.  Analyzing portions of their texts supplemented by ( ____ outside source #1--book) and ( ____ outside source #2--website) will reveal to us how Basque myths and legends are narratives that contributed to the shaping of Basque values and belief systems.  If we accept that Basque history should primarily be judged based on ( _____ articulate your basis of judgment; ie value / vision of judgment) then we will find that the greater truth of the Basques is ( _____ state your thesis and take it in your own direction.)

II.  GUIDELINES.  

• DUE DATE.  Your typed, double-spaced, documented (using footnotes) essay of six to eight pages is due the day you take the final exam.  Use Microsoft Word and email your paper to Dr. Y no later than the day you are taking the final exam.  Everyone is allowed the same space to make his/her case.  So add or subtract to meet these requirements.
• TITLE OPTIONAL.  You do not need to have a title for your paper; just start with the first paragraph.
• HEADING:
  (Your name)
  BSQ-STD 377 / HIST 380
  Boise State University
  Spring Semester 2007
• GENERIC AUDIENCE.  Assume the reader is a fellow college student not familiar with this material and explain things accordingly.
• MARGINS & FONTS.  Do not adjust the default settings of your word processing program to "fudge" things; i.e., maintain fixed margins of about one-inch all around and the font should be standard Arial or Times New Roman with a pitch of 10-12.
• TUTOR.  Tutor is not a bad word.  We can all benefit from having someone read our writing.  Since form will be a portion of the grade, take the time to present your work correctly; i.e;  spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphs, organization etc.  Take advantage of the pre-paid tutors available to you.  Dr. Y is available to discuss your ideas for the paper.
• USE OF OUTSIDE SOURCES. You will be required to use at least TWO outside sources:  one internet source and one book or article (not assigned in this course). A bibliography or works cited page is not necessary because these two sources will be listed in your footnotes because you will be drawing from them to help you make your argument.
• FOOTNOTES.  This paper assignment will require documentation; i.e., the use of a minimum of TEN footnotes.  This does not mean ten different sources--you can re-use the two or so sources that you have selected.  Ten times you will be required to back up what you say with an outside source.  "Foot"notes are to be located at the bottom of the page (see below for how to do these). This means do not use endnotes in a list on the last page, or parentheses in the middle of the text to cite a book.  Historians prefer--and this assignment requires--footnotes.  Click here for Tips Using Footnotes.
• CONCLUSION.  Includes a restatement of your thesis, the issues discussed, and how you have made your case to the reader. 
• PAPER KEPT ON FILE.  This paper will not be returned to you; instead it will be kept on file to prevent the re-using of papers in the future.  Keep a copy for yourself.  The grade for this paper assignment will be included inside your bluebook final exam that will be returned to you if you like.  To retrieve your final exam booklet, either 1) include a self-addressed stamped envelope the day of the final exam or 2) come by my office next term to pick it up.
   

III. RESEARCH TIPS

Your research will require you to utilize various sources.  Below are some online links:

Legends and Popular Tales of the Basque People by Mariana Monteiro [1887]

Basque Legends by Wentworth Webster [1879]

Basque Proverbs (Translated by Jon Aske)

Also recommended are the works by Joseph Campbell and Carl Jung as a place to begin an inquiry into the significance and meaning of myths.

Click here for Tips for Evaluating Historical Documents

Click here for Tips Using Footnotes