HIST 1201

AUSTRALIAN HISTORY: CURRENT ISSUES IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

SEMESTER 1 2013
IPSWICH CAMPUS
ESSAY DRAFT & PEER REVIEW EXERCISE GUIDE
ESSAY DRAFT:
DUE 5PM FRIDAY 26 APRIL
via Turnitin (in Blackboard: Turnitin Essay Draft)
1200 WORDS
LATE 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 MAY
via 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 this
exercise. You will get feedback from your fellow students, but there will not be a mark attached to
that 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 depth
and detail than we have time for in lectures or tutorials. The ability to write an essay in response to a
question is a vital skill in history (as it is in many other areas of study), and this is what we are testing
in this task. There are three things to remember:
Question: you must answer the question. This seems simple, but its often what students
struggle with the most. Your essay must answer the question, clearly, systematically, and on
the basis of evidence from primary and secondary sources.
Argument: your essay must have an argument that responds to the question. You will need
one key idea that sums up your thoughts on this topic, and you should be able to explain this
in one sentence in your introduction. The rest of your essay is where you explain why you
think this by presenting evidence and analysis in a coherent and systematic way.
Research: history essays must be based on substantial and relevant historical research. You
will need to find primary and secondary sources that are relevant to the question, and your
answer. And you will need to use this research to support your argument.

The essay draft must be at least 1200 words. There are 11 essay questions to choose from, and they
can be found in the Course Guide (on Blackboard or in the Course Reader). The more work you have
done on the essay, the more you will get out of the feedback process. Once you have submitted your
essay 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 not
include 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, and
there is no other way in.

PEER REVIEW EXERCISE

Once you have submitted your Essay Draft, you will receive 2 drafts to review (via Turnitin). Turnitin
will 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 aware
that 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 will
not 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 draft
and submit the final essay. The final essay is 1800 words and worth 30% of your overall mark for this
subject. Essays will be marked on the following criteria: primary research, secondary research,
question & argument, use of evidence, language & writing style, references and bibliography.