HUS1DAU Task 2 Research Essay

Write a 1000 word essay on one of these three questions (choose one only):

1. How has the myth of terra nullius shaped Australian history and national identity?
2. Is the myth of Anzac benign or harmful?
3. To what extent has Australia ever been the land of the ‘fair go’?

• You should have a central argument or thesis, which you support with the use of research. Do not simply present information.
• This should be a self-contained piece of writing with an introduction, a body and conclusion.

Submission guidelines:

• Submit your essay as a double-spaced Word file (not pdf) via Turnitin
• Use a clear 12 pt font (such as Times New Roman, Calibri or Arial), with at least 3cm left and right margins

Research needed:

• You will need to reference at least four quality secondary sources to achieve a passing grade.  Here are some suggestions to get you started (all are available electronically to minimise competition for hard copies – however this doesn't mean that YOU should limit yourself to electronically available sources). You will need AT LEAST three more secondary sources:
  • Question 1
    • Richard Broome, Aboriginal Australians: A History since 1788 (2010 edition, available via the La Trobe library catalogue as an e-book). 
  • Question 2
    • Marilyn Lake, Henry Reynolds, Joy Damousi and Mark McKenna, What’s Wrong with ANZAC? The Militarisation of Australian History (2010), available via the La Trobe library catalogue as an e-book).
  • Question 3
    • Mark Peel and Christina Twomey, History of Australia (2011), available via the La Trobe library catalogue as an e-book).
• For a higher grade, you will need to show a broader level of research beyond the absolute minimum of four.
• Four of your secondary sources must be of a scholarly, academic quality (from a peer-reviewed journal or university-level book). Websites, dictionaries, encyclopedias etc do not count but can be used in addition to your four quality sources.
• You can use primary sources, but these must be in addition to, and not in place of, the secondary sources.

Referencing:

• Your references must be cited correctly, according to the Oxford (footnoting) system.
• You must give the precise page number in the footnotes, showing exactly where your information comes from.
• You can reference more than one source in a footnote to demonstrate that several scholars agree on the same issue. Separate each individual entry with a semi-colon.
• Subsequent mentions of the same source should be abbreviated (i.e. “Broome, Aboriginal Australians, 150.”)
• Your essay must include a properly-formatted bibliography.
• Check the Library’s referencing tool for correct formats: http://www.lib.latrobe.edu.au/referencing-tool/oxford

Word count:

• Your word count can be 10% under or over the target. In a 1000-word essay, this equates to 900-1100 words.
• The word count does NOT include footnotes and bibliography; check your settings if using the word count tool.

Use of quotations:

• Do not use extensive quotes – it is better to show that you understand the source by paraphrasing and acknowledging (by footnotes) the source you have consulted.
• Try to introduce your quotation and incorporate it into your own sentence: for example, “As historian Richard Broome observes…”
• A quote should not occupy an entire sentence. It should enhance your own writing, not replace it.

Language use:

• Use formal language, and avoid slang or abbreviations.
• Aboriginal and Indigenous must be capitalised as you would Australian, English, Italian, etc.
• Avoid outdated and potentially offensive terms such as “natives”, “aborigines”, “aboriginals” unless you are directly quoting from a historical source. For your own writing, use terms such as Indigenous people, Aboriginal people, or First Nations people. A guide to appropriate language use will be placed on LMS.
• You will be graded on use of appropriate terminology, so take care.

Grading criteria:

• Please note that these are not equally weighted. Being a research essay, a high value is placed on quality of sources and referencing. In this task a clear argument, and critical analysis, is also expected.

Research	Breadth and depth of reading
	Overall quality of secondary sources used
	Adequacy of bibliography with relation to the task
Argument and analysis	Answering the set question
	Depth of analysis
	Critical thinking and development of ideas
	Strength of argument
	Use of evidence
Writing	Originality
	Structure (introduction, topic sentences, conclusion)
	Coherence and fluidity of writing
	Appropriate use of terminology (eg, no offensive terms, capitalising Aboriginal/Indigenous)
	Adherence to scholarly writing conventions (word limit, formal tone, presentation)
Referencing	Correct footnotes presentation
	Correct bibliography format

Grade descriptors:

Table – Meanings of different grades
A	80–100%	First class work evident in a combination of achievements: clear understanding of subject matter and appreciation of issues; well organised with the ability to formulate and sustain an argument; Evidence of creative insight and originality; good use of sources and an ability to analyse, synthesise and evaluate material. Well written and documented. A+ generally indicates a mark of 90 and over.
B	70–79%	Very good work with a strong grasp of subject matter and appreciation of key issues, perhaps lacking a little on the finer points. Demonstrates clearly developed arguments, good research, ability to synthesise and analyse, well structured. Evidence of insight into topic. Evidence of creative and solid work. Perhaps the essay fell down a little in its degree of thoroughness in argument, reading or expression.
C	60–69%	Some good ideas with basic competence and reasonable breadth of reading. Demonstrates some gaps in some areas, e.g. analysis and/or research. Argument may lack clarity or be weakly structured. Alternatively, it is a good essay gone astray at crucial points.
D	50–59%	Some appreciation of subject matter and issues, but demonstrates some serious deficiencies. There may be little evidence of reading and research, very poor presentation, inadequate comprehension of the question, or not properly addressing the question. The essay may demonstrate a tendency to describe rather than analyse material, or has problems with structuring argument and organising material.
N	49% & below	This is a fail mark. There will be numerous problems not compensated for by the strengths of the essay. Often there will be no evidence of understanding of the subject or question; minimal or inadequate comprehension; or an inability to identify issues. The essay will be inadequate in its depth and breadth, and sometimes incomplete or irrelevant.

Questions to ask of sources – Are they scholarly?

• Does the source have a clearly identified author?
• Does the author appear to have any academic or cultural authority to write on this topic?
• Does the source appear to be a scholarly publication such as an academic book or peer-reviewed journal article? Did you access it through the university library?
• Does it address recent discourses, using evidence – ie, is it from within the last 20 years, with extensive references to other scholarship?
• Or does it provide evidence of a historical period or event which could be used in a research essay - i.e. could it be used as a primary source?