The topic for your essay is from the American Revolution/War For Independence era:

Explain the significance of the Battle of Saratoga, why it was considered a turning point in the war.  Your essay should include background of the war leading up to the battle, but more importantly, the battle itself and the consequences/results of the battle.  This is NOT an essay about the Revolutionary War, although there should be some war background.  This is about Saratoga and your emphasis should be on that event.

A title page is not necessary.  Place the title, your name and campus location at the top of page one.

Sources: Sources can be either primary or secondary and must be cited using either APA, MLA, or Turabian style (in text, footnotes, or endnotes are acceptable).  Claiming words as your own from a source without proper citation is equivalent to plagiarism of which punishment is harsh. Even if you just rephrase or paraphrase a concept in a paragraph, whether you are using a quote or not, you must cite the source.  The citing of any quote is mandatory.  

A minimum of  five credible sources is required; more is certainly acceptable.  Types of acceptable sources include:  Books, academic, professional or scholarly journals, government documents, and professional agency websites.  Ebsco and other data base articles which would be found in bound journals are appropriate.  I would prefer that you not use your textbook as a source.  Also acceptable, as primary sources, are personal diaries, journals, personal correspondence, and newspapers of the period.  Do not use contemporary newspapers, magazines, encyclopedias, or dictionaries, including Wikipedia!  No personal interviews may be used!  Students may not use more than 2 websites as sources!  Ebsco is not a website, it is a database!

Whatever method you use for citing a source, it must be done correctly. Improper citation is a deterrent to points as is incorrect grammar and punctuation.  If you are unsure as to how to construct a citation, email the instructor. 

Format:  One inch margins, Times New Roman font, font size 12, and double spaced.  Number the pages with the numbers located at the bottom of each page.

Length:  A minimum of 700 words,  NOT including bibliography (source list), and no longer than 1000 words. 

The assignment is due by 12noon, Friday,October 21, 2016.  Please submit the essay either via an email attachment or through Blackboard; Word is the preferred system format.  As you have 9 weeks to complete a relatively short paper, late work is reduced by 10 points per hour, starting at 12:01pm.  Any essay submitted after 6:00 pm on March 11 will receive a zero NO EXCEPTIONS.

Please read “Keys to Writing Better Papers”, which is available on the essay information page