In Response to the Check-In

Hello All,

After looking at your responses in more detail, I just wanted to say again what a great job everyone is doing with this assignment. I realize the amount of time that is needed for this assignment, and I think that it will be worth it, as it gives you a sense of what type of work you will be doing next year.

I have started to respond to your check-ins. The will be completed in the order in which they were posted. I will also try to do a few each day until they are all done, so check the blog often for my responses. Grades will be given to you when we return to school in September.

Mr. Owens



RESPONSES:




Katie:

Great topic for your paper, just make sure that you cover the requirements from the directions. How much does Geyl go into Hitler? You might want to refine your topic even more. For instance when you say that you will discuss their “tactics or deeds”, be sure to choose something specific about Napoleon and Hitler to discuss, rather than making your paper broad.


Courtney:

Great sources and a well thought out plan of investigation, although you might want to refine the topic to one specific domestic policy that influenced the rest of Europe! For part three of your check-in, could you explain why you agree that there are similarities found in Napoleon and Hitler? Well done.


Madie:

I am glad that you are enjoying “The French Revolution”. In response to your plan of investigation and part three of your check in, I would say that while you should provide some background detail about Napoleon and your topic, you want to keep the majority of your paper focused on one specific issue.

For instance, I think that your plan of investigation is well thought out, however, you should pick a specific topic surrounding Napoleon’s rule and its impact on Europe. Otherwise you can write a book on the subject!

Great sources!


Romelie:

I think that your topic is on the right track as you can explore the economic sanctions that Napoleon tried to impose on England, but you need to make sure that you focus on Napoleon I. Napoleon III was third emperor of France and the last monarch for the country.

As for your questions: 1. You can use other sources for you paper, however, you should try to stick to sources found on questia, and the MAJORITY of your paper should be based on the two books. 2. You can not complete Part B. Supporting Evidence in bullet point format. Stick to the format used in the sample. Yes, Supporting Evidence shows that you adequately researched your investigation and the evidence you provide is correctly referenced using footnotes (which are a form of citations). 3. The scores that you see are the rubric. Read through it to see what you will be evaluated on. 4. I am not sure what you mean by a question. The question that I posed to you for the assignment is in the directions. It is your job to research Napoleon and develop your own topic for the paper. Let me know if you have any more questions... I know you will :)


Jake:

I think that you already realize that the sources you have chosen are limited. Both books appear to be very broad in nature, dealing with all or the majority of France’s history. You should be able to use the majority of each book, rather than small sections. Also, the materials used from your second source refer to Napoleon III, not Napoleon I.

I would go back and try to find two sources that are not as broad as the sources mentioned above. Try to find two sources that have differing opinions on Napoleon I, and that do not focus so much on the French Revolution. These sources should have different opinions of Napoleon. After all, IBO is about learning history from all different perspectives, and then deciding for yourself what actually happened (rather than someone simply telling you). Find the inner historian in you :)

In regards to your plan of investigation, I think that you have some good ideas. However, you will obviously have to go back and change this a bit, as your first plan is based on Napoleon III and sources that are too broad. I also think that you should try to narrow down your plan to one topic or the other, and, once you do that, narrow it down even more. Email me when you come up with a new plan.

Finally, can you explain what you mean when you responded to Katie in saying that Napoleon and Hitler can and cannot be compared to each other, and that they both conquered Europe for different reasons?

Good luck!