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Monograph Essay

HCC Fall 2015

Instructions: The monograph essay is a book analysis of one of the four monographs listed in the syllabus. The goal of the essay is for you to read the book and critically evaluate the merits and the faults of the book’s argument or thesis. It is NOT a book report or a summary. You may wish to write a short summary of the reading to introduce your essay, but your grade on the assignment will come from your analysis.

There is no specific page limit on the essay, however you should spend some time on the explanation of your analysis and critique.

The following is a list of questions that you should answer at minimum:

1) What is the book’s argument/thesis/main point? 2) Is the argument/thesis/main point convincing? 3) How does the author(s) substantiate their claims? Use specific examples. 4) What critique (or perhaps fault) do you find in the claim? Even if you agree with the

author you can still offer criticism. 5) What sources did the author use to write the monograph and make their argument? 6) Were these sources adequate? This may require you to find some of the sources and

evaluate them. 7) Your overall impressions of the monograph and its effectiveness.

Feel free to add your own questions as well. The Essay is due on the day of the Final Exam but you can certainly finish it early if you choose. Bring a hard-copy of the Essay to class on or before the Final Exam.

Good luck and thanks for a great semester!