Writing Homework Help

8-9 double-spaced pages; in 12-point Times New Roman font, 1 inch/2.54 cm margins (endnotes and bibliography are *not* included in the page count, they are in addition)

– Chicago style references (Notes/Bibliography style) (endnotes *not* footnotes please)

– See Guide to Essay Writing (Nexus) re: Chicago style and (more important) writing tips.

Central Task for this essay: The Assiniboia school, founded in Winnipeg in 1958/9 was the first residential *high school* in Manitoba. By comparing and contrasting the Assiniboia school experience with the broader experience of residential schooling, respond to the following question: To what extent was the Assiniboia School unique, to what extent was it a reflection of the general experience of residential schooling, and what does its particular history add to the broader history of residential schooling?* [Hint: a good thesis statement – at the end of your general introduction – should provide a *brief* answer to this central question, preferable in one sentence. Use a quick list if useful and then have the essay unfold in the same order as the list.] [*Hint 2: Concluding simply “well the schools weren’t that bad” is not a *thoughtful* reflection on the totality of these materials. Try to “dig deeper” than that.]

Your essay should unfold following these steps:

1) In 1 to 1.5 pages maximum: summarize the broader experience based on article by Mary Ellen Kelm (see below) (keep direct quotation to a minimum and put Kelm’s central points into your own words as much as possible)

2) In the rest of your essay: use the *primary* sources to compare Assiniboia with other schools

Some points of comparison (you may think of some others): general conditions, the curriculum, discipline, student responses to the schools while there, parents’ relationship to the schooling project

3) If you find significant differences, attempt to explain why these might have been.

4) Read/watch every source *carefully* taking careful notes. Ask yourself questions about things, rather than simply accepting all statements at face value. Ask yourself questions about the *type* of source you are using. (Who created it? under what conditions? For whom?) As all good historians do, balance one source against another to try to arrive at a fullest view possible of the subject. (This usually means avoiding discussing one source at a time; instead, as much as possible, use each source to help fill out each of the points of comparison listed above.)

Please note: your *analysis* of your sources is much more important to me than Chicago style formatting, but if you make no effort to figure out how Chicago style formatting works, you may have to lose some points (but, *really* spend the bulk of your time – and worry! – on creating a strong paper). Try to resist emailing me about details of Chicago style. I’d be much more impressed with a question about your analysis.

Sources on which to base your essay – A, B & C – All are required (Please do not use other sources for this paper. If you exclude any of these, you will lose marks):

A) Secondary sources: (from Module 7 of the course)

Mary Ellen Kelm, “A Scandalous Procession…” (Course reading – See Module 7)

Sharon Wall, Lecture on Residential Schools (See Module 7) – Please don’t get distracted into reviewing or summarize it in your essay, Think about how you might use especially the last section “Coercion and Consent” to understand this essay project and possibly draw on its insights as you analyze your sources. If you do find it useful in your analysis, then mention it *briefly* and endnote it. AGAIN, DO NOT FILL UP YOUR ESSAY WITH MY LECTURE.

B) Primary Sources on Assiniboia:

i) Assiniboia School Newsletter, 1958-59. (Available on Nexus, under “primary sources” with permission of the TRC archives.)

ii) Parts of: Survivors of the Assiniboia Indian Residential School, Did You See Us: Reunion, Remembrance, and Reclamation at an Urban Indian Residential School. (Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press, 2020). ( Ebook on UW library website) https://uwinnipeg.on.worldcat.org/oclc/1196094316

Pages 4-51 (6 survivor reflections – from Dorothy Anne Crate to Mabel Horton)

iii) One page of “The Survivors Speak: A Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission,” (2015), p. 162. – on Nexus (under “Readings: primary sources”)

C) Primary Sources on other residential schools:

i) Film clip: CBC News Magazine, “‘A new future’ for children at James Bay residential school,” (1955)https://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/a-new-future-for-children-at-james-bay-residential-school

ii) At least three interviews from *this* website only: http://legacyofhope.ca/wherearethechildren/

Scroll down to “Residential School Oral Histories and Survivor Stories” (bottom of page – click on “view all stories to see all 47 interviews). These interviews were conducted with adults who were once students in Canada’s residential school system (likely in the 1950-70s though dates are not always discussed). You are encouraged to browse transcript content before making your selections. DO NOT USE INTERVIEWS THAT DO NOT ALSO INCLUDE A TRANSCRIPT.

Accessing the interviews: After clicking on the interview of your choice you will see the option of either watching the video OR reading the transcript. To write up the paper, you will definitely want to access the transcript for capturing direct quotations and for easy review of the information. Skimming the transcript (to select your interviews) is the quickest way to get a sense of the kinds of things each individual discusses, but *listening* may tell you additional things about how this individual feels about this history. To copy the transcript into a Word file for easier use: When inside the transcript, use the “control-A” function (i.e. hold down “control,” while typing “a” – to copy everything on the page then paste into a Word doc. (You’ll have some text to erase – list of names, etc – before you get to the interview).

Interview endnotes: – the whole point of a citation/reference is to allow another researcher to *follow your steps* to get to exactly the source you have used. This is what I have improvised for our school interviews (as not all info is offered on the site). I’ve just used the first interview as an example:

Lucille Mattess, Lejac Indian Residential School, Posted on website: “Where are the Children,” http://wherearethechildren.ca/en/stories/#story_1

— the hyperlink should led to the *exact* interview you’re referring to, not just to the site in general.

Second reference to that same interview:

Mattess Interview.

A few additional tips:

Take *thematic* notes – i.e. group things into categories, rather than writing down every detail and then repeating them in your essay. That means, not just copying out stories from the interviews, but seeing *how* they relate to the points of comparison listed above.

Use *some* direct quotation; some paraphrasing (both kinds require endnotes)- Everyone likes to hear the words of real people who have lived through events. BUT don’t quote excessively. (eg. select a couple of sentences – 3 or 4 tops? – that nicely highlight some point you’re making). Then offer some quick analysis of your chosen quotation. Sometimes, you may want to paraphrase by saying: “Four of my chosen interviewees recalled teachers being very harsh, sometimes with punishment, sometimes with critical words.” [then create one endnote that includes all four sources. You just place a semi colon (;) between each source. ] You can even quote a film’s narration: “The children are happy and well fed…” or whatever the film narrator says (but make sure you quote *exactly* and *accurately* in that case.

Avoid section headings. Good essays are linked by strong topic sentences and transitional phrases; making headings is a “way out” of actually linking things together with your sentences. (See the Essay writing guide on topic sentences, etc)

Making endnotes: (the technology): There is an automatic function for this on Word. Look under the Tab marked “References”- then click “Insert Endnote”; when you’re done return to this area, click the “Footnote” tab at the very bottom (next to Table of Contents), click and navigate to the dropdown menu of the “format” function. Please change the format from Roman Numerals (i, ii, iii) to Arabic numbers (1, 2, 3). Much easier for me to follow! Thanks.

Guide to Essay writing. Available under “Content” on Nexus. Every year I can often tell who has read these or not when I read their essays. I can almost guarantee that it should improve your mark to follow this (short) guide. For instance, *many* students don’t use clear “topic sentences.”