Description
Instructions
Choose any of the Roman emperors, and write a biographical sketch explainingwhat you see as his most notable actions and character traits that impactedWestern civilization.
A biographical sketch is shorter and more specific than a typical biographyof a person’s character, life, and achievements. It should provide readers withyour insights into the person’s character and give people what you consider tobe significant information about a historical figure.
Step 1: Choose an appropriate source. At least one source must come from theCSU Online Library. The Academic OneFile and General OneFile are databases inthe CSU Online Library that would be good places to start your search. If youneed additional help with using or locating information in the online library,there are Library Video Tutorials available on the main page of the onlinelibrary under the heading Research Guides.
You may use additional resources, but those sources cannot include Wikipedia,biography.com, history.com, or other encyclopedias. You may research the personon credible sources online or at your local library to read a variety ofbiographies about the person.
Step 2: Complete your research. Choose one interesting experience thatillustrates the main point that you want to make about that person’s life.Gather details about that incident. For example, write a timeline of theperson’s life that will show that you know when and where the person was born;where he lived; what he did throughout the course of his life; and where, when,and how he died. Make a list of the person’s pursuits and accomplishments. Youshould know this person inside and out before you begin writing yoursketch.
Step 3: Draw conclusions, and prepare your thesis. Reflect on the life of thehistorical figure. Once you have done your research and have gathered enoughinformation about the historical figure, you should sit back to think aboutwhat it means, to see if you notice any trends, and to have a better sense ofwhat you want to convey about the person. Your thesis statement will offeryour reader the overall insight into this person you have perceived.
Use the following guidelines to help decide on your thesis:
- Ask yourself about how the historical figure was shaped by his time periodand environment.
- Ask yourself how the historical figure impacted the lives of the peoplearound him, the general public, and future generations.
- Figure out which of the figure’s achievements and life experiences you maywant to emphasize. Figure out which quality of the person you would mostlike to emphasize, and make sure the facts you present support it.
- Find the perfect anecdote to demonstrate the qualities of the person youwould most like to show.
Step 4: Write your essay. Your essay should be at least one page in length.You are required to use at least one source from the CSU Online Library foryour response.
Be sure to consider the following guidelines in your essay:
- The introduction should engage the reader and clearly present the essaysthesis and a summary of the main points that clarify the writers point ofview.
- Organization should clearly present points arranged to illustrate youropening thesis.
- Writing should be clear and concise with no spelling, grammatical, orpunctuation errors.
- The number of sources should meet or exceed any expressed assignmentrequirements and should be peer-reviewed or academic in nature. At least onesource must be from the CSU Online Library.
- APA formatting guidelines should be used for reference entries and in-textcitations.
If you need assistance with writing or formatting your essay, there areadditional tutorials and webinars available in the myCSU Student Portal throughthe Writing Center.
All other questions should be directed toward yourprofessor.
