I have to write a term paper

[Mort Divine]

My world history class is a generally laid-back class, where our grade depends on the notes we take and the rare assignment or two. I don't mind it really, we get lectured, kids fuck around, and those who wish to learn will learn and be able to discuss the topic in more detail in a small group with the teacher.

It may not be an effective tool for teaching the entire class, but I have a feeling that the teacher doesn't so much feel that the students should be compelled to learn. Those who desire to learn will learn and those who do not will, well, not learn.

As a result of this typical teaching style that is used I was really surprised when I came into class today noticing the assignment that was up on the board.

We were assigned a term paper to write, not ridiculously long - at only 7 pages it would be enough to get the general idea across and then elaborate a little bit - easy enough for those who don't care for anything but just squeaking by.

The topic: Absolutely ANYTHING we so wished as long as it was related to history.

So I got to thinking and ended up drawing a blank. What the fuck would I write about? I had so many ideas running through my head from the tired "Black Metal" papers I've written before - and frankly wasn't very interested in writing about again - to things that just seemed absurd to me like the effect that cryptozoology has had on human culture and history.

I just figured, "I'll dwell on it."

Then I was given a little extra bit of information, the person whose paper is deemed the best (provided that even the best is good enough) will have their work published in a regional college historical article journal.

What a better chance for me to get colleges interested in me than by having a published piece of mine in a decently respected college publication.

So now I really have to pick a topic that I feel I can write the best on!

The topic I think that I am going to do my paper on is "The Evolution Of Vampirism/Vampires and Its Effects On Human Cultural History."

I don't know if it is a very good one, so I am open to suggestions from all for what I should write on

Eh.

 

[Divine Victim]

Couldn't it be something more scholarly and normal?

I have to decide my Dissertation topic before long. It can be anything about Britain in the reign of Henry III (1216-1272). I'm thinking of focusing on the mendicant friars somehow, and maybe their relationship with Henry III or their role in (or attitude towards) inquisitions.

 

[The Ozzman]

Doctoral candidates and their silly dissertations...

 

[Mort Divine]

It could be yes, but my teacher said that it would be a very interesting topic - the likes of which he has never witnessed before in his class So I was like "hmm maybe!"

 

[Valerie]

Are you a senior? Why are you taking a world history class your senior year?

 

[zabu of nΩd]

I really doubt the topic matters that much, as long as it's something few people are familiar with. I'd say the important thing is that it's well-written and well-researched.

 

[Mort Divine]

I am a senior yes - World History is an elective class (starting next year it will be mandatory) and I couldn't fit it in sooner than now so eh

 

[Krilons Resa]

I really miss school.

 

[MasterOLightning]

Just don't write about metal. It's hard to get an A on a metal paper.

I wonder if there's enough info out there to write about how beer is the foundation of civilization. Some people theorize that the only reason people settled into agriculture was so that they could make primitive beer- a better beverage than swampwater.

Another interesting topic is why humans bothered to travel from their origins all the way out to North and South America. Populations were sparse enough that they could have easily stopped at very fertile areas like California, yet they kept going south into the rugged Andes when they had no need to. Same with the Pacific Islanders that went out and populated the region. Presumably people left their homes in small boats to never return, and they continued to do so having never heard from any of the previous travelers. Why did they ever do this? I guess it's more of a question for anthropologists, since it's pre- recorded history.

 

[Pessimism]

Don't write about metal PERIOD for any class but a general musical studies class - unless of course you are citing examples of certain techniques that are uncommon for the majority of music in a certain area.

Beer is important to most cultures and religions; hell, right off the top of my head you could easily talk about the vedic religions and the use of soma for ritual.

Or talk about class struggles; a perfect example is that of late Rome with the arrival of the Etruscans. Hell, you could actually talk about all the different peoples that lived on the outskirts of the Roman empire and how they each affected the empire in their own way (from art to ruling style to sport).



and this is a note to myself for a really cool item I just heard about:
Pliska Rosette
Pliska Rosette

 

[skeptik]

I wrote about Metal in an Ethnic Identities class and I got an A on the paper, so suck my balls.

 

[The Ozzman]

It's not hard to write about metal in a paper and get an A if you can directly relate it to the topic at hand and if you're a good writer.

I've never had the opportunity to do this, but I consider myself to be a decent writer, so I could probably pull it off.

 

[ThisIsACoolName]

The three best papers I've ever written have been a research paper about the battle of Hastings, a research paper about Hiroshima and Nagasaki (both position pieces... is it implied that a research paper is a position piece? I don't know) and one entitled How To Conquer China, that was presented as an actual guide to conquering China. Step one was to buy a time machine ("If you are on a budget, I suggest going to Bill and Virgil's Discount Time Machine and Interdemensional Depot on route 611 in Horsham"), and it was mostly based on Dynasty Warriors (the game), though the game itself was never referenced. It was just shit like "It is best to avoid warriors like Lu Bu and Zhang Fei until you have spend some time building your power".

 

[audiophileguy]

write about the plight of the eunuchs.
I'm sure your teacher has never heard a speech on that

http://www.rotten.com/library/sex/castration/eunuch

 

[Zephyrus]

How about you elaborate on one of the great "What-if's" of history? I always find alternative histories so fascinating. Like, what if the Spanish were able to conquer England and what implications on the remainder of history that would have. Or if you'd rather not dwell on the impact of single events, how about doing a "how-it-would-have-worked" type of thing, such as "How Hitler could have won the war".

 

[ThisIsACoolName]

How about you elaborate on one of the great "What-if's" of history? I always find alternative histories so fascinating. Like, what if the Spanish were able to conquer England and what implications on the remainder of history that would have. Or if you'd rather not dwell on the impact of single events, how about doing a "how-it-would-have-worked" type of thing, such as "How Hitler could have won the war".

That's an excellent idea.

 

[cookiecutter]

Write about the 30 years war. Super interesting, badassery on all sides, and no one else has even heard of it, let alone will write about it.

Jesus christ, Wallenstein was one badass mofo.

 

[Divine Victim]

How about you elaborate on one of the great "What-if's" of history? I always find alternative histories so fascinating. Like, what if the Spanish were able to conquer England and what implications on the remainder of history that would have. Or if you'd rather not dwell on the impact of single events, how about doing a "how-it-would-have-worked" type of thing, such as "How Hitler could have won the war".

I'm not a big fan of counterfactualist history, and I think it would be quite a fruitless exercise to research and write. But that's just me.

 

[Zephyrus]

I'm not a big fan of counterfactualist history, and I think it would be quite a fruitless exercise to research and write. But that's just me.

I think that postulating the implications of certain events in history that didn't happen helps you appreciate the impact of the events that actually did occur.

Back to my example about the Spanish conquering England. If the armada had a better leader and they actually landed in England and took London, then say good-bye to not just the British Empire, Protestantism, and not to mention the modern prevalence of the English language.

 

[cookiecutter]

Protestantism started in Germany