The first assignment is a 1500-word essay worth 10%. This is a review of one of the books on the module reading list, focusing on how the book deals with the theme of (material) evaluation. Students may also choose a book not on the reading list, nor on the list below, but this must be approved by the module convenor. The book must be a secondary source, not a primary source.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some books that would make for a good review? See below for a list of relevant books, including some from the reading list and a few others as well.

Can the book be an edited collection? Yes. But it has to be a book, not a chapter or an article.

Do I need to refer to other sources aside from the book under review? No. The only thing you need to read for this assignment is the book under review. That said, you will not be penalised for citing other sources if they are useful for your argument, eg. if they draw attention to topics that the book under review has missed.

Does it matter if my book is not explicitly or primarily about material evaluation? No. Very few books are. The aim is to extract as much about our topic from the book as possible.

Should I write about the whole book, or just the parts that deal with evaluation in the long eighteenth century? You should strike a balance between the two. You will need to show that you have understood the overall argument of the book, since that will help to make sense of the passages on evaluation. But you should also show that you have sought out chapters or passages that deal most squarely with the theme of the module.

Do I need to say whether this is a good or bad book? Yes and no. The point of the exercise is not to give an overall appraisal of the book. The point is to mine the book for insights and information about evaluation. Of course, if you think the book contains no such insights or information, or that it is incomplete or misleading on the matter, then you should say so.

Is there an essay question? There is no formal essay question. However, if you like to have a question in mind when writing an essay, you may use the following question: what does this book tell us about material evaluation in the long eighteenth century?

What sorts of things should the essay cover? The sorts of things that help to answer the question just stated in italics. This includes: the overall argument of the book; whether it deals explicitly or implicitly with evaluation; what names, if any, it gives to evaluation; how evaluation fits into the overall argument; what primary sources the author uses to find out about evaluation; an assessment of how useful the book is for the study of evaluation.

What are the marking criteria? The same as the marking criteria for all written work in the History department.

Relevant books from the reading list

These books are listed in the order in which we encounter them in the module. See Talus Aspire for the full citations (or simply look the following up on the library website).

Relevant books from beyond the reading list

These cover materials or episodes for which there is no dedicated seminar. These are in alphabetical order.