Students are asked to propose questions. Specifically, students should construct at minimum three potential short answer questions and at minimum two longer essay questions.
The short answer questions can address material just from the second half of the course. The longer essay questions should bring in material from both halves of the course.
Students are welcome to be as creative as they like in designing these questions. As they put their questions together, students should think about the key themes of the course, as well as the relationship between primary sources and course lectures.
In addition, students should aspire to construct questions that ask the exam-taker to think about course material in new ways or to synthesize course material in innovative ways. Students are discouraged from asking questions that merely ask exam-takers to repeat the content of lectures or of course readings.
In devising the questions, please be sure to be clear regarding instructions for the exam-takers. If, for example, they are to integrate readings into their responses, be sure to indicate how many and which ones (if applicable). If an answer requires supporting examples, please indicate how many examples will be necessary to receive full credit for the response.
Please also propose questions that can be answered based on course materials; please do not pose questions that rely on knowledge not covered in the course.
Grading criteria:
Do the questions reflect the student’s understanding of core course concepts and themes?
Do the questions provoke exam-takers to think, synthesize, and/or interpret course materials?
Are the questions fair? Do they cover material with which exam-takers should be expected to be familiar?
Are the questions clear? Would an exam-taker understand what is being asked in the question?
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