• has a claim and expresses it in a title
• is well-organized, with the claim expressed at the beginning, demonstrated in the text, and reiterated in the conclusion
• weaves together at least 5-8 elements (people, places, things discussed this semester) to form a solid historical argument concerning context, or cause and effect. Utilizes all crucial elements and leaves nothing vital out.
• uses material from the readings and the lectures to support the claim
• is clear, well-written, and well-organized without too much extraneous material