MME FST Outline and Ru
ic
CHZ47 - Modern Middle East
2021 Final Summative Task
For the Final Summative Task (FST) in Modern Middle East, each student is required to
complete a persuasive research essay of 5-6 pages that will incorporate a minimum of
three scholarly/academic sources. The MME FST will be worth 30% of your overall grade.
Students are required to choose an essay question from the list below. These essay
questions cover a variety of topics and themes across both semesters of the course.
The final ISP should include a cover page with the course code, name of the student, and
date. The essay should be typed in size 12 font, Times New Roman, double-spaced, 1-inch
margins. The essay should include footnotes and a bibliography in Chicago format.
Essay Questions:
1. Who is the most consequential figure in the development of the Modern Middle East?
2. What is the primary obstacle to peace in the Middle East?
Scholarly/Academic Sources
“Scholarly sources (also refe
ed to as academic, peer-reviewed, or refereed sources) are written by
experts in a particular field and serve to keep others interested in that field up to date on the most
ecent research, findings, and news.” - Illinois Li
ary
What is not a scholarly source?
● Online encyclopedias (Britannica, etc.)
● News articles/articles from online news sites and newspapers
For this FST, you are encouraged to use both scholarly and non-scholarly sources as long as you cite a
minimum of three scholarly sources. Wikipedia is not an acceptable source for this assignment.
Helpful links to scholarly sources:
● Council on Foreign Relations - https:
www.cfr.org
● Brookings Institution - https:
www.
ookings.edu
● American Enterprise Institute - https:
www.aei.org
● Foreign Affairs Magazine - https:
www.foreignaffairs.com
● The Conversation - https:
theconversation.com/us/politics
● RAND Corporation - https:
www.rand.org
● Human Rights Watch - https:
www.hrw.org
● Middle East Policy Council - https:
mepc.org
● The Belfer Center - https:
www.belfercenter.org
● Hoover Institute - https:
www.hoover.org
● Middle East Institute - https:
www.mei.edu
● Carnegie Endowment for International Peace - https:
carnegieendowment.org/?lang=en
A scholarly source can also be a book or textbook published by a reputable scholar, expert, o
journalist.
Essay Ru
ic
Criteria Level Four Level Three Level Two Level One
Thesis and
Evidence Building
❏ Thinking
❏ Communication
Student’s thesis is
clear,
well-developed,
and presents a
definitive
persuasive
argument
Student’s thesis is
mostly clear,
presents a
persuasive
argument
Student uses
Student’s thesis is
somewhat unclear,
lacks central
persuasive
argument
Student uses some
Student’s thesis is
unclear. Thesis
does not present
cohesive argument
Student uses little
elevant evidence
https:
www.cfr.org
https:
www.
ookings.edu
https:
www.aei.org
https:
www.foreignaffairs.com
https:
theconversation.com/us/politics
https:
www.rand.org
https:
www.hrw.org
https:
mepc.org
https:
www.belfercenter.org
https:
www.hoover.org
https:
www.mei.edu
https:
carnegieendowment.org/?lang=en
25
Student uses
elevant,
convincing
evidence
and quotations
that thoroughly
support thesis.
elevant evidence
and
quotations that
generally support
the thesis.
elevant evidence
and quotations that
somewhat support
the thesis.
and few
Quotations do not
support the thesis
Development
❏ Thinking
❏ Application
25
Student
demonstrates
excellent grasp on
historical
chronology, draws
sophisticated
connections
etween events
and skillfully
demonstrates
cause and effect
Student makes
explicit and elegant
transitions
from one idea to
next, furthe
developing
thesis.
Student
demonstrates good
grasp on historical
chronology, draws
connections
etween events
and demonstrates
cause and effect
Makes mostly clea
transitions from
one idea to the
next, helping to
develop thesis
Student somewhat
demonstrates
grasp on historical
chronology, draws
some connections
etween events
and somewhat
demonstrates
cause and effect
Uses transitions
ut lacks smooth
flow from one idea
to the next
Student fails to
grasp historical
chronology, is
unable to draw
connections
etween events
and does not
demonstrate
cause and effect
Few or inco
ect
use of transitions,
ideas do not flow
smoothly
Analysis and
Synthesis
❏ Knowledge
Understanding
❏ Application
25
Student presents
and synthesizes
elevant and fully
analyzed textual
evidence.
Student uses three
or more scholarly
and/or credible
sources.
Student adequately
presents and
synthesizes
elevant and
mostly well
analyzed textual
evidence.
Student uses three
or more scholarly
Student’s textual
evidence is not
always relevant,
poorly synthesized
and /or is not
analyzed.
Student uses less
than three
scholarly and/o
credible sources.
Student provides
no textual evidence
to support the
thesis.
Student does not
include scholarly
and/or credible
sources.
and/or credible
sources.
Mechanics –
spelling, grammar,
punctuation,
sentence flow,
vocabulary
❏ Communication
10
Grammar and / o
spelling used
precisely and
accurately;
excellent sentence
flow;
vocabulary and
phrasing specific
and varied.
Grammar and / o
spelling used with
considerable
accuracy;
sentence flow
mostly effective;
mostly good
vocabulary and
phrasing.
Grammar and / o
spelling used with
limited accuracy;
lack of sentence
flow;
weak vocabulary.
Numerous spelling
grammar e
ors.
Writing lacks
coherence.
Citation, Footnotes,
Bibliography
❏ Communication
5
Student follows
citation format
with meticulous
care.
Student follows
citation format
with care.
Student follows
citation format
with some care.
Student does not
follow citation
format.