Primary Source-Centred Research Project.
The research essay will answer a focused and analytical research question using evidence from one or more primary sources, as well as information from at least five good secondary sources that support your interpretation of the primary source(s). Provide citations in the essay using footnotes and a bibliography, all formatted according to The Chicago Manual of Style.
The essay will be evaluated based on the clarity of the central argument; the analysis of primary source(s); the selection and use of secondary sources to support the analysis; citation; the organization; and the effectiveness of language and presentation.
The Research proposal is attached as a file. Here are the notes for the research based on the proposal:
The topic and planned approach are a bit broad and will either be too much for a 2000-2500 word paper, or will result in a surface-level paper that does not have the space for thorough, in-depth analysis. I recommend streamlining your approach to discuss specific, key improvements in public health policies and/or urban infrastructure that came about as a result of the 1665 outbreak of the plague in London. You should also support your research with scholarly books, book chapters, and peer-reviewed articles. Please review the assignment guidelines on the required number of sources.
Here are a few sources for Plague (called the Black Death when referring to the first outbreak in the fourteenth century):
The Black Death: The Great Mortality of 1348-1350, A Brief History with Documents, edited by John Aberth
https://archive.org/details/blackdeathgreatm0000aber
And/or
The Black Death, edited by Rosemary Horrox
https://archive.org/details/blackdeathmanche00rose
When selecting secondary sources, choose those that are relevant, scholarly, and current.