Complete the Historical Analysis Worksheet, working through a five-step critical thinking process for analyzing and synthesizing the evidence you collected related to your topic.

Introduction

Note: The first three assessments in this course build on each other; therefore, it is essential that you complete them in the order presented.

In the first assessment, you located and analyzed primary and secondary sources about a historical event, issue, or movement. This second assessment focuses on evaluating and synthesizing the information you have collected from your sources. During this process, you will apply your critical thinking skills, which is an essential part of problem solving.

Historians use problem solving to better understand the past, but they also use it to understand key historical figures—from the suffragettes to members of the #MeToo movement and from the Knights of Labor to today’s labor and business leaders—continue to use it today to change the course of history. Using critical thinking to solve problems outside of this course could help you, for example, propose a solution to address nursing mothers’ rights at work, decide how to put a positive spin on an employment gap at a job interview, or even consider how skills you’ve learned in past Capella courses have impacted your current success. Understanding how to apply critical thinking to solve problems in any personal or professional situation you encounter will help you take control of your own life to achieve the future you want.

Note: The first three assessments in this course build on each other; therefore, it is essential that you complete them in the order presented.

Overview

Now that you’ve evaluated the credibility of your sources (Assessment 1), you are ready to use innovative thinking and problem solving to analyze the content of your sources. For this assessment, you will complete the  Historical Analysis Worksheet [DOCX] , using a critical thinking process to evaluate evidence as you explore the causes and long-term impacts related to your issue. Analyze how those in the past have successfully and unsuccessfully tackled the same issues while also considering how these same issues might now be addressed by your organization.

Preparation

Review the evidence you compiled and compared for Assessment 1, Evaluating Historical Sources. Then begin to formulate your explanation or main arguments about your chosen issue. Consider the historical context of the issue, its challenges, and the strategies and approaches people used to deal with those challenges.

Instructions

For this assessment, use the  Historical Analysis Worksheet [DOCX]  to complete the following steps. You will use this worksheet to further examine the sources you’ve collected for your topic (facing economic change or engaging civil rights).

Step 1: Identify questions that need to be answered to understand a historical event and its long-term impact.

Step 2: Describe information learned from historical sources that can be used to inform a current understanding of a historical issue.

Step 3: Explain similarities and differences in sources of historical information.

Step 4: Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of historical evidence, including the challenges of using such evidence to make an argument about a historical issue.

Step 5: Use critical thinking to relate past challenges and strategies to a current organizational issue.

Step 6: Write in a well-organized and concise manner that adheres to the rules of grammar, usage, and mechanics.

Additional Requirements

Your submission should meet the following requirements:

Written communication: Written communication should be free of errors that detract from the overall message.

Citations: Include a complete citation for each source. When you refer to evidence (in Step 2 of the worksheet), be sure to include in-text references to your sources. Review  Evidence and APA  for more information on how to cite your sources.

Number of references: Your assessment should include a reference page with at least four sources cited: two primary and two secondary sources, with up to two sources selected from the  History Presentation Resource List [DOCX] .

Font and font-size: Times New Roman, 12 point.

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

Competency 2: Determine the causes and long-term impacts of a historical event.

Identify questions that need to be answered to understand a historical event and its long-term impact.

Explain similarities and differences in sources of historical information.

Competency 3: Explain lessons learned from U.S. historical events and their potential influence on a current problem or situation.

Describe information learned from historical sources that can be used to inform a current understanding of a historical issue.

Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of historical evidence, including the challenges of using such evidence to make an argument about a historical issue.

Use critical thinking to relate past challenges and strategies to a current organizational issue.

Competency 4: Address assessment purpose in a well-organized manner, incorporating appropriate evidence and tone in grammatically sound sentences.

Write in a well-organized and concise manner that adheres to the rules of grammar, usage, and mechanics.