Mapping the West: Boundary Argument and Defense

Fall 2026 deadline: Friday, September 18, 2026, 11:59 pm Central

Automatic grace period: through Sunday, September 20, 2026, 11:59 pm Central; no permission is needed and no penalty applies. Work is not accepted after the grace period without pre-approval or extenuating circumstances.

Task

Begin with an in-class boundary sketch and initial claim. Submit an annotated map or map comparison plus a 750–900 word rationale using at least two maps, two primary sources, and two scholars. Conclude with a four-minute live defense and the common Decision Record.

Submission

Upload PDF or DOCX with accessible map caption/alt text; complete the defense in class.

Criteria for success

1. In-class boundary sketch and initial claim (20)
2. Annotated map and evidence-based rationale (50)
3. Four-minute oral defense (20)
4. Complete Decision Record (10)

AI boundary

AI may test organization or clarity only after the in-class sketch. It may not create the historical argument, select the boundary, or be used during the defense.

Decision Record

1. State your initial claim or plan before substantial AI assistance.
2. Name the most consequential interpretive choice you made and explain why.
3. Identify one plausible alternative you rejected and the evidence behind that decision.
4. Name evidence that changed, narrowed, or complicated your thinking.
5. State one claim you cannot fully establish with the available evidence.
6. Record AI use: tool, purpose, what you accepted, rejected, and verified—or write ‘No generative AI used.’

Process checklist

• My question or thesis is specific, contestable, and historically situated.
• I identify creator, date, audience, purpose, and collection context for key primary sources.
• I corroborate rather than asking one source to prove more than it can.
• I distinguish evidence from inference and acknowledge uncertainty.
• I cite sources and rights information; media includes captions, alt text, or a transcript.
• If I used generative AI in a permitted way, I include the required process disclosure.

Evaluation

This assignment is evaluated on four levels—Exemplary, Proficient, Developing, and Beginning—across the listed criteria. Ask for clarification before submitting if the purpose, task, or criteria are unclear.