Hello everyone,
I really enjoyed reading your talking points and editorial outlines. Most of the talking points were very sharp - you used the questions to guide you to the main idea and to the evidence. Keep that up. Many of you also had interesting 'points to raise in class' that I'm sorry we didn't get to. The point is that you are understanding the main ideas of the text and working with them so they become for you part of the larger conversation on the value and purpose of history (even though you may reject some or all of the ideas).
The outlines were also good but not as consistently strong. Take care to use whole sentences when describing both the thesis or main argument as well as supporting arguments. Make sure you proof it to be sure that the reader will get the main idea and evidence. For instance, if the thesis is "B argues that red shoes are the best" the supporting arguments / evidence should not be a brief one word like
a. happy b. color c. health

Instead use full sentences to explain the point
a. B points to scientific evidence that shows that red shoes make people happy.
b. traffic statistics demonstrate that people wearing red shoes are less likely to be run over by autos
c. medical studies suggest that people who wear red shoes live longer.

And for the question of the week on your blog - Which of the many values and uses of history raised by Zinn, Becker and Stearns appeals the most to you? Consider this form your perspective as an individual and as a member of a larger society. Remember to read at least 2 other posts and incorporate those ideas into your comments. The point is to get some conversation going.