Clearly state the “mystery” and provide a brief summary of at least two (2) reasonable and scholarly theories which could explain the mystery
Choose one (1) of the topics below and develop a three to four (3-4) paragraph essay (of at least 250-500 words) which adequately address the topic you have chosen.
Topic Choice
- No one can say for certain what happened to the great urban Mayan civilization, but theories abound and include varied possible alternatives to explain the relatively abrupt and mysterious disappearance of the Mayan civilization.
Write a three to four (3-4) paragraph paper in which you:
- Clearly state the “mystery” and provide a brief summary of at least two (2) reasonable and scholarly theories which could explain the mystery. Because some theories may sound far-fetched, include the source or promoter of each theory – such as a scientist, a historian, a theologian, etc.
- After summarizing at least two (2) scholarly theories, identify one (1) of the theories as the most plausible and provide at least two (2) convincing reasons why the theory you have chosen is the best one to explain the mystery. This will involve some critical reasoning skills on your part.
- Use at least two (2) sources plus the class textbook. (Three [3] sources total as the minimum) Note: Wikipedia and other similar Websites do not qualify as academic resources. You are highly encouraged to use the Resource Center tab at the top of your Blackboard page.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
- Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA style format. Both in-text citations and a References list are required. Citations and references must follow APA style format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. (Note: Students can find APA style materials located in the course shell for guidance).
- Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length. For our purposes, you may omit any abstract page.
| Points: 100 |
Assignment 1: Essay – Exploring Ancient Mysteries |
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Criteria |
Unacceptable |
Meets Minimum Expectations |
Fair |
Proficient |
Exemplary |
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1. Clearly state the “mystery” and provide a brief summary of at least two (2) reasonable and scholarly theories which could explain the mystery. Because some theories may sound far-fetched, include the source or promoter of each theory – such as a scientist, a historian, a theologian, etc. |
Did not submit or incompletely stated the “mystery”. Did not submit or incompletely provided a brief summary of at least two (2) reasonable and scholarly theories which could explain the mystery. Did not submit or incompletely included the source or promoter of each theory – such as a scientist, a historian, a theologian, etc. |
Insufficiently stated the “mystery” and insufficiently provided a brief summary of at least two (2) reasonable and scholarly theories which could explain the mystery. Insufficiently included the source or promoter of each theory – such as a scientist, a historian, a theologian, etc. |
Partially stated the “mystery” and partially provided a brief summary of at least two (2) reasonable and scholarly theories which could explain the mystery. Partially included the source or promoter of each theory – such as a scientist, a historian, a theologian, etc. |
Satisfactorily stated the “mystery” and satisfactorily provided a brief summary of at least two (2) reasonable and scholarly theories which could explain the mystery. Satisfactorily included the source or promoter of each theory – such as a scientist, a historian, a theologian, etc. |
Thoroughly stated the “mystery” and effectively provided a brief summary of at least two (2) reasonable and scholarly theories which could explain the mystery. Thoroughly included the source or promoter of each theory – such as a scientist, a historian, a theologian, etc. |
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2. Identify one (1) of the theories as the most plausible and provide at least two (2) convincing reasons why the theory you have chosen is the best one to explain the mystery. |
Did not submit or incompletely identified one (1) of the theories as the most plausible and did not submit or incompletely provided at least two (2) convincing reasons why the theory you have chosen is the best one to explain the mystery. |
Insufficiently identified one (1) of the theories as the most plausible and insufficiently provided at least two (2) convincing reasons why the theory you have chosen is the best one to explain the mystery. |
Partially identified one (1) of the theories as the most plausible and partially provided at least two (2) convincing reasons why the theory you have chosen is the best one to explain the mystery. |
Satisfactorily identified one (1) of the theories as the most plausible and satisfactorily provided at least two (2) convincing reasons why the theory you have chosen is the best one to explain the mystery. |
Thoroughly identified one (1) of the theories as the most plausible and thoroughly provided at least two (2) convincing reasons why the theory you have chosen is the best one to explain the mystery. |
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3. Three (3) references minimum (including class text) number and quality |
No references provided |
Does not meet the required number of references; all references poor quality choices. |
Does not meet the required number of references; some references poor quality choices. |
Meets number of required references; all references high quality choices. |
Exceeds number of required references; all references high quality choices. |
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4. Clarity, writing mechanics, referencing, and APA formatting requirements, including a reference list and matching in-text citations. |
More than 8 errors present |
7-8 errors present |
5-6 errors present |
3-4 errors present |
0-2 errors present |
