James M. McPherson, Abraham Lincoln and the Second American Revolution (Oxford University Press, 1992).

   A. General Guidelines: 1. Format: Papers should be no less than FIVE (but no more than six) pages long (not including title and references pages). Follow the APA style guidelines. You do not need to include an abstract. For your title, use “Review of Abraham Lincoln and the Second American Revolution by James M. McPherson.” 

 2. Quotations: Keep direct quotations to a minimum. Long and excessive quotations are to be strictly avoided, as they suggest that you have not actually digested the material. Instead, paraphrase the author’s ideas in your own words, using brief quotes only to illustrate arguments that you are making, not as substitutes for your own analysis and interpretation. Parenthetical citations are required for all direct quotations.

  B. Writing the Review: Use the following outline as a guide in composing your paper. 

 1. Introduction: approximately 1 page -What is the subject matter of the book? -Who is the author?

 2. Main Body: approximately 3 pages -Discuss THREE main themes of the book in some detail. 

 3. Conclusion: approximately 1 page–answer one of the following: -How would you evaluate Lincoln’s political and military leadership during the Civil War? -What were Lincoln’s major ideals and how did he achieve them? 

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