Analyzing A Historical Novel Research Paper

The goal of this exercise is to prepare you to think like a historian. You will read three excerpts
about Julius Caesar from the novel Marius Mules 1: the Invasion of Gaul by S.J.A. Turney. You will
need to analyze the novel and determine if the author kept to established history, used some facts
and created a lot of their own drama for the story, or created a story all their own and used very few
established facts about Julius Caesar and his war in Gaul. In your paper you need to use information
from primary sources in your research paper. Two have been provided for you in class, The Gallic
Wars: Book 1 by Julius Caesar and Caesar by Plutarch. Additionally you will need to find at least three
scholarly sources to help you back up your argument about this novel.
This assignment will take several days. We will spend two class periods in the library and one
class for in-class research. All other time needed for this research paper will have to be completed
outside of class time for homework. The final product will be due no later than the day of the unit test.
Your paper should be 4-5 pages long. Make sure you fully explain your thoughts to me. Make sure
that your work is original and that your cite all of your sources. PLAGARISM WILL RESULT IN THE
SCORE OF A ZERO!
Student Name________________ Class Period _______ Date____________ Overall Score

/16

Research

Student
demonstrates
ability to research
time period
independently
and effectively.

Student
demonstrates
ability to research
time period
mostly
independently
and effectively.

Student
demonstrates
ability to research
time period with
assistance from
teacher and/or
peers.

Student is unable
to demonstrate
ability to research
time period, even
with assistance
from teacher
and/or peers.

Grammar

Student product
shows few to no
spelling,
punctuation, or
formatting
mistakes.

Student product
shows several
spelling,
punctuation, or
formatting
mistakes.

Student product
shows numerous
spelling,
punctuation, or
formatting
mistakes.

Student product
shows many
spelling,
punctuation, or
formatting
mistakes.

Understanding

Student is able to
explain their
views about the
novel clearly.

Student is mostly
able to explain
their views about
the novel with
some detail.

Student is
somewhat able to
explain their
views about the
novel with a little
detail.

Student is unable
to explain their
views about the
novel and/or offer
little to no details.

Historiography

Student utilizes
multiple primary
and at least three
scholarly
secondary
sources in their
paper.

Student utilizes at
least one primary
and a few
scholarly
secondary
sources in their
paper.

Student utilizes at
least one primary
and one scholarly
secondary source
in their paper.

Student utilizes
few to no primary
or scholarly
secondary
sources in their
paper.