Please place your name, the class/section, professor’s name, ‘Final Exam Essay’, and date
in single space on the top left of your typed responses. Make your essay double-spaced, well-
written and carefully proofread, and as close as possible to 2 pages of actual text apart from
headers and footnotes. Use Times New Roman 12-pt. type or equivalent. Submit on time on D2L
under ‘Assignments’ tab. The final essay is only accepted 1 day late (by 7pm) at 15% deduction,
nothing later accepted.
Please title your essay with one of the one-line titles given below. If you use a direct quote
or very specific idea from a source, cite it in parenthetical form (incl. pg # where applicable) with a
works cited page or in a footnote including author, the title of a book or journal in italics, year of
publication in parentheses, and page number – or cite the URL if from a scholarly web source. See
the example below (if you use Word, click: References/ Insert footnote).1 Be aware that web
sources with “.com” endings are not usually reliable, and Wikipedia should be avoided since it may
or may not be reliable depending on the topic. Plagiarism is a serious offense, so avoid taking
others’ words unless you’re using quotation marks and give proper citation. TurnItIn will be
utilized in the D2L system. Do not overquote, rather write primarily in your own words, only
using direct quotes if limited and highly effective. The minimum source requirement is at least
one citation from Standage’s book. That means referencing specifically where it is used within
your text.
Do you remember the key to a good essay? It is clarity – first in your head, then on paper.
First, as you read the appropriate chapters in Standage jot down an outline of your ideas; then
write out a solid thesis statement (that is, your answer) that you set up in an Introductory
paragraph; and then unfold your explanations with specific points throughout the essay. Clarity
requires some specificity, so include dates or centuries, for example. Proofread carefully.
Answer one of the following questions:
1 / Standage Offers a Drink to History
According to Tom Standage, how do wine and spirits provide a window
onto world history and – to some extent – the present? Do you agree with
his analysis of how crucial these two drinks were? Explain carefully.
OR
2/ Which product has had a greater impact in history, coffee or tea?
[Explain carefully, making use of Standage. You can concentrate most
of the essay on the impact of one of these, but since you are comparing
against the other you should also describe its impact at least briefly