CCOT essay writing guide overview: A good continuity and change essay will often require you to develop your own argument using evidence and instances throughout history in order to show how the concept has changed overtime. The aim of this type of essay is not necessarily to defend one side against another but rather it is to establish patterns over time. The outline below explains the key points that need addressing when constructing this kind of paper; they include: central issues/concepts, sources, chronological details and concluding statement.
Contents
What is a continuity and change essay?
A continuity and change essay is a form of academic writing which aims to examine the changes that have taken place in a certain area from a historical perspective. This type of essay is also known as an historiographical essay, and can be very useful within a variety of different topics for example: history, sociology, or health sciences.
The central issues/concepts aspect of this essay is vital because it will provide a focus throughout the essay. Analysing these concepts in relation to different events and circumstances through time will help to strengthen your argument.
A number of sources are needed for an continuity and change essay, some sources can be used more successfully than others depending on how you approach them.
For example newspaper articles can give a contemporary viewpoint but may lack academic validity whereas studies from professionals within the field could prove worthwhile as they would provide analysis with higher levels of expertise.
A variety of sources is important, when analysing multiple points in history it can sometimes be daunting when trying to find enough information so don’t hesitate to use books or journal articles written by experts as well. It may be a good idea to use internet sources such as blogs and websites but make sure that the information is supported by more substantial sources of research or it will not hold much weight in your essay.
When drawing on sources remember that you must acknowledge them at some point within the text, we would suggest placing these acknowledgements both in a bibliography and within the body of the essay.
A chronological approach can help to show how particular concepts have changed throughout time, making this type of essay easier to write because you do not need to cover everything from different times (though some subjects may require this).
Keeping a log/outline while writing an continuity and change essay is also crucial because it will help you to keep track of what you have written and will make it easier to incorporate sources into your essay.
Finally, you must end the essay in a clear fashion by concluding on an interesting point or hypothesis which gives the reader something to consider, this conclusion should be based upon your central issues.
The idea of change and continuity is one which has many applications within the world of education, it is used especially frequently in relation to curriculum. The notion that there exists a permanent body of knowledge about a particular subject or area is often challenged by academics who believe that the nature of this body of knowledge can be altered and changed through time.
The issue as to whether changes are necessary in order for subjects to remain relevant in our society could be a hugely controversial one. Some argue that subject content must be revised regularly so that new developments can take place; others suggest social progress happens not through the swift introduction of new ideas but rather through gradual evolution over time.
It is this contradictory debate which concerns this essay we aim to examine what makes up continuity and change, to examine the current situation of education and ponder whether new changes will occur over time.
Before we begin it is important to define what exactly we mean by the concepts continuity and change. These terms are used quite frequently but often in ways which do not necessarily make sense therefore they may be better defined in order for us to consider them more closely:
Continuity refers to the characteristic of being unchanged or static, however this term can also be used to refer to an enduring quality within a particular subject or concept. Essentially “it argues that there is a permanent body of knowledge about a particular subject or area” (Alderman & Wallis; 1997). This understanding of continuity suggests that knowledge does not need changing as it is already permanent . Another sense of continuity is one which argues that there exists some sort of substantial link between past, present and future. This understanding stems from the notion that change only comes about through evolution rather than revolution with new knowledge being added to the existing body as it becomes relevant (McLaughlin; 2000).
Change on the other hand refers to a process in which something adapts, evolves or alters into a different state. A more specific definition of change would be “a fundamental alteration in political, technological or social organisation” (Alderman & Wallis; 1997). This use of the word can also be interpreted as ‘to cause to become different’ hence we see that change is essentially an element involved in creating alterations within certain areas.
With these two definitions in mind we are now able to explore the broader issue of continuity versus change, quite clearly both terms are very broad thus it is not possible to examine every possible meaning and application for these terms however some general topics can be discussed which could help us to become more aware of our own relationship with these ideas.
We will begin by considering how the concepts of continuity and change relate to subject knowledge:
Application of continuity and change essay in Curriculum
Continuity and change when applied to curriculum can refer broadly to changes within a particular field or subject area such as Science or Art. These changes may occur due to factors such as government funding or new research initiatives but they can also take place as a result of new technology being introduced (such as computers) or as a result of the growing season in which new ideas are born into our society. These alterations may be very substantial and major such as the changing technologies or they may be much smaller with incremental changes occurring over time.
Continuity and change in the context of society:
A difficult task may be to determine whether or not continuity or change is more prevalent within our society, as it is often very difficult to separate the two concepts when considering such a broad topic. It could perhaps be suggested that the changes which occur within society are responsible for alterations in personal experience whilst those things which remain unchanged create a sense of stability and security. As a consequence those things who represent continuous experiences contribute towards our sense of self whilst the unknown elements represent uncertainty and cause us to question who we really are. Therefore if a person were asked what they considered to define them most their answer would consist mainly of items which are unchanging practices or beliefs rather than newer ideas which have only become relevant to them recently.
Format of the CCOT essay example
An example of a continuity and change essay outline.
Format of the CCOT essay: The essay must include the following:
- a CCOT thesis statement,
- two body paragraphs, one each that addresses the following topics: changes in Colorado education since 2007 – present; and continuities or similarities between education in Colorado in 2007 and the present.
The following outlines what is expected for each paragraph:
Continuity and change first page: The first page should include your name and student number, in addition to the title words listed above (“continuity and change”).
Body Paragraph One – Changes In Colorado Education: Since 2007 – present
In this paragraph you will address topics related to the changes in Colorado education. Describe how these changes have impacted the educational system in Colorado, and include documentary evidence (at least 3 references; one must be a document from an official government or legal source) for your claims. You may also use direct quotes from multiple resources (one quote per paragraph). Be sure to let us know where you got that information—in reference form at the end of each quotation.
Body Paragraph Two – Continuities or similarities between education in Colorado in 2007 and the present: The second body paragraph should describe continuities or similar statements between Colorado Education in 2007 with what is happening now. Once again, use documentary evidence (at least 3 references; one must be a document from an official government or legal source) for your claims. You may also use direct quotes from multiple resources (one quote per paragraph). Be sure to let us know where you got that information—in reference form at the end of each quotation.
Body Paragraph Three – Conclusion: In this paragraph discuss how you feel about the continuities and changes in Colorado Education since 2007. What do students need to know?
Please limit to three (3) footnotes per page; two (2) if referencing significant historical documents.
CCOT Essay Rubric:
The most CCOT examiners takes into account the following criteria in scoring your essay:
- Content accuracy and currency; coherence (organization, flow, and transitions); logic/reasoning (ability to establish a line of reasoning and support claims)
- Use of evidence and documentation; use of quotes /citations correctly cited; context appropriate quotes or citations used
- Style – sentence variety, grammar, spelling, punctuation; paragraph development & organization; writing mechanics (page layout, etc.)
- You must include a good thesis in your ccot essay.
Most CCOT Essays are to be submitted in an electronic format therefore prepare your essays using word document writing softwares like ms word.
In this guide, we have not included ccot thesis examples, or change and continuity leq thesis samples. Please review continuity and change over time essay examples listed on our website to learn how to create great continuity and change thesis for your essay. You can also ask for help with writing CCOT essays that gives you a good grade.
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