How to Write a History Essay. When writing an essay in history, you must approach it slightly...

How to Write a History Essay


When writing an essay in history, you must approach it slightly different from the way you would go about writing an essay for English – while you still follow the same basic principles, history demands a different format and certain specifications, which is what we will be looking at over the next two classes.


The big thing to remember is that in history, you are trying to PROVE something. At the beginning of your essay, you state your THESIS STATEMENT, which is what your essay is all about and what you will be looking at throughout the body of the writing.


**THESIS = IDEA TO BE PROVED**


We are going to look at how to go from your idea to finished product, and we are also going to take a look at the different sections and aspects that make up a history paper. When writing a proper history essay, there are a HUGE number of things that you have to keep in mind: Spacing Font Paragraph lengthPage numbering IndentingHow to include quotes PunctuationMargins Citations and bibliographyLanguage


While this may seem like a lot of things to remember, if you follow the steps (and keep this information handy when you sit down to write an essay) it will be very easy to make sure that you do things properly and do not lose any marks for silly mistakes.


Essay Outline Examples

THESIS

MAIN SUPPORTING IDEA 1



EVIDENCE OF MAIN

SUPPORTING IDEA (QUOTE, INFO

FROM SOURCE, ETC)

EVIDENCE OF MAIN


FROM SOURCE, ETC)

EVIDENCE OF MAIN


FROM SOURCE, ETC)

EVIDENCE OF MAIN


FROM SOURCE, ETC)

EVIDENCE OF MAIN


FROM SOURCE, ETC)

EVIDENCE OF MAIN


FROM SOURCE, ETC)

EVIDENCE OF MAIN


FROM SOURCE, ETC)

EVIDENCE OF MAIN


FROM SOURCE, ETC)

EVIDENCE OF MAIN


FROM SOURCE, ETC)


Parts of the EssayThe Introduction The introductory section will include:•Start your paper off with something to entice the reader – use an interesting and relevant quote or story that helps to get the reader engaged•Introduce your main supporting points•Clearly state your thesis statement, which is what you will be proving in your paper•End off with a transitional sentence that leads the reader into your body section


The Body The body section will be made up in the following manner:•You will have one section for each of your main supporting ideas – do not get hung up on the “Five Paragraph Essay” – instead, focus on the “Five Section Essay,” where you have an introduction section, three body sections, and one concluding section•Each main supporting idea will have its own section, generally made up of between one and three paragraphs (do not worry about the number of paragraphs, this will be all explained in a few minutes)


The Body•Within each supporting idea section, you will provide evidence that you have gained through your research that helps to prove your thesis•Each paragraph should have an introductory sentence, where you state the major idea or piece of evidence that will be explained in that paragraph; the body of the paragraph, where you provide additional evidence to support that idea; and finally a transitional sentence, where you create a bridge between ideas and paragraphs


The Conclusion The concluding section will include:•A transitional sentence to go from body section to conclusion•A restatement of your thesis statement•A brief restatement of your main supporting ideas•A concluding question or statement that leaves the reader thinking about your topic


Technical Aspects of Writing We are now in the home-stretch of the lesson. I know that this has been a VERY LONG process, but if you follow all of the steps listed above, and especially the ones listed below, you will have a much easier time writing your essays. Here is a list of many of the simply mistakes that are made when writing your papers. Make sure you consult this list before, during, and after your write an essay. If you see something in your essay that goes against this list, come to talk to me about it, and we can work together to make your writing that much better!


SpacingAll of your work should be double-spaced. This helps to make it easier to read, as well as easier for the teacher to make notes, corrections, and suggestions in your essay.

FontYou should be using a 12-point font that is easy to read; usually Times New Roman is required in post-secondary essays, but you can use any regular sized font that is clear.

Paragraph LengthEach paragraph should be NO MORE than 1/3 to 1/2 page long and it should usually contain one central idea. The first sentence should be the idea of the paragraph; the next two to three sentences should be evidence to support that idea; and the last should be a transitional sentence that links this paragraph to the idea in the next. Remember – each paragraph should be its own idea.


PaginationEach page should have the page number in the upper right hand corner.

IndentingEach paragraph should be indented approximately one-half inch – when using Microsoft Word, simply hit the TAB button once, and this will be enough

Using QuotationsThis is a tricky topic. When you use quotes, you should only use them to help support your idea. They should not just be thrown in randomly – this is just sloppy and confuses the reader. As well, you should provide context to the quote: this means that you should explain why this quote relates to the idea of the paragraph and the overall idea of your essay. Quotes can be an excellent source of evidence for your paper, but you need to be careful of what you use and how.

Remember what Abraham Lincoln once said: “Do not believe everything that you read on the Internet, for anybody can be made to say anything.”


Punctuation

This can be another very tricky point within essay writing. Obviously, you need a period at the end of the sentence. Commas should be used to create a natural pause in the writing, to separate items in a list, or to join ideas into a more complex sentence. Colons (:) should be used when you are starting a list of something in the middle of your sentence; this is completely acceptable and helps to create a more complex style. Semi-colons (;) are more difficult: they are quick trick to use, and are used to separate items in a list or to conjoin two sentences into a more complex one. Many times they are misused, and it is generally urged that unless you know exactly how to use them, you should avoid them. Within quotation marks, almost all punctuation goes INSIDE of the marks (for example: “The period goes inside the marks.” or “MacDonald claimed he was innocent,” and told the lawyer to charge his brother.) Exclamation points and question marks will also go inside, but only if they are listed in the original quote.


MarginsAll margins should be ONE INCH on all sides. To correct this, simply go to PAGE LAYOUT, MARGINS, and then select the NORMAL setting (in Word 2003 and above) and that will automatically set them to one inch on all sides. CitationsWe will be using MLA style citations in your essay writing assignments, which we will be looking at in greater depth next class. You will be given a handout with how to format citations. In the mean time, an excellent resource on how to create MLA style citations is www.owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/.


Language

Finally, and perhaps most important, the use of language in your formal essay. It is important to use proper and correct English when writing your essay. You will want to avoid the use of the personal, first-person pronouns (such as I, me, we, use) and instead use third-person when referring to yourself or other authors (The author, the historian). As well, you do not use contractions in formal writing – never use don’t, can’t, won’t; instead, use do not, cannot, will not. Write the way you would speak to a teacher, not the way you would talk to your friends. Finally, do not try to use words that you would not normally use. Going to a thesaurus and changing words to try and make your essay sound more important or intelligent make the writing choppy and loses your voice in the language. Be calm, clear and yourself. Do not put a million dollar word into a two dollar sentence: it will not do you justice.

How to Write a History Essay. When writing an essay in history, you must approach it slightly...

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