A Short Guide to Writing About History

A Short Guide to Writing about History is an ideal complement for any history course intended to teach students to think and write like historians. This engaging and practical text will teach students how to go beyond reporting the basic dates and facts of their history books and show them how to infuse their writing with their own ideas and unique perspective. Covering brief essays and the documented resource paper, the text explores the writing and researching processes, different modes of historical writing (including argument), and offers guidelines for improving style as well as documenting sources.Preface ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 1 Writing and History Stories About the Past Intended to Be True Writing History as a Way of Thinking Basic Principles for History Essays Writer's Checklist of Basic Principles Paraphrase and Plagiarism Writer's Checklist for Avoiding Plagiarism 2 Thinking About History Historical Questioning Historical Fallacies Making Inferences Evaluating Materials Writer's Checklist for Evaluation 3 Gathering Information Focusing on a Topic Making Initial Inquiries Identifying Key Sources Concluding Your Research Writer's Checklist for Research 4 Notes and Drafts Recording Information and Ideas Writer's Checklist for Taking Notes Organizing Your Essay Writing and Revising Drafts Writer's Checklist for Peer Editing 5 Voice and Style Modes of Writing Simple and Direct Writing Word Forms and Punctuation The Final Presentation Writing for Speaking Writer's Checklist for Expression and Conventions 6 Documenting Sources Basic Principles Electronic Sources Notes and Bibliographies Writer's Checklist of Source Citations Appendix A Sample Student Research Paper Manifest Destiny: A Characteristic of Nations Things to Notice About This Paper Writer's Checklist for Sample Research Paper Appendix B Writing Reviews Reviewing as a Special Form of Writing A Sample Student Review Thomas Fleming's Discovery of Another War Things to Notice About This Review Writer's Checklist for Reviews Appendix C Short Essay Assignments Writer's Checklist for Short Essays Select Bibliography of Student Resources Text Credits Index