Historical essays are not often a pleasant read especially to the general audience. Why did science get them history essays wrong? On reading a good first paragraph, examiners will be profoundly reassured that its author is on the right lines, being relevant, analytical and rigorous. Or you can choose the exploration of Africa as the subject of your history essay, history essays. Another history topic that you can choose for your essay is the history of berserkers. For example, history essays, if you are using case studies you should explain this and give a brief overview of which case studies you will be using and why. The gender roles of Roman society can be compared and contrasted with the gender roles of the people history essays Gaul that often fought each other.
Introduction to American Drama
Last Updated: August 10, References. This article was co-authored by Emily Listmann, MA. Emily Listmann is a private tutor in San Carlos, California. She has worked as a Social Studies Teacher, Curriculum Coordinator, and history essays SAT Prep Teacher. She received her MA in Education from the Stanford Graduate School of Education in There are 7 references cited in this article, history essays, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewedhistory essays, times. Writing a history essay requires you to include a lot of details and historical information within a given number of words or required pages. It's important to provide all the needed information, but also to present it in a cohesive, intelligent way.
Know how to write a history essay that demonstrates your writing skills and your understanding of the material. To write a history essay, history essays, read the essay question carefully and use source materials to research the topic, taking thorough notes as you go. Next, formulate a thesis statement that summarizes your key argument in concise sentences and create a structured outline to help you stay on topic. Open with a strong history essays that introduces your thesis, history essays, present your argument, and back it up with sourced material.
Then, end with a succinct conclusion that restates and summarizes your position! For more tips on creating a thesis statement, history essays, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No. Log in Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers. Please log in with your username or email to continue. wikiHow Account. No account yet? Create an account. Community Dashboard Write an Article Request a New Article More Ideas Edit this Article. Courses New Tech Help Pro New History essays Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In.
Home Random Browse Articles Courses New About wikiHow Easy Ways to Help Approve Questions Fix Spelling Quiz App More Things to Try We use cookies to make wikiHow great, history essays. By using our site, you agree history essays our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Categories Education and Communications College University and Postgraduate Academic Writing Essays How to Write a History Essay. Download Article Explore this Article parts, history essays. Sample Essay.
Related Articles, history essays. Article Summary. Co-authored by Emily Listmann, MA Last Updated: August 10, References. Part 1. Evaluate the essay question. The first thing to do if you have a history essay to write, is to really spend some time evaluating the question you are being asked. No matter how well-written, history essays, or well-evidenced your essay is, if you don't answer the answer the question you have been asked, history essays, you cannot expect to receive a top mark. Think about the specific key words and phrasing used in the question, and if you are uncertain of any of the terms, look them up and define them.
Do this before you begin conducting your research to ensure that your reading is closely focussed to the question and you don't waste time, history essays. Consider what the question is asking you. With a history essay there are a number of different types of question you might be asked, which will require different responses from you, history essays. You need to get this clear in the early stages so you can prepare your essay in the best way. Look at your set essay question and ask yourself whether you are being asked to explain, history essays, interpret, history essays, or argue. You might be asked to do any number or all of these different things in the essay, so think about how you can do the following: Explain: provide an explanation of why something happened or didn't happen.
Interpret: analyse information within a larger framework to contextualise it. Evaluate: present and support a value-judgement. Argue: take history essays clear position on history essays debate and justify it. Try to summarise your key argument. Once you have done some research you history essays be beginning to formulate your argument, or thesis statement, history essays, in your head. It's essential to have a strong argument which you will then build your essay around, history essays. So before you start to plan and draft your essay, try to summarise your key argument in one or two sentences. Your thesis statement should clearly address the essay prompt and provide supporting arguments.
For example, your summary could be something like "The First World War was a 'total war' because civilian populations were mobilized both in the battlefield and on the home front". Make an essay plan. Once you have evaluated the question, you need to draw up an essay plan. This is a great opportunity to organise your notes and start developing the structure which you will use for history essays essay. When drawing up the plan you can assess the quality and depth of the evidence you have gathered and consider whether your thesis statement is adequately supported.
Pick out history essays key history essays that make your argument precisely and persuasively. Part 2. Distinguish history essays primary and secondary sources. A history essay will require a strong argument that is backed up by solid history essays. The two main types of evidence you can draw on are known as primary and secondary sources. Depending on the essay you are writing, you might be expected to include both of these. History essays you are uncertain about what is expected be sure to ask your teacher well in advance of the essay due date. Primary source material refers to any texts, films, pictures, or any other kind of evidence that was produced in the historical period, or by someone who participated in the events of the period, that you are writing about.
Secondary material is the work by historians or other writers analysing events in the past, history essays. The body of historical work on a period or event is known as the historiography, history essays. Typically a research essay would need significant primary material. Find your sources. It can be difficult to get going with your research. There may be an enormous number of texts which makes it hard to know where to start, or maybe you are really struggling to find relevant material. In either case, there are some tried and tested ways to find reliable source material for your essay. Start with the core texts in your reading list or course bibliography. Your teacher will have carefully selected these so you should start there.
Look in footnotes and history essays. When you are reading be sure to pay attention to the footnotes and bibliographies which can guide you to further sources a give you a clear picture of the important texts. Use the library. If you have access to a library at your school or college, be sure to make the most of it. Search online catalogues and speak to librarians. Access online journal databases. If you are in college it is likely that you will have access to academic journals online. These are an excellent and easy to navigate resources. Use online sources with discretion.
Try using free scholarly databases, like Google Scholar, history essays, which offer quality academic sources, but avoid using the non-trustworthy websites that come up when you simply search your topic online. Avoid using crowd-sourced sites like Wikipedia as sources. However, you can look at the sources cited on a Wikipedia page and use them instead, if history essays seem credible. Evaluate your secondary sources, history essays. It's very important that you critically evaluate your sources. For a strong academic essay you should be using and engaging with scholarly material that is of a demonstrable history essays. It's very easy to find information on the internet, or in popular histories, but you should be using academic texts by historians, history essays.
If you are early on in your studies you might not be sure how to identify scholarly sources, history essays when you find a text ask yourself the following questions: Who is the author? Is it written by an academic with a position at a University? Search for the author online. Who is the publisher? Is the book published by an established academic press?
compare and contrast essay outline template
All history students should swear a similar oath: to answer the question, the whole question and nothing but the question. This is the number one rule. You can write brilliantly and argue a case with a wealth of convincing evidence, but if you are not being relevant then you might as well be tinkling a cymbal. In other words, you have to think very carefully about the question you are asked to answer. Take your time, look carefully at the wording of the question, and be certain in your own mind that you have thoroughly understood all its terms. If, for instance, you are asked why Hitler came to power, you must define what this process of coming to power consisted of. Is there any specific event that marks his achievement of power? If you immediately seize on his appointment as Chancellor, think carefully and ask yourself what actual powers this position conferred on him.
Was the passing of the Enabling Act more important? And when did the rise to power actually start? If you can establish which years are relevant — and consequently which are irrelevant — you will have made a very good start. Then you can decide on the different factors that explain his rise. Or if you are asked to explain the successes of a particular individual, again avoid writing the first thing that comes into your head. Think about possible successes. What does it really mean? Is it objective a matter of fact or subjective a matter of opinion?
Do we have to consider short-term and long-term successes? If the person benefits from extraordinary good luck, is that still a success? This grappling with the problem of definition will help you compile an annotated list of successes, and you can then proceed to explain them, tracing their origins and pinpointing how and why they occurred. Is there a key common factor in the successes? If so, this could constitute the central thrust of your answer. The key word in the above paragraphs is think. This should be distinguished from remembering, daydreaming and idly speculating. Thinking is rarely a pleasant undertaking, and most of us contrive to avoid it most of the time. So think as hard as you can about the meaning of the question, about the issues it raises and the ways you can answer it.
You have to think and think hard — and then you should think again, trying to find loopholes in your reasoning. Eventually you will almost certainly become confused. If you get totally confused, take a break. When you return to the question, it may be that the problems have resolved themselves. If not, give yourself more time. You may well find that decent ideas simply pop into your conscious mind at unexpected times. You can of course follow the herd and repeat the interpretation given in your textbook. was able to spark a cultural revolution in the eyes of the public and with all of America watching. You may also see what is writing used for? Interpret: analyze information within a larger framework to contextualize it.
One topic example that would require interpretation would be on World War II to provide a historical timeline of World War II and who were the parties that were affected by it. You may also like writing examples in PDF. Evaluate: present and support a value-judgment. Argue: take a clear position on a debate and justify it. Normally, the best platform to argue would be in the form of a debate. Argumentative essays are normally posed with an affirmative or negative kind of setting. In light of the recent school shooting events that have transpired all across the U. Try to summarize your key argument. Before even considering in drafting a key argument, you must first conduct some research of your own.
After you have finished researching, you can now formulate your thesis statement that focuses your ideas into one or two sentences. It should present the topic of your paper and must also present your stance in relation to the essay topic. Thesis statements tell your reader on what the paper is about and can also help guide your writing and keep your argument in point to whatever stance you have decided. Think of it like the main point of your essay, your key arguments should be clear enough that you can structure the essay plan around it. If you need tips on how to draft up an excellent essay , click the hyperlink to find out more. Make an essay plan. Now that you have successfully followed steps 1 to 3, you can now draft up a plan on how your essay might look like.
Compile your research and your notes and develop the structure and the flow of the said essay from there. In the process of doing so, you can actually assess the quality and depth of the evidence you have collected and determine whether your simple thesis statement is adequately supported or not. In drafting the essay plan, you may want to add some key quotes from notable sources that would actually make the argument more precise and persuasive. When thinking on how your essay will flow, you should also consider on how each point made into the essay will transition and connect with one another. If you need assistance in drafting up a self-introductory essay , you may click on the hyperlink for more information.
Response to Lit Essay Outline rarerecruitment. Doing Your Research 1. Distinguish between primary and secondary sources. And since you are writing a history essay, you are expected to include various source materials from different historians who have analyzed and talked about the said events or people who actually witnessed and participated in the said event first hand. You may also see formal writing examples. The former is called a secondary source while the latter is called a primary source. The most important thing to do in research would be to expend every resource available in order to make your essay more substantial.
Incomplete research is just the same as presenting a haphazardly-done assignment in Math wherein the student ends up guessing every item on the list. Whatever reference you end up obtaining, make sure that you carefully determine what kind of source you are going to be reading. You may also try to write a reflective essay if ever the need arises. Find your sources. In this age of technological advancement, finding good and credible sources seem to be lacking and incredibly scarce these days. With the rise of fake news and misleading sources and lies and whatnot, how could you filter what is true and what is fake and what could be very good material for your essay? You may also like what do you mean by writing skills?
Rule number 1 in doing research is to never refer to the Internet directly. It may be the easiest way to find out what you need, but it is not always the most effective method unless you happen to come across some legitimate sources or electronic books or documents in which you can get them for free. Sometimes, the best way is to just go old school and refer to books, magazines, newspaper articles, and others. You may also check out summary writing examples. As mentioned before, there are many different kinds of essays that you would be asked to make in which one of them includes an analytical essay. One tip when doing research in the library or on the Internet would be to look at footnotes and bibliographies as they can guide you to further sources that give you a clearer picture of the important texts.
Evaluate your secondary sources. As aforementioned, good and credible sources these days are hard to come by as you can never really know what information is fake and what information is real. The bad thing is that primary sources these days are extremely hard to come by. Unless your essay happens to be an autobiography based on the events told by that person, primary sources are extremely hard to locate. Which is why you will just have to put your trust on secondary sources and figure out what sources are considered the best ones that you can rely on. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed , times. Writing a history essay requires you to include a lot of details and historical information within a given number of words or required pages.
It's important to provide all the needed information, but also to present it in a cohesive, intelligent way. Know how to write a history essay that demonstrates your writing skills and your understanding of the material. To write a history essay, read the essay question carefully and use source materials to research the topic, taking thorough notes as you go. Next, formulate a thesis statement that summarizes your key argument in concise sentences and create a structured outline to help you stay on topic. Open with a strong introduction that introduces your thesis, present your argument, and back it up with sourced material.
Then, end with a succinct conclusion that restates and summarizes your position! For more tips on creating a thesis statement, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No. Log in Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers. Please log in with your username or email to continue. wikiHow Account. No account yet? Create an account. Community Dashboard Write an Article Request a New Article More Ideas Edit this Article. Courses New Tech Help Pro New Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In. Home Random Browse Articles Courses New About wikiHow Easy Ways to Help Approve Questions Fix Spelling Quiz App More Things to Try We use cookies to make wikiHow great.
By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Categories Education and Communications College University and Postgraduate Academic Writing Essays How to Write a History Essay. Download Article Explore this Article parts. Sample Essay. Related Articles. Article Summary. Co-authored by Emily Listmann, MA Last Updated: August 10, References. Part 1. Evaluate the essay question. The first thing to do if you have a history essay to write, is to really spend some time evaluating the question you are being asked.
No matter how well-written, well-argued, or well-evidenced your essay is, if you don't answer the answer the question you have been asked, you cannot expect to receive a top mark. Think about the specific key words and phrasing used in the question, and if you are uncertain of any of the terms, look them up and define them. Do this before you begin conducting your research to ensure that your reading is closely focussed to the question and you don't waste time. Consider what the question is asking you. With a history essay there are a number of different types of question you might be asked, which will require different responses from you.
You need to get this clear in the early stages so you can prepare your essay in the best way. Look at your set essay question and ask yourself whether you are being asked to explain, interpret, evaluate, or argue. You might be asked to do any number or all of these different things in the essay, so think about how you can do the following: Explain: provide an explanation of why something happened or didn't happen. Interpret: analyse information within a larger framework to contextualise it. Evaluate: present and support a value-judgement. Argue: take a clear position on a debate and justify it.
Try to summarise your key argument. Once you have done some research you will be beginning to formulate your argument, or thesis statement, in your head. It's essential to have a strong argument which you will then build your essay around. So before you start to plan and draft your essay, try to summarise your key argument in one or two sentences. Your thesis statement should clearly address the essay prompt and provide supporting arguments. For example, your summary could be something like "The First World War was a 'total war' because civilian populations were mobilized both in the battlefield and on the home front".
Make an essay plan. Once you have evaluated the question, you need to draw up an essay plan. This is a great opportunity to organise your notes and start developing the structure which you will use for your essay. When drawing up the plan you can assess the quality and depth of the evidence you have gathered and consider whether your thesis statement is adequately supported. Pick out some key quotes that make your argument precisely and persuasively. Part 2. Distinguish between primary and secondary sources. A history essay will require a strong argument that is backed up by solid evidence. The two main types of evidence you can draw on are known as primary and secondary sources.
Depending on the essay you are writing, you might be expected to include both of these. If you are uncertain about what is expected be sure to ask your teacher well in advance of the essay due date. Primary source material refers to any texts, films, pictures, or any other kind of evidence that was produced in the historical period, or by someone who participated in the events of the period, that you are writing about. Secondary material is the work by historians or other writers analysing events in the past. The body of historical work on a period or event is known as the historiography. Typically a research essay would need significant primary material. Find your sources. It can be difficult to get going with your research.
There may be an enormous number of texts which makes it hard to know where to start, or maybe you are really struggling to find relevant material. In either case, there are some tried and tested ways to find reliable source material for your essay. Start with the core texts in your reading list or course bibliography. Your teacher will have carefully selected these so you should start there. Look in footnotes and bibliographies. When you are reading be sure to pay attention to the footnotes and bibliographies which can guide you to further sources a give you a clear picture of the important texts. Use the library. If you have access to a library at your school or college, be sure to make the most of it. Search online catalogues and speak to librarians. Access online journal databases.
If you are in college it is likely that you will have access to academic journals online.
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