A Pocket Guide to Writing in History

1 Introduction: Why Study History?

1a?Asking historical questions

1b?Developing historical thinking skills

2a?Identifying historical sources

2a-1?Primary sources

2a-2?Secondary sources

2a-3?Primary or secondary? The changing status of a source

2a-4?Accessing sources in history

2a-5?Use of primary and secondary sources

2b?Evaluating sources

2b-1?Evaluating primary sources

Tips for Writers:?Questions for Evaluating Text-Based Primary Sources

Tips for Writers:?Questions for Evaluating Nonwritten Primary Sources

2b-2?Evaluating Secondary Sources

Tips for Writers:?Questions for Evaluating Secondary Sources

2b-3?Evaluating online resources

Tips for Writers:?Questions for Evaluating Web sites

2b-4?Identifying fake news

3a?Reading actively in history

Tips for Writers:?Writing as You Read

3b?Writing about reading

3b-1?Summaries

3b-2?Annotated bibliographies

3c?Using primary sources

3c-1?Single-source analysis

3c-2?Comparative papers

Tips for Writers:?Writing a Comparative Essay

3d?Using secondary sources

3d-1?Critiques and book reviews

3d-2?Historiographic essays

3e?Writing about film

3f?Taking history exams

3f-1?Preparing for an exam

3f-2?Answering identification questions

3f-3?Taking an essay exam

4a?Approaching a history assignment

4b?Thinking like a historian

4c?Developing a thesis

4d?Constructing an argument

Tips for Writers:?Testing Your Thesis

4d-1?Supporting your thesis

4d-2?Responding to counterevidence and anticipating opposing viewpoints

4e?Organizing your paper

4e-1?Drafting an introduction

4e-2?Writing clear and connected paragraphs

4e-3?Writing an effective conclusion

4f?Revising for content and organization

Tips for Writers:?Revising for Content and Organization

4g?Editing for style and grammar

Tips for Writers:?Common Grammatical Errors (and how to avoid them)

4g-1?Choosing appropriate language

4g-2?Choosing the appropriate tense

4g-3?Using active voice

4g-4?Knowing when to use the pronouns?I, me,?and?you

5a?Moving from topic to research question

5a-1?Choosing a topic

5a-2?Focusing on a research question

5b?Developing a research plan

5c?Conducting research

5c-1?Consulting human resources

5c-2?Using the library’s online catalog

5c-3?Using print and electronic reference sources

5c-4?Locating primary sources

5c-5?Locating secondary sources

5c-6?Finding Internet sources

Tips for Writers:?Electronic Databases

5c-7?Distinguishing among electronic sources

5d?Taking effective research notes

5e?Developing a working thesis

5f?Making an outline

5g?Revising and editing your paper

6a?What is plagiarism?

6b?Avoiding plagiarism

6b-1?Citing sources to avoid plagiarism

6b-2?Paraphrasing to avoid plagiarism

Tips for Writers:?Avoiding Plagiarism

6b-3?Downloading Internet sources carefully

6c?Plagiarism and the Internet

7a?Using quotations

7a-1?When to quote

7a-2?How to quote

7b?Documenting sources

7b-1?Footnotes and endnotes

7b-2?Bibliography

7b-3?Documenting nonwritten materials

7c?Documentation models

7c-1?Formatting guidelines for footnotes and endnotes

7c-2?Formatting guidelines for bibliographies

7c-3?Models for notes and bibliography entries

7d?Sample pages from a student research paper

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