A Pocket Guide to Writing in History

1 Introduction: Why Study History

1a Asking historical questions

1b Developing historical reading 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 Uses of primary and secondary sources

2b Evaluating sources

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

2b-1 Evaluating 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 sources

2b-4 Identifying fake news

Tips for Writers: Questions for Evaluating Websites

3a Reading actively in history

Tips for Writers: Writing as You Read

3b Writing about reading

3b-1 Summaries

3b-2 Annotated bibliographies

3c Writing about primary sources

3c-1 Single-source analysis

3c-2 Comparative papers

Tips for Writers: Writing a Comparative Essay

3d Writing about secondary sources

3d-1 Critiques and book reviews

3d-2 Comparing secondary sources

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 Drafting your paper

4e-1 Drafting an introduction

4e-2 Organizing your paper

4e-3 Writing clear and connected paragraphs

4e-4 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 a 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 to avoid plagiarism

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

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.