A good historical essay consists of an interpretation of some aspect of the past, supported by persuasive evidence. Interpretation and evidence are both crucial elements of a good paper. You cannot present "just the facts" without saying what you think they mean. Nor can you simply give your opinion without presenting information that shows you are right. Here are some miscellaneous pointers:On Writing Historical Essays
Interpretation-- The most important part of any historical essay is a clear thesis statement in the introduction. The thesis statement should state your main point -- the essence of your interpretative argument -- as clearly and concisely as possible. Everything in your paper should contribute to explaining, developing, qualifying and supporting your interpretation.
Evidence -- Support every important point in your argument. Evidence can include quotations from primary or secondary sources, or specific information about a relevant event, book, etc. Obviously, some pieces of evidence are better than others, so choose carefully.
Quotations -- Quotes should do more than show that you have skimmed over the material and know how to copy. To avoid wasting space with useless quotes, think about the following questions:
* What is the purpose of using this particular quote? To present the ideas of the writer you are discussing? To establish facts about a historical event? Maybe a paraphrase or a different quote would do the job better.Citations -- Provide citations for all major pieces of evidence unless they are common knowledge. You need to provide a footnote, endnote, or a citation within the text whenever you borrow ideas from someone else, even if you are not using a direct quotation.* How should the quote be framed to make it as effective as possible? (This is especially important when you use a long quote). How much commentary is needed to show the reader how you interpret the quote? Should your commentary come before or after the quote?
Tenses -- Use the past tense to describe historical events or primary sources (The city burned, the cow was blamed, etc.). Use the present tense to describe historians' interpretations (Miller writes, Sawislak argues, etc.)
Language -- Slang sucks. Eschew ostentatious verbiage. Avoid repetition and redundancy. Avoid cliches like the plague. No sentence fragments.
Spelling -- Here are some words that are commonly confused. Check your dictionary before using them:
Affect, effectClarity -- Above all, keep in mind that your paper is a form of communication between you and your reader. It is your responsibility to make yourself understood.
Dominant, dominate
Its, it's
Lead, led
Lose, loose
Predominant, predominate
Than, then
There, their, they're
To, too
Weather, whether