How to Write a History Paper

History papers follow different regimens/guidelines than English papers do. It’s not a bad idea to borrow some of the concepts of argument writing from composition writing, but don’t follow their style and citation rules. Luckily, a straightforward template approach can help you get a winning grade every time. Follow these steps to produce a paper that you can be proud of.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Time
• Organization
• Willingness to ask questions

1. Pick a Topic. A good topic is one that has a lot of available primary and secondary resources that are easy for you to find. Research can be a painstaking and time-consuming process. Unless you are a History major, be sure to pick a topic that is both interesting and accessible. The archives can actually be very interesting; but a short paper shouldn't lead you to a library three states away. Students should also check with their librarians for online primary source and historical document search engines.
2. Primary resources. Primary resources are historic materials about your topic. To be a primary resource, the materials had to be produced at the time of the topic or before. These materials can include newspapers, news reel, films, dairies, oral histories, autobiographies, government papers, historical documentation and literary books. All of these resources are found in library, historical societies, government and personal archives. An example of using primary resources is comparing representations of African Americans in films produced between 1962 and 1967 and the Los Angeles Times newspaper during the same period.
3. Secondary resources. Secondary resources are the books, films and articles that are written and produced about historical events. Even a film produced in 1976 about an event in 1962 is a secondary resource. But a film produced in 1965 about a 1962 event is considered a primary resource. There are no hard and fast rules. When in question, ask your teacher or professor. To take our example from the primary resources one step further, you could use books written about the 1960s civil rights movement to decide if the depictions of African Americans in the films and newspaper articles you watched and read were accurate. Remember: it’s good to have an opinion in history!
4. Outline your paper. Outlining is the old school way to organize your research. The upside is that outlining formats the paper before it is even written. A good history paper can be read like an outline. Your teacher/professor should be able to get the concept of your paper by reading the introduction, the first sentence of each paragraph, and the conclusion. The OWL at Purdue University has a great online resource.
5. Develop your thesis statement. The thesis statement is your opinion or position on the topic and resources summarized into one sentence. Thesis statements for history papers are different then for composition papers. An internet search on “thesis statements for history” produces some excellent resources.
6. Write the paper. See the step above for the skeleton of your paper: the outline. The introduction should introduce your thesis statement and summarize the material you will cover in the order that it is covered. The body of the paper should follow the order discussed in the introduction. The conclusion should be your opinion or analysis on the topic and materials covered. The conclusion is not a ticket for crazy ranting. Every one of your statements should be rooted to one of the resources. Again, an internet search on “writing history papers” will provide with lots of good advice.
7. Citations are endnotes in history papers. Citations are where you reference any materials that come from your resources. See the warning below about plagiarism. In history, use “endnotes” and not “footnotes.” Historians are making a conscious effort to get away from “footnotes” in their writings. Microsoft word always lists their endnotes under their reference tab. Use the Microsoft help file for any questions. Go to the next step for Citation format.
8. “The Chicago Manual of Style” versus “MLA Formatting and Style Guide.” “The Chicago Manual of Style” is the guideline to use to format and style your History paper. “The Chicago Manual of Style” also guides you on how to write citations in the endnotes and the bibliography for all the different kind of sources. Online resources are available from most all of the major universities. Just do a quick internet search. The “MLA Formatting and Style Guide” should be used for all other composition writing.
9. Endnotes versus Bibliography. Be aware that the citations for endnotes are different than for the bibliography. A bibliography is a separate document that lists all of the resources used to write the paper. Consult the Chicago Style guide. Also, “A Pocket Guide to Writing in History,” by Mary Lynn Rampolla focuses on endnotes and writing a bibliography. Every history paper should have a bibliography even if there are only four resources.

Tips & Warnings

• Start your research early. There is nothing worse then starting research with two days left to write your paper to find out the historical society is closed for Arbor Day or the academic website goes down for repairs.
• All history papers should have primary and secondary resources unless your teacher/professor states otherwise.
• Using Internet Sources. Historians are sticklers about internet resources. Be sure that any resources from the web used for your paper are from legitimate sites. Sites from university digital history projects, historical or government based websites or academic online periodical search engines will work.
• Number one rule of all academic writing: CITE YOUR WORK. Plagiarism is copying someone’s writing word for word and calling it your own. This includes even four or five words out of published or unpublished work. Also, stealing people’s ideas is considered plagiarism. Academics make their living off of writing their ideas down in a way that convinces their colleagues to think differently about the subject matter. Being a professor is a seriously competitive business. It’s fierce. So, take the time to cite the work you borrow with an endnote. It’s easy with modern technology.

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