How to Write a Great History Paper

History is a challenging subject. It is often difficult to break down decades (or even centuries) of history into a coherent paper. A history assignment can seem like a daunting task, but once you break down your history paper into smaller steps, it becomes less overwhelming.

Things You'll Need

• Library

Instructions

1. Choose your topic. Your instructor might give you some guidelines, but you will need to narrow the scope of your paper. For example, your instructor might assign a five-page paper on Elizabeth I, and you could choose to write that paper on any aspect of Elizabeth's life (e.g. her relationship with the arts or her role in the defeat of the Spanish Armada).
   When you have a very specific topic, you will be able to create a compelling paper. Make sure to choose a topic that you find interesting, as this will make the research of your paper seem like less of a chore.

2. Examine the historical evidence. You must first consider primary sources. Consider material evidence such as ruins, clothing or other physical evidence. You may also find that firsthand written accounts of historical evidence will be of use to you. Do not overlook written evidence inscribed on tombstones, monuments or statues. For example, if you are writing a paper about Renaissance artists, you should examine images of the work they left behind, as well as any information they left behind. You can find a wealth of knowledge in the building occupied by an artist, as well as by looking at something as mundane as their receipts.

3. Review secondary source material. This could include textbooks, as well as books written by modern authors on the subject. You should focus on material written within 50 years of the event, as well as books written in the last decade, as these will likely have the most reliable information.

4. Formulate a thesis. Your thesis is the argument of your paper, which you will support with examples of historical evidence. The job of a historian is to review the evidence and draw a logical conclusion. Approach your history paper like a detective would approach a mystery that must be solved. The thesis is the heart of your paper. Without a thesis, you are doomed to fail. The perfect thesis should be concise and express a clear point of view. A bad example of a thesis: Alexander the Great had an empire, but then he lost it. This was because he made mistakes. A better example: Alexander the Great's empire failed after his death because he failed to nominate a successor.

5. Create an outline. Your outline should be broken down into an intro, body and concluding paragraphs. Your intro paragraph must state your thesis and contain additional background information about your topic. Your body paragraphs will list your sources and the conclusions that you drew from them. You can organize your body paragraphs by geographic location, chronologically or any other way that works with the content of your paper. Your concluding paragraph should restate your thesis and can also propose a topic for further study.

6. Use the proper citation format. University of Chicago style formatting is preferred by most historians, especially at the college level. However, MLA style is also used in high schools and some colleges. Your instructor should be able to give you additional information on citation requirements.

7. Proofread your paper. You should do this at least twice. Look for grammar and syntax errors, as well as missed citations or spelling mistakes. If possible, have someone in your class or someone who is knowledgeable about the subject matter review your work, as well, and ask for their feedback.

Tips & Warnings

• One of the best books about writing a history paper is A Short Guide to Writing About History by Richard A. Marius and Melvin E. Page.

• Make sure to clearly cite your sources, and state your argument in your own words. Failure to do so could lead to charges of plagiarism.