Writing History Essays Ms. De La O English 9

Writing History History is a discipline based on interpretation. Do not narrate. Argue Examine the past critically

Pre-Writing Establish a topic. Understand the topic that has been assigned. If unclear, ask! If you are to set the topic, be sure to establish a clear working thesis.

Conducting Research Summaries Chapter books Move to more specific sources – books on the topic Consider articles, Consult the Internet Read, read, read.

Writing – Essay Format Introduction: sets the scene and contains your thesis Middle: Gives the evidence that proves your thesis Consider your audience Assume the reader is educated and mature Be thorough Conclusion restates your thesis and explains its relevance.

The Introduction Introduce the topic with historical process Pave the way for a thesis Method statement Chronological or thematic framework of the essay. Throughout human history, people in all cultures everywhere in the world have engaged in many modes of survival, which has interested historians and generated many theories. The Great Depression of the 1930s compelled Americans to rethink their economic position and to consider alternate forms of providing for their families.

The Body Evidence!! The topic sentence must connect to the thesis. ANALYZE!! Be precise!! Guess what? I already read the novel!! What is water made of? Historical analysis explains the origins of significant events (looks at relationships between ideas and clarifies them) Analysis answers: how, why, and to what effect

The Body – Citing Sources As you support your thesis, mention the ideas of others, provide statistics, or give quotes. Short quotations (under 3 lines in length) are put in quotation marks, fit into your own text, and are followed with an in text citation.

The Conclusion reminds the reader of the historical process and how it relates to your topic Restate thesis and confirm how it has been proven. Make a real world connection