Writing for Social Studies

What is a historical essay? Presents an argument Develops that argument with supporting evidence Does not retell history, but analyses it Is written in past tense and active voice

What goes into a historical essay? A historical essay consists of An introduction with strong thesis statement and talking points 2-3 well developed paragraphs with strong topic sentences and abundant supporting evidence A conclusion that ties the whole paper together

Thesis statement Thesis statements are the single most important sentence in your essay Thesis statements answer the 6 all important questions: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How, in one sentence. Thesis statements present your argument and let the reader know how strongly you feel about it. Thesis statements should be to the point, and written in ACTIVE voice

Talking Points Talking points let the reader know what your body paragraphs will be about. They are presented in one sentence in your introduction stating them and why they are relevant to your paper. They are sometimes one word descriptions of the topic of you paragraphs that will support your argument. Body paragraphs can be about events, people, places, or ideas that help you prove your point. The more specific you are with your information, the more impressed the reader will be with your KNOWLEDGE. Remember it’s not only important to know facts, but knowing when to use them and how is just as equally important.

Topic Sentences A topic sentence Introduces the subject of the paragraph. It explains briefly why the event, person, place, or idea you are talking about is relevant to the topic which you are discussing. Topic sentences are also transition sentences

Supporting evidence Supporting Evidence proves your point. They are examples in history that relate to the topic, directly or sometimes indirectly, but agree with your argument. The more SPECIFIC you are the better.

Important VOICE GRAMMAR FLUENCY FOCUS FACTS

NO PRONOUS Personal Pronouns Singular 1st person I my, mine me 2nd person you your, yours you 3rd person he, she, it ,his, her, hers, its him, her,it Plural 1st person we, our, ours, us 2nd person you, your, yours, you 3rd person they, their, theirs, them

Social Studies vs English More fact based and explanatory English Descriptive and interpretive (Debated)

Citation The AP Verticle Teams Guide for Social Studies Richard, Marius. A Short Guide to Writing about History. 3rd ed. New York: Longman, 1999.