Four Tips For Writing Your Historical Issue Research Papers

1. Start with a clear thesis statement that includes your best three arguments. Example –Issue – “For the most part, the American Revolution was justified.” Agree Thesis –The uprising that began in 1775 was justified due to American complaints based on taxation without representation, the gross violation of the rights of American citizens and geographic considerations.” Disagree Thesis –The American Revolution was not justified because the taxes paid by Americans were reasonable, most Americans had better conditions that those in England and there were more peaceful ways to achieve reform.

2. Create and follow an outline that will guide your research and facilitate the writing of your paper. Example –Introduction Hook – Quote from the Declaration of Independence Background – Review Enlightenment Principles –Describe Situation in 1775 Thesis - The uprising that began in 1775 was justified due to American complaints based on taxation without representation, the gross violation of the rights of American citizens and geographic considerations.” –Taxation Without Representation Unfair Taxes Lack of Representation –Violations of American Rights Boston Occupation Quartering of Troops Boston Massacre –Geographic Considerations Distance Population

3. Use a variety of research to strengthen your arguments. Example –Taxation Without Representation Argument Factual Information (Different types of taxes, Details about Parliament…) –Violations of American Rights Argument Quotations (Eye witness accounts of the Boston Massacre, Excerpts from the Declaration of Independence, Direct quotes from secondary historical sources…) –Geographic Considerations Argument Statistics (Population, Average Life Span, Standard of Living…)

4. Be sure to cite sources in the main body of your paper using a modification of the MLA style. Number your sources in the works cited page. Place the source number in parenthesizes at the end of a sentence containing any information that came out of your source. Do this even when you write the information in your own words. –Example: »By 1775, the people in the American colonies were enjoying one of the highest standards of living in the contemporary world (Source Three).

Remember that what you write in your research paper will later be used in a debate.