1. Ten Commandments of Good Historical Writing
by Theron F. Schlabach
My apologies to the original Author

2. Have a thesis and subtopics
I. Thou shalt begin with an outline that builds the entire paper around central ideas.
Have a thesis and subtopics
Categorize information
Ask interpretive questions
Facts always support the main idea

3. II. Thou shalt avoid self-conscious discussion.
Avoid use of first person.
I will demonstrate
Now let us turn to
Now we see
I think that

4. III. Thou may covet other writers' ideas but thou shalt not steal them.
Document EVERY quotation, paraphrase, or crucial idea that you borrow from a source.
Document all facts that are not common textbook knowledge
Never make one footnote cover material in more than one paragraph.
When in doubt, FOOTNOTE!

5. IV. Thou shalt strive for clarity above cuteness.
Write lean and logical ideas
"He used Marx's ideas."
Not: "He participated in the utilization of the ideas of Marx.”

6. V. Remember thy paragraph and develop a main idea.
Paragraphs develop ideas
One recognizable main topic
More than 3 sentences
1/2 to 3/4 page

7. VI. Thou shalt write as if thy reader is intelligent—but uninformed.
Establish time, place, and context
Explain obscure historical people/events
First reference give the complete name.
Thereafter, refer to last name or acronym
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), then CIA

8. VII. Thou shalt use quotations sparingly and judiciously.
Quotation is a literary device-not a way to transfer information from your sources to your reader.
Avoid quoting whole sentences. Your language will flow better.
Someone else’s idea + your words = FOOTNOTE

9. VIII. Thou shalt not relegate essential information to thy footnotes.
Please do not put extra information in footnotes.

10. IX. Thou shalt write consistently in past tense.
Washington crossed the Delaware.
Not: Washington crosses the Delaware.

11. X. Thou shalt not use passive voice.
Passive voice destroys clarity
Make it clear who does what
"Lincoln gave the order.“
Not: "The order was given.” or "The order was given by Lincoln.”