1. Writing the History Essay

2. Thesis Paragraph Directly answer the question
Take a position – what are you arguing
Create organizational categories
Provide some brief background information to “set the scene” for your paper

3. Supporting Paragraphs
Begin each paragraph providing direction – your point that supports your overall argument
Analysis the information gathered to support – don’t just “report” on facts

4. Conclusion
End with a concluding paragraph that draws it all back together, repeat your overall argument

5. Outlining your paper Thesis Paragraph – include your 3 points
Point paragraphs (3+)
Topic sentence
3 pieces of evidence that support/prove your topic sentence with analysis
Conclusion

6. Tackling the DBQ What is the question asking?
Plan your response without using the documents
Come up with a rough thesis statement and outline
Use the documents to prove your thesis

7. The Documents
Always consider who, what, where, when, why of the documents
Use them to support you – Do NOT merely describe what each is about
Avoid long quotations – assume the reader knows the documents too
Refer to them as (Doc. 1) or (A)

8. Don’t just list the documents in order through your paper.
They are basically your research information that you will use to support your thesis

9. Don’ts
Don’t begin sentences with “Document A states…” or “In document A…”
Don’t rewrite history – essays are NOT reports
Plagiarize
Don’t use “I” – “I think” or “I am going to…”
Use broad generalizations – “biggest thing in US history”, “all”, “every”

10. Write in THIRD person, past tense (no “as you can see” !!!)
Have a stance, argue it, and support it
Common mistakes
there, their, they’re
Lead, lead, led