Undergraduate Writing:
The craft of history is one of letters. Historians write and re-write. They use primary and secondary sources. They craft stories about the past based on this evidence. They make arguments (by constructing thesis statements) about the past. This form of analytical writing is not just useful for historians. Conducting research, creating an argument, and marshalling evidence to support your argument are skills that will serve students in all professional fields. The links and tools below are designed to help students as they engage in writing about the past.
Writing Errors are Entirely Avoidable:
Rules for Writerers .pdf
What are those weird marks on my graded paper?
Common proofreading marks and abbreviations.
What color is a blue book?
If you have never taken an essay-based or blue book exam, the following resources will help you prepare for your test:
· The University of North Carolina has a good overview of what essay exams encompass, how you should prepare, and strategies for planning and executing an excellent essay.
· The most important tips: prepare, don’t panic, make an outline (with a thesis statement) *in* your blue book, and use concrete examples.
· Please come talk to me during office hours if you are new to essay tests or if you would like to strategize about your preparation for the exam.
On Writing Well:
Learning to Do Historical Research:
It’s true. Not everything we want to know about the past is readily available on Google or Wikipedia. Historical research on-line, in archives, and at the library can be overwhelming. Below are some links intended to get you started on your research project:
- Learn to formulate research questions, identify a variety of source material, and craft your narrative:
- A Primer for Environmental Historians and Others
- Taking Notes is an important part of learning and researching at the college level:
- Finding quality source material can be a challenge if you are not near a major research library or archive. Below are some tips to get you started.
- Go to the library. Walk, bike, or drive there. Browse the actual shelves in your subject area. Use the secondary sources you find to point you to primary sources. Find a reference librarian or archivist. Politely, ask for help.
- An overview of on-line historical sources.
- From the Los Angeles Times to the Hartford Courant, historical newspapers are increasingly available on-line, in a searchable form. (Go through the library homepage for full access.)
- Still not sure what types of sources you need for your research project? This page will help you identify documents that will answer your research questions.
- Trace Your Steps:
- Remember that your footnotes and bibliography will serve as a map to those who want to learn more about your project. Include complete citations in your notes and follow a professional citation format in your final paper:
- Quick Guide to Citations
- Environmental historians face particular challenges when they conduct historical research. One of the skills that environmental historians try to cultivate is “reading the landscape.”
- William Cronon’s overview of reading the landscape is a great place to start
- Consider place-based reading by some of these authors: Aldo Leopold, Wendell Berry, and Yi Fu Tuan
- Think about local authors, poets, or songwriters from your home town or region. Do you agree with how they describe the place you call home?
- Learn to speak the language of your place. Check out Home Ground: Language for an American Landscape.
- If you are writing a "place paper," consult this Place Paper FAQ for my suggestions.