Writing in History

Liz P., former writing center tutor

Please keep in mind that these are only general guidelines; always defer to your professor's specifications for a given assignment. If you have any questions about the content represented here, please contact the Writing Centers so that we can address them for you.

Introduction

History is more than just the study of the past. It is the study of the world people lived in and how it transformed into the present. Many people feel that history papers must always be written about wars and politics, but this is untrue. The history of almost anything (fashion, education, sex) can be studied and analyzed. Writing a good history paper uses similar skills that writing a good paper for any class utilizes, such as clear organization and evidence.

When writing a history paper, it is very important to create a logical and interesting argument. Even though many historians look at the same evidence, they often draw different conclusions about its meaning. This means that even if you are writing about a topic many people are interested in, your analysis can take a unique vantage point, as long as your ideas can be supported by your sources.

Writing about history generally requires the use of both primary and secondary sources. Primary sources originate from the time period or event that is studied. They are always excellent sources for papers, but historians must always be cautious. Primary sources were often produced with specific motives in mind, and can not always be completely trusted. Secondary sources are scholarly texts that are written about the time period or event studied at a later point in time. Although they are important sources for history papers, they must also be analyzed carefully. The way that scholars examine the past is influenced by the events occuring in the present, for example, a monograph written by a British historian studying the Crusades in the wake of WWII might approach the Crusades very differently than an American scholar in 2010 would. Evidence must always be examined critically, no matter when it was written or produced.

For 200-level courses, many assignments will require you to analyze primary sources with this critical approach in mind.

300-level courses incorporate an emphasis on historiography. In these assignments you will compare, contrast, and analyze different secondary sources. You are required to be a history major or minor (or have consent from the professor) to take 300-level courses.

The Writing Center can help you with any history assignment. Our tutors are trained to understand all types of writing, and some of us even major in History! We do ask that you bring your assignment prompt with you, as it will help us better guide the meeting so we can help you improve your writing. But please do not hesitate to come to the Writing Center for any reason.

Common Writing Assignments

The following is largely a summary of Mary Lynn Rampolla's A Pocket Guide of Writing in History, a guide often recommended by history professors at DePaul.

Primary Source Analysis: Students should critically examine a source from the time you are writing about to determine its historical value. Students must identify and answer, when possible, important questions about the source's author, time, and purpose.

Material Culture Analysis: Similar to a primary source analysis, the goal of such an assignment is to critically examine a piece of material culture used or made during the time period a student is writing about. The major difference between a typical primary source analysis and a material culture analysis is that the latter deals with artifacts rather than textual sources. Students will typically be expected to answer questions about its purpose, its producer, and the time period in which the artifact was made. Since such papers are analyzing objects rather than texts, students may also be expected to discuss or describe an artifact's dimensions, material, and shape.

Secondary Source Analysis: These assignments require students to evaluate a text based on the strengths and weaknesses of its historical argument. A good secondary source analysis will judge an author's argument based on his or her purpose and use of evidence to determine if the text is convincing.

Historiographic Essay: Historiographic essays explain how the scholarship of a particular historical subject has changed over time and how different historians have approached that subject. Ultimately, students will make an argument concerning the value and efficacy of different historians' work, comparing the works in order to explain the broader significance of the historical work on the subject.

Research Papers: As the name indicates, research papers are based largely on the findings of individualized primary source research. Usually, students will choose their own topic and sources before conducting research. Secondary sources will inform the primary source research, but the main argument of the assignment must make a claim about the primary sources.

Essay Exams: Almost every final exam in a DePaul history class will require a written essay. Though professors rarely reveal the essay question before the day of the exam, there are a number of ways that students can prepare. Since essay exam writing must be completed in a short time, it must be particularly clear and direct. Before the test, review and organize your notes. Organize information under major course themes and consider how ideas relate to each other. If you have time, try to brainstorm answers to possible essay questions. This guide from the Purdue OWL is very helpful.

Annotated Bibliography: This is essentially a standard bibliography, only with greater detail. It requires a summary of each source in the bibliography in addition to information regarding how the source pertains to the topics that is being explored.

Key Terms

This section also borrows from Mary Lynn Rampola's A Pocket Guide of Writing in History.

Chicago Manual of Style: The official citation system for the History discipline.

Historiography: Studying the history of history. Historiography involves thinking critically about different sources discussing a historical time period. It compares two or more authors' stances on a particular topic. For example, you as the writer could analyze why the authors may have arrived at their stances.

Primary Source: Primary Sources are materials that originated in the event or time period you are discussing. They are typically composed by someone who had direct knowledge of the event you are studying. Rampolla's examples include: "eyewitness accounts, decrees, letters and diaries, newspapers and magazines, speeches, autobiographies, and treatises." Other primary sources may not be written, such as paintings and other types of art.

Secondary Source: Secondary sources offer a historian's take on the subject, event, or time period you are researching. You should always read secondary sources critically, questioning why the author wrote what he or she did. It is also important to critically examine how your secondary source uses evidence from other primary and secondary sources.

Preferred Citation Style

Generally, historians are asked to use the Chicago Manual Style of Citation for the Humanities, which is the footnote/endnote method of citation. Guidelines for formatting notes and Bibliography entries can be found at The Chicago Manual of Style Online, and more information on Chicago style is available on our Citations page.

Using Sources and Historical Research Methods

Using Primary Sources: One component of good historical writing is the use of primary and secondary sources. Primary sources are texts or media that provide a first-hand account of a specific time or event. They may range from journals and maps to songs and novels. Historians traditionally use primary sources as the foundation for retelling events of the past. However, while they play a valuable role in the construction of history, biases must be considered. The following links elaborate on what constitutes a primary source, methods for their evaluation, and suggestions for finding reputable primary sources online:

"Writing a Research Paper" from Purdue's OWL

"Making Sense of Evidence" from History Matters

"Using Primary Sources on the Web" from the Reference and User Services Association

Using Secondary Sources: Secondary sources utilize primary information to depict and analyze events of the past. Historians argue a specific thesis statement and draw conclusions based on their research and the information presented. Like primary sources, reliability and biases must be considered in the use of secondary sources. The following websites provide excellent tips and guidelines to follow for your history research and writing:

"How to Research a Paper: Using Evidence" from Bedford/St. Martin's

"Reading, Writing, and Researching for History" from Bowdoin College

Suggestions for Further Reading

A Pocket Guide to Writing in History, by Mary Lynn Rampolla. This is a condensed and concise book that discusses the proper methods of writing in the discipline of History. It talks about history assignments, specific steps to writing a good history essay, proper historical writing conventions, and accurate citations for history.

A Short Guide to Writing about History, by Richard Marius and Marcus Page. This book is very similar to Rampolla's. It presents a clearer outline for citation, however, and includes an improved section on electronic sources. Additionally, it discusses how to evaluate sources.

A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations: Chicago Style for Students and Researchers, by Kate L. Turabian. (Commonly known as "the Turabian.") This book is perfect for citing and formatting. It encompasses everything you will ever need to know about writing an essay using the Chicago Manual of Style, and it is easier to read and understand than the actual Chicago manual.

DePaul Libraries' online research guide for history students

Click here to view a list of tutors who specialize in writing in history