A Short Guide to Writing About History

by Marius, Richard A., (late); Page, Melvin E.

• ISBN13: 9780321093004
• ISBN10: 0321093003
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-11-05
• Publisher: Longman

Summary

An ideal accessory in any history course that requires writing, A Short Guide to Writing About History stresses thinking and writing like a historian.This engaging and practical little text helps the readers get beyond merely compiling dates and facts; it teaches them how to incorporate their own ideas into their papers and to tell a story about history that interests them and their peers. Covering both brief essays and the documented resource paper, this book explores the writing and researching processes, different modes of historical writing including argument and concludes with guidelines for improving style.For any one who will need to write about history.

Table of Contents

Preface	vi
Introduction	1	(1)
Stories About The Past Intended To Be True	1	(5)
Writing History as a Way of Thinking	6	(10)
The Essay in History	16	(20)
Writer's Checklist	35	(1)
Thinking About History	36	(22)
Questioning Sources	39	(9)
``Who'' Questions	41	(1)
``What'' Questions	42	(1)
``When'' Questions	43	(1)
``Where'' Questions	44	(1)
``Why'' Questions	45	(3)
Making Inferences	48	(3)
Evaluating Materials	51	(7)
Writer's Checklist	57	(1)
Modes of Historical Writing	58	(27)
Description	59	(7)
Writer's Checklist	65	(1)
Narrative	66	(7)
Writer's Checklist	72	(1)
Exposition	73	(5)
Writer's Checklist	77	(1)
Argument	78	(7)
Writer's Checklist	84	(1)
Gathering Information	85	(30)
Finding A Topic	86	(3)
Limiting Your Topic	89	(2)
Considering Potential Sources	91	(10)
Doing Research	101	(14)
Secondary Sources	102	(2)
Primary Sources	104	(5)
Internet Sources	109	(6)
Taking Notes and Writing Drafts	115	(20)
Recording Ideas and Information	119	(5)
Organizing Your Essay	124	(4)
Writing Drafts	128	(7)
Suggestions about Style	135	(19)
Writer's Checklist	153	(1)
Writing Conventions	154	(21)
Using Quotations	155	(4)
Writer's Checklist	159	(1)
Mechanics and Grammar	159	(12)
Writer's Checklist	171	(1)
The Final Manuscript	171	(4)
Documenting Sources	175	(18)
Basic Principles	175	(8)
Writer's Checklist	182	(1)
Electronic Sources	183	(3)
Notes and Bibliographies	186	(7)
Notes	187	(4)
Bibliographies	191	(2)
Appendix A Sample Student Research Paper	193	(16)
Manifest Destiny: A Characteristic of Nations	194	(13)
Things to Notice about this Paper	207	(2)
Writer's Checklist	208	(1)
Appendix B Book Reviews	209	(12)
Reviewing As A Special Form of Writing	209	(6)
A Sample Student Review	215	(5)
Things to Notice about These Reviews	220	(1)
Writer's Checklist	220	(1)
Credits	221	(1)
Index	222