History SurveyHistory SurveyThis blog contains information and advice about studying history and writing well. It is aimed at students in my survey courses on European history and Western civilization. 
Articles
Solid Advice
2007-05-22 17:14:00 Every student who takes a history course should read and think about the following two pages, the first by Gerald W. Schlabach, the second by his father, Theron F. Schlabach. Students who do will get more out of discussions and score higher on their essays, especially if they review the advice a few times. [1] A Sense of History: Some Components is an excellent summary of the mental attitudes historians try to foster in their students. No, this has nothing to do with politics, left or right. I'm talking about historical thinking. [2] Ten Commandments of Good Historical Writing. Ignore these pages at your own peril. (Interestingly, Prof. Schlabach, who I don't know, teaches theology, not history, although he has taught history in the past.)© 2007 Mark R. Stoneman More About: Advice , Vice , Solid , Soli
Writing Strategies
2007-05-22 16:09:00 Most people will tell you to build a paper around a thesis statement and an outline. This is good advice, but many of us have to go through a less straightforward process to get to that point. What if you do not know what your thesis is? What if you do not know what your main ideas are? Writing can be an act of thinking and discovery. Instead of starting out with ideas and putting them on paper, you can use the act of writing to identify and develop your ideas. This process tends to be messy, frustrating, and difficult, but it is worthwhile. Of course, nothing will work if you have not done the reading or attended class. The following advice presupposes that you have taken both of these prerequisite steps.The following tips also assume that you know how to type quickly. If you do not know how to touch-type, get your hands on a typing tutorial for your computer and learn this valuable skill right away. It will pay for itself countless times over in just one or two semesters. Not only... More About: Strategies , Rate
Proofreading Checklist
2007-05-22 15:56:00 Does every paragraph in your paper contain a topic sentence?Does your argument make sense if you read only the topic sentences in your paper?Does your paper begin with an introduction and end with a conclusion?Do you only tell the reader your argument, or do you devote much space to showing him what you mean with examples from the primary sources?Have you cited your sources?Will the average, educated person be able to understand your paper? Or will only someone in your class understand it? Write for the educated general reader, not your professor. Include bits of background information where necessary.One way to test how successfully your paper conveys your ideas: Have someone read your paper and tell you what it is about. Do they get it? Or are they receiving a message that you did not intend to convey?Did you write your essay in the past tense? If not, change it to the past.Do you use the passive voice? Try not to, because it allows you to avoid the question of agency, which you a... More About: Proofreading 1, 2, 3 |
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