History Paper Guide  

History Paper Step by Step

Nancy Hill

Spring 2009

Ø Topic is

ü Clearly defined

ü Narrow enough to handle

ü Covered in scholarly sources

Ø Sources

ü Primary sources available

ü Critiques of primary sources available

ü Secondary sources available

Ø Classical authors (Loeb Classical Library, etc.)

Ø Archaeological reports

ü Coins (dates, pictures, metal content)

ü Pottery (styles, locations, materials, contents)

ü Art works (statues, vases, mosaics)

Ø Scholarly journals (in JSTOR, etc.)

Ø Dissertations (ProQuest Dissertations online)

1.   Introduction

a)   Big idea

b)  Thesis

c)    The questions to answer

2.   Historiography

a)   Source A and critique

b)  Source B and critique

3.   Sub-topic A

a)   Thesis

b)  Evidence

c)    Conclusion

4.   Sub-topic B

a)   Thesis

b)  Evidence

c)    Conclusion

5. Conclusion

a)   Summary

b)  Conclusion (restatement of thesis with findings)

•      What’s the big idea?

•      What’s your thesis?

•      What questions will you answer?

•      What sources will you use? Why?

•      What do you expect to find?

Ø Use the right tools; put the pieces together correctly

Ø Chicago Manual of Style

Ø Double spaced in 12-point type

Ø Indented paragraphs

Ø Footnotes present and correct

Ø Bibliography present and correct

•      Contains primary and secondary sources

•      Alphabetical order

Nancy Hill

Library, Room 102A

 747-6722

nhill@utep.edu

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