Part research manual, part study guide, and part introduction to the study of history, Essaying the Past guides the reader through the nuts and bolts of producing good historical prose, offering key strategies and useful tips.
- Includes expert advice on writing about history, conducting good research, and learning how to think analytically
- Covers important topics such as framing questions, developing a strong introduction and topic sentences, choosing good evidence, and the crucial role of revision
- An annotated case study takes the reader through one student's process of writing an essay and illustrates how strategies discussed in the book can be successfully implemented
- Six appendices cover the major issues facing students today, such as the dangers of plagiarism and the role of the internet
Author(s): Jim Cullen
Edition: 3rd
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
Year: 2017
Language: English
Pages: 214
Tags: History: Methodology, Historiography, Academic Writing
Essaying the Past: How to Read, Write, and Think about History......Page 1
Contents......Page 8
Preface to the Second Edition......Page 10
Preface to the Third Edition......Page 14
Acknowledgments......Page 16
Introduction to the Student: Why Would You Look at a Book Like This?......Page 18
Part I: Thinking and Reading about History......Page 22
1: History: It’s about Time......Page 24
Living with the Past......Page 25
Good History Gives You Hope......Page 27
A Habit in Time......Page 29
2: What’s the Story with History?......Page 31
Disciplinary Measures: A Profession Takes Shape......Page 32
Plural Pasts......Page 34
3: The Sources of History......Page 37
Primary Sources......Page 39
Secondary Sources......Page 40
Sources of Ambiguity......Page 41
Obscure References, Maine Events......Page 42
Scarcity and Plenty......Page 44
4: Good Answers Begin with Good Questions......Page 46
Good Students Have Answers; Great Ones Have Questions......Page 47
So, What Do I Ask?......Page 50
Net Gains – and Losses......Page 52
Stacks of Possibilities......Page 55
Going by the Book......Page 58
Notable Discoveries......Page 59
6: How to Read a Book without Ever Getting to Chapter One......Page 61
Pressing Matters......Page 63
Inside Information......Page 67
Going Back, Going Forward......Page 70
Topic-Sentence Hopping......Page 72
Part II: Writing about History......Page 74
7: Analysis: The Intersection of Reading and Writing......Page 76
Making Sense......Page 77
The Choice Factor......Page 78
Thinking with Your Heart......Page 82
The Secret Sauce of Credibility......Page 83
8: Making a Case: An Argument in Three Parts......Page 84
Reading Your Reader......Page 85
Writing the Equation......Page 86
Arguing about Time......Page 89
9: Defining Introductions......Page 91
Introducing the Question......Page 92
Introducing the Thesis (and Motive)......Page 93
Introducing the Key Term......Page 97
Introducing the Premise......Page 99
Watch Your Language: Diction......Page 101
10: Strong Bodies (I): The Work of Topic Sentences......Page 103
Inter- and Intra-paragraph Organization......Page 104
Directing Topic Sentence Traffic: Double Signposts......Page 106
Clues for the Clueless: Breaking Down the Thesis......Page 107
Don't Stick with the Facts......Page 109
11: Strong Bodies (II): Exposition and Evidence......Page 111
Too Much of a Good Thing: Using Quotations Selectively......Page 115
Seeing Is Not Necessarily Believing......Page 117
Beware of "Negroes" and "Orientals"......Page 118
Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics......Page 119
12: Strong Bodies (III): Counterargument and Counterevidence......Page 121
Two Sides to Every Story – At a Minimum......Page 123
Don't Condescend......Page 124
Show, Don't Tell......Page 126
13: Surprising Conclusions......Page 128
Motivated Conclusions......Page 130
Taking the Long View......Page 132
Booster-Rocket Intros......Page 135
Conclusion Pivots......Page 138
15: Writing is Rewriting: The Art of Revision......Page 140
Conversation Counts......Page 141
The Writer as Hotel Manager......Page 142
16: Putting It All Together: The Research Essay (A Case Study)......Page 147
Katie's Bibliography......Page 148
Conclusion: The Love of History......Page 166
Appendix A: Writing an Essay: Ten Easy Steps in Review......Page 169
Document-Based Questions (DBQs)......Page 171
Book (or Other) Reviews......Page 173
Comparison Essays......Page 175
1. Why cite my sources?......Page 177
2. When and where do I cite sources?......Page 178
3. How do I format a footnote?......Page 179
Encyclopedia article......Page 180
Article on a website......Page 181
Blogs......Page 182
References to the same text after the first citation......Page 183
4. How do I format a bibliography?......Page 184
More than one source by the same author......Page 185
5. A final note......Page 186
Appendix D: Credit Scams: The Dangers of Plagiarism......Page 187
Five reasons not to cheat on an essay assignment......Page 190
What's the Domain?......Page 191
Free or Subscription?......Page 192
Is it Updated?......Page 193
Appendix F: A Glossary of Key Terms......Page 194
Appendix G: More Reading about Writing......Page 199
Index......Page 202
End User License Agreement......Page 0
