Writing Your Paper
Go To
- Samples of Excellence - for samples of good history papers
- Formal Paper Writing Page - more details, tips, help on your history paper
- Essay Grading Standards - used by history department faculty
History papers entail organizing arguments for the purpose of establishing or proving a thesis. The subject of a paper may be very general, but your thesis will be very specific. For example, your paper might be about the dropping of the atomic bomb during World War Two. The thesis of such a paper could be that the dropping of the atomic bomb had more to do with sending a Cold War message to the Soviet Union than ending the war with Japan. The body or substance of your paper would then consist of demonstrating that the evidence compels an acceptance of your thesis. The thesis is the claim or proposition that will be defended in the body of your paper; the thesis should also be a claim that is arguable, that is, that may be plausibly defended or attacked (thus, "The atomic bomb was dropped on August 6, 1945," is NOT a thesis, because it is not a statement that could plausibly be challenged). Your paper should provide evidence to establish the superiority of your argument over other possible positions that might be taken. If there is evidence that seems to rebut your position, acknowledge that evidence but demonstrate the more compelling evidence and arguments that support your position.
Papers thus involve
- the statement and development of a thesis (substance)
- the organization of arguments to support your thesis
- the clear, careful, and concise communication of ideas
a. Substance
The substance of a paper is the "backbone" of the paper. It involves the statement of the thesis and the defense of that thesis throughout the paper. A good paper is thesis-driven. If an argument does not relate to the thesis, it does not belong in the paper.
A thesis involves the statement of a claim or proposition that will be defended in the body of the paper. Your thesis can be established only by using relevant evidence and logical arguments.
b. Organization
Organize your arguments logically to support or defend your thesis. Arguments, in which you present the "facts" and make inferences from those facts, should build on one another as you make your case. You also might wish to divide your paper into introduction, body, and conclusion (at least in your own head). The introduction states the thesis; it tells the reader what claim will be argued in the paper. The body develops the thesis in terms of a series of concise, clear, and careful arguments based on the evidence you provide. The conclusion evaluates the importance of the case you have made.
c. Writing
A good paper is grammatically correct and stylistically complex. Some suggestions: use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation marks; avoid slang, abbrevations, and contractions; and use the active, as opposed to the passive, voice. Your sentence structure should vary; you must make effective transitions between paragraphs. You as author are in control of your material, and you must tell your reader how what you are saying relates to the thesis and make the reader understand why it is important to know what you are telling him/her. Do not make the reader figure this out on his/her own.
Some Useful Sources
- Check the history department "samples
of excellence" Web page for many examples of all different types
of excellent history papers, produced by recent students in UCCS history
classes. Then click on the "samples of excellence" link and
go from there!
- Use the history research toolbox, on our
website, for hints on everything from finding a topic to citing difficult
sources.
- The classic style book is Strunk and White’s Elements of Style.
Read over their suggestions. Another useful source is Mary Lynn Rampolla’s
A Pocket Guide to Writing in History.
- Ask your professor if he/she will read a rough draft of your essay. Often, professors are glad to read over rough drafts and make suggestions. Good papers are usually the result of writing and much re-writing.
Some Useful Advice
- Don’t try to fool the professor with fancy fonts. Use a plain
text 12 point font and do a paper of the length that is assigned.
- Read, read, read—the best way to get better at writing is to READ
good writing.
- Develop an analytical frame of mind—when you read something, immediately
ask questions about it. Scrutinize the use of sources; don’t be cynical,
but have plenty of healthy skepticism.
- Unless you aspire to be William Faulkner, write concisely, clearly,
and simply. Focus on making your points to the reader. Strive to make
COMPLEX and SOPHISTICATED points in a clear and simple manner.
- Read at least a portion of your paper out loud to yourself. If it SOUNDS
bad, then it probably IS bad--and the same applies if the paper sounds
GOOD.
- Write a rough draft and ask your professor to look at it. Often, they will, and will give you good suggestions for revisions.
Essay Grading Standards
A - Writing of Clearly Superior Quality:
Subject intelligently chosen, of solid substance, properly limited, developed with originality and imagination. Clear-cut organization--a clearly delineated central idea, logically and skillfully subdivided developed by cogent, specific details. Essay is a highly effective whole, free of irrelevant matter, with skillful transitions. Sentences clear and logical, and reasonably mature and varied in structure. Phrasing and diction exact. Paper all but perfect in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Manuscript neat, orderly.
B - Writing of Good, Commendable Quality:
Suitable subject, properly limited. Clearcut organization--a clearly delineated central idea, logically subdivided, and developed by pertinent specific detail. Essay an effective whole with little irrelevant material. Sentences at least logical and clear, even if not always smooth and nicely constructed. Phrasing and diction reasonably exact and idiomatic. Essay relatively free of errors of grammar, punctuation and spelling. Manuscript in neat and proper order.
C - Writing of Acceptable Quality:
Adequate subject, properly limited. Essay fairly well organized-- with perceivable central idea, logically subdivided and adequately developed by specific details. Despite a minor fault of organization or an occasional irrelevancy, the paper manages to convey its central idea and subordinate Ideas with competence. Sentences on the whole correctly and logically constructed. Phrasing and diction fairly exact and accurate, though with occasional lapses. Essay relatively free of grammatical faults; has some errors of punctuation, spelling, and other mechanics. Manuscript reasonably neat, orderly.
D - Writing of Marginal, Unskillful Ouality:
Subject unsuitable or not properly limited. Organization faulty though still perceivable; central idea vaguely set forth or inadequately developed by insufficient details or detail not specific enough. Essay does not convey its main or subordinate ideas very effectively. Sentence structure suffers from obscurities or from illogical, incorrect. immature, or unidiomatic constructions. Paper marred by errors of grammar, punctuation, or spelling. Manuscript lacks neatness, order, and care in proofreading.
F - Writing of Poor, Unacceptable Quality:
Subject either too large, or insubstantial, or not properly limited. Organization incompetent, faulty or illogical. Lack of perceivable central Idea, or central idea inadequately or superficially developed; details insufficient in substance or not specific. Essay fails to get across its main ideas or does so ineffectively. Sentences on the whole not clearly, correctly, and logically constructed. Frequent errors in grammar, spelling, or punctuation, perhaps including even solecisms or one or more sentence fragments or comma splices. Manuscript disorderly.