Historical writing is different from what you do in English or other classes, even though there are some similarities. When you write about history, you need to answer key questions: What happened? Why and how did it happen? What was the background? Who was involved? When did it take place? And how did it affect the future? Good historical writing combines clear organization with lots of factual detail, which makes it a real challenge for both new and experienced writers. It’s not just copying notes from different sources—you also need to explain what those facts mean and add your own thoughts.
✅ Answer the exact question and stay in the right time period.
✅ Follow the essay structure (intro, body, conclusion).
✅ Include and address counterarguments fairly.
✅ Lead with your strongest evidence, save weaker points for the middle, and end strong.
✅ Stay objective—take a position, not a personal opinion.
✅ Use correct spelling, capitalization, and consistent verb tense.
🚫 Make vague generalizations — always be specific with evidence.
🚫 Argue both sides — take a clear position.
🚫 Use first or second person (“I,” “you,” “we”).
🚫 Use absolutes (“always,” “never,” “completely”).
🚫 Use weak verbs (“felt,” “thought,” “said”).
🚫 Use emotional language instead of evidence.
🚫 Lump groups together vaguely (“The colonists felt…”).
🚫 Use contractions (“don’t,” “won’t,” “couldn’t”).
🚫 Use slang, casual words, or phrases like “stuff” or “a lot.”
🚫 Insert yourself into history (“we” instead of “Americans”).
🚫 Repeat the same words or sentence structures.
🚫 Use “happily ever after” endings that oversimplify.
🚫 Use humor in formal writing.
Use the documents as prompts to recall and integrate relevant outside information into your essay.
Determine the central idea of each document and connect it both to your thesis/argument and to additional historical evidence beyond the documents.
Avoid citing documents with phrases like “As stated in Document 1…”. Instead, reference the source by including details from its attribution line. The document number is only for your organization—it should never replace the significance of the actual source. Writing that relies on document numbers alone is considered low-level writing. Engaging directly with the source itself leads to stronger sourcing analysis and demonstrates higher-level writing.
Never let the documents become the focus of your essay. Do not paraphrase or “teach” the document; instead, emphasize its historical importance and how it supports your thesis.
Quoting documents wastes time and signals weak analysis. Let your own words and reasoning explain the history—not the documents themselves. Think of it this way: historians often rely on endnotes for evidence, while literature essays lean on quotations.
Ultimately, use the documents to inspire your analysis, connect them to outside information, and show their relevance to the argument you are making.
When you reference a document, cite it at the end of the sentence like this: [Doc. 1].
Analyze: to break into parts and explain the parts
Assess: to weigh the evidence and make a judgment
Categorize: place items under headings that are given to you or you create
Cause/Effect: the beginning; the result
Chronological: events put in the order they happened
Clarify: to make clear
Compare: show how two things are alike
Contrast: show how two things are different
Describe: to tell how something looks or how it happened; present a picture
Discuss: to tell about the main points and important details
Define: to give the meaning
Diagram: to make a drawing of something and label its parts
Distinguish: to tell how something is different from others similar to it
Enumerate: to make a list
Evaluate: to give your opinion of what is important; discuss its good and bad points; discuss its strengths and weaknesses
Explain : to give facts that make clear
Extent: how much, to what degree
Fact: something that can be proven to be true
Identify: to name and explain
Illustrate: to give examples
Infer: to draw a conclusion based on fact
Interpret: to offer an explanation
Justify: to give reasons and evidence to support your thinking
Opinion: belief based on what a person thinks or feels
Prove: use facts to show something is true
Question: to ask
Reflect: to think about
Relate: to show how things are alike or connected
Sequence: to put in correct order
State: to give the main points or reasons
Summarize: to briefly cover the main points
Synthesize: to combine parts or pieces of an idea, situation or event
Trace: to tell about the progress or growth
Validity: how accurate something is