history essay Archives - Kibin Blog

How to Write a Historiographical Essay … When You Don’t Know What You’re Doing

Susan M. Inez — Tue, 10 Dec 2019 01:00:28 +0000

It’s a bright, sunny summer day, and you and your friend decide to walk to the beach. You cut through a park and encounter a woman walking a German Shepherd dog.

When you meet up with your group at the beach, your friend tells a story of how you were almost attacked by a vicious dog, how the woman could barely hold the German Shepherd back, and how you were thankful that you escaped with your lives.

You stare at him, puzzled. That’s not at all how you saw it. You’re sure that his version of the story is colored by his deathly fear of dogs, but an attack? Really?

You call out your friend and tell the others that a woman was, in fact, walking a German Shepherd in the park. The dog did, in fact, bark at you, but she pulled him back. Then, after two barks, the dog stopped, and all of you continued on your way. This was nothing even close to an attack, and there was no reason to be in fear of anything.

This type of scenario, in which people view the same event differently, is at the heart of a historiographical essay as it examines how a subject or event is viewed differently by historians.

Looking for a little more clarification or feel like you don’t know what you’re doing when it comes to this type of essay? Keep reading to learn how to write a historiographical essay.

What Is a Historiographical Essay?

This type of essay is all about employing historiography, or the the study of how history has been written about. In the essay, you analyze a topic or subject in history to examine how it is discussed or argued by various authors.

The historiographical essay is not like the elementary school report in which you review a few sources and write everything you know about a topic like the Civil War or Christopher Columbus.

The historiographical essay is also not a comparison and contrast essay in which you only compare differing opinions.

Instead, the goal of the essay is to analyze the differences in how a historical topic or subject is treated and to discuss possible reasons for such differences (including the impact of such opinions).

An example to help define a historiographical essay

Let’s look at Christopher Columbus as an example.

Anyone writing about Christopher Columbus today obviously wasn’t alive during the 1400s when Columbus landed in the Americas. This means that historians must examine available information to draw conclusions about what occurred during this time period.

What happens, though, when historians reach different conclusions based on their respective research?

Historian A, for instance, might see Columbus as a heroic explorer, arguing that his journey to the Americas was difficult and harrowing and that he changed life forever by connecting the world.

Historians B and C, on the other hand, see Columbus as a brutal savage who enslaved indigenous people.

These differing conclusions between historians would become the core of your historiographical essay about Christopher Columbus.

In looking at the impact of the opinions about Columbus, you could consider what students have been taught about him.

Because Christopher Columbus was, for the most part, praised for “discovering” America, he was honored as a great explorer. His accomplishments were taught to almost every child in public schools, and he was even honored with a national holiday.

In recent years, however, historians’ views of Columbus have changed. Those changes have altered not only how his legacy is taught to children but, in some cases, have even resulted in renaming Columbus Day as Indigenous Peoples Day.

In this case, it’s clear that historians’ views can impact entire generations as those views change what is taught to children and what society knows and believes about Columbus.

Okay, now that you have a better understanding of what a historiographical essay is, let’s get to the “how to” of writing this essay.

How to Write a Historiographical Essay

Follow these five steps to turn your ideas into a finished historiographical essay.

Step 1: Find (and narrow) a historical topic

If you haven’t already been assigned a topic, you’ll need to choose something to write about.

Remember, don’t choose something extremely broad like The Great Depression as your essay topic. While this works well as the general focus for your paper, you’ll want to narrow your discussion. You might, for example, focus on one or more causes or effects of the Depression and, of course, historians’ varying views on the events.

Need help with generating topic ideas? We’ve got you covered. Check out these posts for inspiration:

Step 2: Do the research

If your goal is to analyze how writers view a topic, it makes sense to research their opinions or arguments.

So where do you look for sources? There are tons of places to find credible sources—actual libraries, your textbooks, databases, interviews, and even some websites.

Here are two resources to get you started with your research:

Remember, when you integrate information from sources, you’ll need to cite appropriately.

Check out these posts to help with proper citation:

Step 3: Analyze your sources

When you analyze sources, you need to do more than just skim through the information.

Take time to critically read the information, and as you read, annotate your sources. Write notes in the margins, ask questions, and look for common (or differing) themes or arguments between sources.

I know analyzing and annotating takes time, but it’s worth it in the end. This type of deep reading enables you to fully understand the texts and helps you make the connections necessary in order to write a successful historiographical essay.

Step 4: Outline and organize your essay

After you’ve read, annotated, and analyzed your sources, it’s time to organize your ideas into an outline. (Not a fan of outlines? Try a graphic organizer.)

If you’ve never written a historiographical essay, you might be asking, “How exactly do I organize my ideas?” It’s a valid question.

Here are a few suggestions.

History of the topic/subject

You could organize information to illustrate the progression of thoughts on the topic/subject over time.

You might begin with one writer’s arguments and then examine works that followed the original publication. Trace the argument throughout the years to examine how it has evolved.

In the Christopher Columbus example, you might examine how historians’ conceptions of Columbus have evolved, in some senses, from “valiant explorer” to “brutal savage.”

Opposing viewpoints

You could also organize information to illustrate various arguments surrounding the topic/subject, sort of like a compare and contrast essay.

You might encounter arguments that directly oppose each other. But you might also find that arguments aren’t quite as black and white. They may share some common ideas but differ on only a few major (or minor) points.

If analyzing works written about Columbus, you might examine contrasting views of Columbus (either as a hero or as a villain).

Stuck on Your Essay?

Check out thousands of example essays.

Yes! Show me examples.

Smaller components of a problem that lead to the larger argument

Consider examining sources that discuss the same topic but don’t necessarily treat them as opposing views. Analyze the sources to see how smaller groups, individuals, or studies view the same argument. Use this information to draw a larger picture of the argument.

In the case of Columbus, you might examine how various countries have viewed his voyages and role in the Americas. Do historians in Spain, for instance, view Columbus in the same way as those in the United States? How do these viewpoints help create a more complete picture of Columbus and his role in history?

Want to see a few historiographical essay examples before you start working on your own?

Take a look at these essay examples:

Step 5: Draft your historiographical essay

Once you’ve decided on a plan of attack (how you’ll organize the essay), start drafting.

If you can’t think of a killer opening, skip it for now, and start with the thesis statement. If you don’t have the wording perfect, relax.

The goal of the draft is to get your ideas in place. The goal is not perfection.

Once you have the basic ideas in place, you can revise and edit your draft as needed to perfect your ideas. (Need a refresher to help you revise? Read How to Revise an Essay and Make It Better Than Ever.)

The Finishing Touches

Have a completed draft of your historiographical essay but are looking for ways to make it even stronger?

Review the following posts to help you add the finishing touches to your essay:

Still feel like you don’t quite know what you’re doing when it comes to writing a historiographical essay? Don’t worry, there’s plenty of help available at Kibin. We have expert editors available 24/7 to help you with your draft—whether it’s your first or your fifth.

How to Start a History Essay Without Boring Your Reader to Death

Susan M. Inez — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 00:00:00 +0000

What’s your first reaction to these opening lines?

The Egyptians lived a long time ago.

Back in the day, kids worked in factories.

If your reaction is a big yawn, I understand. Who wants to read lifeless writing like this? You might as well start your paper with, “Attention: this essay will bore you to tears.”

You need to spice up an opening, add some pizzazz, and write a catchy hook, so readers actually want to read what you write.

So let’s leave the dull introductions behind and move on to how to start a history essay with more engaging opening lines that won’t bore your readers to death.

How to Start a History Essay Without Boring Your Reader to Death

Even though the old cliche says that you can’t judge a book by its cover, we often do. And we judge essays (and other types of writing) by their first few lines.

Think about it. How often have you started to read something online, then clicked to another article simply because you were bored with the first paragraph?

This is not the reaction you want your readers (or your professor) to have when they read your paper.

So how do you write that catchy opening hook for your history paper? Check out these basic strategies on how to start a history essay that grabs your readers’ attention.

Fascinating or Inspiring Quote

Let’s face it, people have said some pretty interesting and awe-inspiring things throughout history, so why not pique your reader’s interest with a great quote?

Which of these makes a better opening line if you’re writing a paper about how hard Thomas Edison worked on his inventions?

Thomas Edison tried lots of different things before he finally came up with a good invention.

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” —Thomas Edison

Obviously, the quote from Edison more accurately captures Edison’s work ethic and his thoughts about persistence. Plus, it’s much more engaging.

Check out these other great quotes that bring history (and your paper) to life.

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”—Albert Einstein

“Freedom is not a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God and nature.” —Benjamin Franklin

“It often requires more courage to dare to do right than to fear to do wrong.” — Abraham Lincoln

“If you’re going through hell, keep going.” —Winston Churchill

Keep in mind that just because you’re using a quote from Churchill or Einstein, it doesn’t mean that your paper has to be about them. Sometimes, a simple quote from someone else can be the perfect opening to capture the theme or focus of your paper.

If you’re looking for a few basic quotes for your own paper, you might try Brainy Quote.

Just because it’s on the Internet doesn’t mean it’s true! Before using a quote in your essay, make sure it’s legit.
Click To Tweet

Remember, though, just because it’s on the Internet doesn’t always mean it’s true! You should definitely search for the quote through a quick Google search to make sure it’s legit. You can also use the CRAAP test to see if your source is credible.

Shocking Statistic

Many times, you don’t really understand the true intensity of a situation until you see the numbers.

Ever get your cell phone bill and look at just how many texts you sent last month? Shocking, right?

Shocking statistics in the opening of your paper can have the same effect on your readers. The statistics will not only grab readers’ attention, but will also help them see the importance of your topic.

Here’s an example. Which of these is a better opener?

Thousands of people died in the Civil War.

About 750,000 men died during the Civil War, more than 2.5% of the population of the United States at the time.

Again, it’s pretty clear that the second example is more intriguing because it illustrates the gravity of the situation by showing just how many men died during the war.

Question

Asking readers to think about a topic in a new light is a great way to keep them reading. Once you’ve got them thinking about something, they’ll keep reading to (hopefully) learn the answer to your question.

Ask readers to think about a topic in a new light. Get them thinking, and they’ll keep reading!
Click To Tweet

Here’s an example to help illustrate my point:

Should morphine be an ingredient in over-the-counter children’s pain relievers?

This opening line makes readers wonder why anyone would ask such a question. Clearly, no one today would consider adding morphine to over-the-counter medications (whether for children or adults).

This question, though, relates to the fact that a 19th century medicine for children included morphine as part of its list of ingredients. Thus, it could make a great opening question for a paper about the history of medications or their regulation.

Concession

No, I don’t mean concession as in starting your paper with a discussion of things you can buy at a concession stand (unless, of course, your paper is actually about concessions or concession stands, then the history of the corn dog might be entirely appropriate).

A concession simply means that you address the opposite view of the point you’re making in your paper.

While it may seem like you shouldn’t even acknowledge the opposition, this strategy actually makes your argument stronger because readers can see that you have done your research and are able to refute the opposition.

Here’s a quick example:

Even though many people argue that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the JFK assassination, there were, in fact, a group of conspirators responsible for Kennedy’s death.

With one of the above approaches, learning how to start a history essay without boring your readers to death isn’t hard, right?

After the Opening Line

Don’t forget that there’s more to the introduction than a great hook, though. You still need to craft the perfect thesis statement.

A thesis statement for a history paper is like a thesis statement for most essays. It needs to provide a clear direction for your paper.

In other words, avoid those quick thesis statements that you write simply to say you have a thesis statement. You know the type. They look like this:

This paper will focus on the implications of NAFTA on the United States. (This thesis doesn’t work because it simply announces the topic of the paper and not the stance or focus.)

World War II was a horrible war that killed many people. (This thesis is vague and doesn’t provide any type of insight or argument.)

Another problem is that these two thesis statements make factual statements about the topic. Remember, the goal of a history paper is to support an argument or offer insight into a historical topic. Don’t simply report facts.

Here are two sample thesis statements that identify the focus of the paper, offer insight and argument, and won’t bore your readers:

The Patriot Act resulted in a number of increased security and surveillance measures that violate constitutional freedoms. (This thesis is clear and specific and provides an arguable focus.)

Though some argue that anti-Semitism ended with WWII, anti-Semitism is still prevalent in society today. (This thesis is specific and presents a strong argument.)

After the Introduction … Moving Past How to Start a History Essay

I realize there’s more to writing a good history paper than writing a great introduction, so here are a few more resources to help you write your history paper:

So get going, and make history by writing an award-winning history essay!

By the way, even award-winning essays can need help with revision and editing, so why not have a Kibin editor review your paper?

How to Write a History Paper That Will Go Down in History

Susan M. Inez — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Remember the days of elementary school reports when you had to write about events like the first Thanksgiving or the signing of the Declaration of Independence?

Those were the good ol’ days when you could look up a few facts about a historical event, summarize the highlights, and voila, you had an A paper!

Life isn’t that simple anymore.

Sure, you could look up some facts about The French Revolution, the Iran-Contra Hearings, or Benjamin Franklin flying kites. You could summarize one of the topics and certainly meet any word count assigned by your professor, but this isn’t the type of history paper that will get you an A. (It likely won’t even get you a passing grade.)

So what should you be writing? The short answer: Analysis.

Aren’t sure how to move from summary to analysis? Here’s a quick lesson on how to write a history paper that will go down in history.

“History11” by Boby1187, Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

How to Write a History Paper That Will Go Down in History

Writing a history paper is a lot like writing any other type of paper. You need to start strong and use evidence to support your arguments.

Here are six steps to help you learn how to write a history paper that lets you do just that.

Step #1: Choose the right topic

If you’re enrolled in World Literature 210, you probably shouldn’t be writing about the history of World of Warcraft just because “World” is in the title of the game.

Instead, choose an appropriate topic for your class and assignment. If you’re in an American history survey course, for instance, a paper about the JFK assassination, World War II, or the Civil Rights Movement would be a more appropriate topic.

Need help choosing the right topic? Read 13 History Essay Topics That Will Bring Your Essay to Life.

You might also draw inspiration from these example history essays:

Step #2: Choose a focus

Before you begin researching, you’ll need a focus.

You’re not writing a textbook about the Vietnam War or the fall of the Berlin Wall. You only have a handful of pages to make your argument, so you need to pick a focus before you begin writing.

Let’s say you’ve chosen to write about the Civil Rights Movement. There’s a lot you could say about the topic, but what is it that you want to say about the topic?

You might examine the roles of Civil Rights leaders. You might discuss the role of the Supreme Court during the Civil Rights Era. Maybe you want to write a compare and contrast essay comparing the struggles of the Civil Rights Movement to the struggles of African Americans today.

The goal is not to report random facts. Your goal is to offer insight into history!
Click To Tweet

Remember, the goal is not to simply report random facts and information about the topic. Wikipedia can do that. Your goal is to make a statement about the topic, create an argument, and/or offer some insight into history.

Need to narrow down a topic that seems too broad? Read How to Narrow a Topic and Write a Focused Paper.

Step #3: Do your research

Once you have a general direction for your paper, you’re ready for the next step in learning how to write history paper: starting the research process.

When writing about history, it’s important to locate both primary sources and secondary sources.

You’re probably used to finding plenty of secondary sources for your paper. These are sources such as journal articles, reviews, and other sources in which the authors evaluate and review other information to form their own opinions and arguments.

Secondary sources are important to illustrate the thoughts and opinions of others (the experts in the field).

Primary sources are different in that they are original documents from the time period, such as letters, advertisements, artifacts, or original photos (like the one below).

Primary sources are important to use in your writing because they offer a different insight into history. These types of sources present the viewpoint of those actually living through the time period.

Check out 5 Best Resources to Help With Writing a Research Paper if you need help finding sources for your paper.

Step #4: Start with a strong introduction and thesis statement

Introduction

A good introduction is important in any essay. You need to be able to grab readers’ attention and keep them reading your paper.

So don’t start with some vague statement like this: “Martin Luther King Jr. thought people should stand up for what they believe in.”

This statement doesn’t tell your readers anything and sounds like you haven’t done your research.

Instead, start with a catchy hook sentence. You might choose a statistic or quote to really help drive home the importance of your topic.

Consider this quote from Martin Luther King Jr.: “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

This quote provides a clear, specific statement from Martin Luther King Jr. that expresses his feelings about the importance of people’s actions and character.

It’s a lot more interesting than the previous boring and vague statement about King, right?

Thesis statement

A thesis statement often appears at the end of your introduction paragraph(s) and provides a road map to your paper. It lets readers know the focus of your paper.

Readers won’t know what you’re paper is about if you write a vague or muddled thesis like this one:

“Many leaders were part of the Civil Rights Movement, and many of them had a role in the movement; however, Martin Luther King Jr. played a big role in the Civil Rights Movement.”

This thesis tells the readers nothing more than the fact that Martin Luther King Jr. played a part in the Civil Rights Movement. It provides no clear direction for the paper.

Look how this thesis clarifies the focus:

“Although many leaders played a role in the Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King Jr. was the most instrumental leader in the movement due to his vision, leadership, and non-violent form of protest.”

This thesis is far more specific, informing readers that the paper will not only discuss Martin Luther King Jr., but will also argue that he was the most influential leader of the movement and why.

Step #5: Analyze and integrate the evidence

Remember, this isn’t third grade, so you can’t just look up the Civil Rights Movement on Wikipedia and summarize the key points. You can’t just write what amounts to a timeline of events and call it good. (Well, you can, but I certainly wouldn’t recommend it.)

This is an especially important element of learning how to write a history paper—you need to analyze, rather than summarize.

Here’s what I mean. If you’re arguing that Martin Luther King Jr. is the single most influential leader of the Civil Rights Movement, you don’t need to include a detailed biography of King. You may include relevant details, but most of his early years won’t be important to your argument.

You also shouldn’t simply summarize what he did during the movement. In other words, don’t simply summarize his part in events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott or the March on Washington.

While it’s important to note that he was involved in these events, it’s more important to analyze why his actions were so influential.

Remember to use both the primary and secondary sources you located to help support your statements. (If allowed, you may even want to consider adding images or videos as evidence.)

Step #6: End with a flippin-tastic conclusion

“Conclusion” by Louise McLaren, Flickr.com (CC BY 2.0)

A fantastic conclusion wraps up the key points of your essay and lets the reader know you’ve reached the end of your argument.

In a history paper, you might not only sum up key arguments but also leave readers looking toward the future.

A paper about the Civil Rights Movement and Martin Luther King Jr. might conclude with another inspiring quote from King or a statement or question about the future of race relations.

See? The lesson on how to write a history paper was pretty painless, right?

Now That Writing Your History Paper Is History

I’m sure you know that writing a draft of a paper doesn’t mean that it should be your first and only draft.

Once you’ve written your first draft, look it over again to make sure you’ve paraphrased appropriately, that you haven’t inadvertently plagiarized any sources, and that you’ve correctly cited your sources.

If you’re still unsure of whether your paper is of any historical relevance, have a Kibin editor help with revision!

13 History Essay Topics That Will Bring Your Essay to Life

Susan M. Inez — Tue, 04 Oct 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Let’s see, for your Ancient History 101 course, your topics so far look like this:

The history of the landline phone
Life before the Internet
A world without Snapchat

Even though these topics might seem like ancient history, they’re probably not what your course is about or what your professor had in mind when she assigned the paper.

But what is there to write about in any history course? That stuff is so old and boring, right? Not necessarily. Here are 13 history essay topics to bring your essay to life.

When is the No. 13 lucky? When it leads to the perfect topic for your history essay!
Click To Tweet

But wait…I don’t know how to write a history paper

Maybe you’re not even at the point where you should be picking a topic just yet. Maybe you still need to understand more about how to write a history paper.

If that’s the case, check out How to Write a History Paper That Will Go Down in History. Then finish reading this post to learn more about finding a topic and see those 13 history essay topics you came here for.

13 History Essay Topics That Will Bring Your Essay to Life

Here are 13 history essay topics to help you find the perfect subject for your paper. I’ve also included a few links to example essays for even more historical inspiration!

1. How did Homer influence history (and literature), and did he really exist? No, I don’t mean Homer Simpson. I mean the ancient poet, Homer. But if you’re really creative and your professor allows some flexibility in assignments, maybe you can write a compare and contrast paper about how both Homers have influenced history.

2. Examine Hitler’s rise to power. You might consider several elements of Adolf Hitler’s childhood and early adulthood that influenced his desire for power. You might also write about larger, societal influences and what allowed Hitler to become so powerful.

3. Compare and contrast religions. Examine two (or more) religions and compare and contrast various elements, such as how they treat death, the afterlife, or marriage. I’d suggest picking two to three topics and examining them in-depth. Don’t try to compare the religions as a whole without any specific criteria.

You might also examine one religion more closely (such as Buddhism, Confucianism, or Christianity) and examine how the religion is different in various parts of the world. Again, pick two to three criteria to compare and/or contrast.

Read Compare and Contrast Essay Tips from a Kibin Editor to learn more about writing a compare and contrast essay.

4. Were the Dark Ages really that dark? The Dark Ages were long before the days without cell phones and Internet. During this time, millions died from war and sickness, but this was also a time of great ideas and discoveries. Thus, is the name “Dark Ages” an appropriate title for the time period?

5. Examine historical myths and legends. Did people like Count Dracula or Robin Hood exist, or were they simply subjects of great legends (and movies)?

Remember, if you’re writing an argument about whether they really existed, you’ll need to present evidence to support your argument but will also need to address the counterargument.

Read How to Write a Winning Argument Essay to learn more about argument writing.

6. Examine the causes and effects of the Cold War. What were the underlying causes of conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union? What were the effects of the Cold War on the United States, the Soviet Union, or other parts of the world?

If you want to write about the Cold War, you could also write about the events that precipitated the ending of the Cold War.

Read this tip sheet on cause and effect papers for more help with this type of essay.

7. Examine the causes and effects of China’s one-child policy. Why did China implement a one-child policy, and what effect did this have on the country and its citizens? (Note: In 2015, the government began to phase out the one-child policy. Why was this necessary?)

8. Argue that there are positive effects of war. Most argue that there are only negative results of war. However, some argue that war produces positive changes in culture and encourages patriotism. (You might examine war in general or focus your argument on a specific war.)

9. Compare the Salem Witch Trials to another historical event. The era of the Salem Witch Trials was a time of fear and paranoia. Compare this time period to other times of hysteria, such as The Red Scare or the months following the September 11 terror attacks.

10. Examine the war on drugs throughout history. The war on drugs isn’t a recent phenomenon. Examine the use, influence, and prosecution of drugs throughout history.

You could chronicle the more recent developments of the war on drugs (the past 20–30 years), or you might try another angle and consider opium use and trade in China or the use and cultivation of spiritual and medicinal plants in Native American culture.

11. Argue how a specific invention changed history. This type of paper might examine inventions, such as electricity, television, the phone, or the personal computer. Or the paper might focus on medical discoveries, such as the polio vaccine or penicillin.

12. How has feminism either positively or negatively changed society? This type of paper might present both positive and negative aspects or examine only positive or only negative influences. You might focus your discussion on one society or compare and contrast different regions or countries.

13. Examine the historical significance of the number 13. Why is 13 considered an unlucky number in the United States? Some trace the unlucky origins back to the Bible. Others point to mythology. You might examine the number’s origin and why the number is still considered unlucky today (think Friday the 13th).

“Lock Thirteen” by DaveBleasdale, Flickr.com (CC BY 2.0)

But wait…I don’t know anything about any of these history essay topics

You probably know something about some of these history essay topics, but maybe not enough to write a successful paper. This simply means that you’ll need to do some research.

Locating a variety of resources, including primary and secondary sources, will help you turn the boring textbook stuff into a more lively and interesting read.

If you need even more help with research, check out these posts:

Ready to share your draft and have the Kibin editors provide feedback? Send it our way!

Happy writing!