How to Create a History Essay That Will Stand Out

An essay is a very common form of a college History assignment. It is designed to assess students’ historical understanding, analysis skills, research, and, of course, writing.

It can be quite challenging to nail the essay as it requires advanced skills. This guide is here to help. It was created in partnership with WritePaper.com writers. This is a professional academic writing service that helps students with all types of college papers. Experienced writers deliver excellent writing, editing, and proofreading services to any student in need. So they know all about mastering an essay and crafting a paper that will stand out. And the best thing is that they can do it even on short notice, so if a student forgets about the deadline, the essay will still be ready before the submission date.

Partnership with experts allows for the development of skills and working with guidance, which can be extremely valuable for students. And one can have a long-awaited break while their essay is polished by experts.

However, it is important to know how to craft a History paper. Here is a guide on doing so.

Analyze the Question

This might seem obvious, but it is where many students make crucial mistakes. It doesn’t matter how good your writing is if it is irrelevant to the question. The prompt explains what you are supposed to do and what concepts are core to this assignment.

So take your time and study the question. It might ask you to

• Explain the causes of the implications of a particular event;
• Agree or disagree with a statement;
• Describe an event;
• Analyze the actions of a certain group/individual and the effects;
• Showcase the significance of an event or a historical figure.

Pay attention to keywords and terms as well as time frames – historical analysis has to be specific. Based on the question, you might need to explain, evaluate, interpret, or argue on something. This is crucial to your research and the main idea of the paper.

The key here is to stay within the frames given by the prompt. Do not try to give too broad of a context if it is not necessary. Also, do not waste time and words on common knowledge statements like “WWII was a devastating tragedy.” It is an emotional sentence that bears no value for historical analysis. Also, it is something everyone knows and agrees upon.

Create a Plan

The plan defines the writing assignment and your further course of action. After you’ve worked on the prompt, think about your initial response to it. What topics, events, or people are relevant to this argument? What context do you need to understand it better? What sources might you use in your research?

You can start by drafting a basic structure of the introduction, three main body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Take notes of your ideas and spread them into the appropriate parts of the structure. If you have an idea about your arguments, consider the flow of the paper.

Also, put in all the quotes or supporting evidence you might know already. Use this draft structure as a basis for your notes when working with sources. This way to can easily find and cite them after.

Research

This is one of the most time-consuming parts of essay writing. Now you know the question and have a plan, it is time to dive into sources.

Research is about gathering and defining supporting evidence. But it is also crucial for your general historical understanding. Before you get into details, make sure you know the essential context for analysis.

Here are a few steps to make your research productive:

• Define primary and secondary sources. Primary ones are evidence given by people living in a historical period you are working with. These are books, photos, films, or any texts by first-eye witnesses. Secondary sources are works of historians and writers;
• When applicable, always rely more on primary sources. This way, you analyze the witness statement and not the interpretation of it;
• Look for sources in your course curriculum or reading list;
• Check out footnotes and bibliographies to find relevant links;
• Use academic search engines like Google Scholar or online scientific databases;
• Do not cite or use Wikipedia as a source. But you can use it to find references to relevant sources (in the reference section);
• Read secondary sources critically to check whether they are strong or even credible.

Take notes when doing all of that. For example, if you see a quote you might use later, put the reference to it into the structure. This way, you can simply find it and save a lot of time.

Build a Contention

The contention is the main idea of your paper. It is the answer to the prompt question and the argument you are making. It has to be strong, clear, and relevant. For example, “WWII can be defined as total war because of arguments A, B, and C.”

Based on that, write a thesis statement. It should contain the main idea as well as the arguments you are going to dwell on in the main body. The thesis statement goes to the introduction of the essay.

The introduction is often a tricky part to write. A valuable tip for essay writing is to start with the main body and move to the introduction after. So you have a thesis and contention, but you begin with arguments because they are often easier to write. After you are done with it, you’ll have a much stronger idea of how to start and conclude the paper.

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Write the Main Body

Usually, the main body consists of three paragraphs that deal with three key arguments. It is crucial to stick to one argument or subject at a time. Every paragraph is a mini-essay in itself. It might take about 100-200 words. It also has an introductory statement, supporting evidence, and a concluding sentence with the transition to the next one.

Open with the main idea/argument, go to the detailed explanation, and consider adding relevant quotes.

Always back up your claims with sources but avoid very long quotes. They need to illustrate the point rather than make it for you.

Polish the Paper

After that, write an effective conclusion and move to the next step – editing the essay. Here you need to:

• Reference and cite your sources;
• Formulate bibliography correctly;
• Check the overall flow and logic of the text;
• Proofread for grammar and spelling mistakes;
• Make sure there are no inconsistencies;
• Apply the formatting guidelines.

When writing a history essay, use only the third-person narration, past tense, and active voice. Avoid generalizations like “everyone was outraged” or “women supported the party.”

In Summary

Writing an excellent History essay takes time and practice. It requires analytical and critical thinking, strong research, and advanced writing skills. But with the right approach and dedication, you can master it and make your paper stand out.

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