what is a historical essay

History Essay: Student Guidelines for an A+ Paper

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When students attend history classes, they need to write many historical essays through their courses. Basically, this article provides a guideline on how to write a history essay, teaching students and anyone passionate about a unique text what is most important. As such, guidelines begin by defining what is a history essay, its purpose, meaning, format, and prompts, showing an outline and template of such a paper and giving its practical example. Moroever, students can learn technical aspects of writing a historical essay, emphasizing 4 basic steps: preparation, stage setup, writing an initial draft, and wrap-up. Finally, a presented article provides 20 tips for writing a high-standard history essay, as well as what to include and what to avoid when writing such a paper.

General Aspects

Reading and writing are interrelated academic exercises because they develop each other. When students develop a habit of reading different types of essays , they induce their mental faculties of intellect, memory, reason, imagination, and intuition, which are vital in constructing logical academic papers, like essays, reports, and research papers. This guideline on how to write a history essay that offers critical insights into how students can create a high-standard text. Basically, an article begins by defining what is a history essay, its purpose, meaning, and format, a list of prompts students can choose from to write such a composition, some technical steps for creating a document, 20 tips for producing a high-quality paper, what to include, and what to avoid. Moroever, guidelines provide an outline and template for writing a historical essay and a practical example. Therefore, reading this guideline is helpful to students because it not only educates them about what is essential but also gives a practical example of how to start writing a history essay. In turn, to cite a history essay, people follow a citation style required (e.g., APA, MLA, Harvard, or Chicago/Turabian), ensuring all sources used are properly credited both in-text and on a reference page.

What Is a History Essay and Its Purpose

According to its definition, a history essay is a scholarly piece of writing that explores and analyzes historical events, figures, or periods with a primary aim of providing a deeper and complex understanding of past times. For example, the main purpose of writing a history essay is to engage with historical content critically, demonstrating an understanding of cause and effect, continuity and change, and broader implications of historical events (McCoy, 2023). Basically, this type of paper requires students to evaluate primary and secondary sources, critically examine evidence, and present an argument based on factual data. Further on, an entire writing encourages critical thinking, helping students to understand different perspectives, recognize historical patterns, and connect the past with the present (Schrag, 2021). By doing so, these compositions foster a complex comprehension of how historical events have shaped contemporary society, politics, and culture. Moreover, through a writing process, students develop their research, analytical, and writing skills, essential tools for any academic discipline (Collins & Stearns, 2020). In terms of pages and words, the length of a history essay depends on academic levels, course requirements, and assigned topics, while general writing guidelines are:

High School

• Length: 1-4 pages
• Word Count: 250-1,000 words
• Comment: High school history essays are typically shorter and focus on developing basic analytical and writing skills, often based on textbook readings or simple research.
• Length: 2-6 pages
• Word Count : 500-1,500 words
• Comment: College-level history essays require more in-depth research and analysis, often incorporating multiple sources, including primary and secondary materials.

University (Undergraduate)

• Length: 4-8 pages
• Word Count: 1,000-2,000 words
• Comment: University-level history essays require students to engage deeply with historical material, construct well-supported arguments, and critically analyze academic sources.
• Length: 6-10 pages
• Word Count: 1,500-2,500 words
• Comment: Master’s-level history essays involve more complex research, often requiring original analysis or interpretation of historical sources and a higher level of scholarly engagement.
• Length: 8-12+ pages (or more for dissertation chapters)
• Word Count: 2,000-3,000+ words (or more for dissertation chapters, while entire dissertations may exceed 80,000 words)
• Comment: Ph.D. history essays are extensive, often forming parts of dissertations, requiring original research, critical thought, and a deep understanding of historiography.

Note: Some writing sections of a history essay can be added, deleted, or combined with each other, specific assignments, instructors, and institutional guidelines. For example, a standard research history essay format organizes a paper into sections, typically including an introduction with a thesis, body paragraphs presenting evidence and analysis, and a conclusion summarizing a central argument and its broader significance (Schrag, 2021). Basically, as a prompt for writing an essay in 500 words, history is a study of past events, societies, and civilizations, focusing on understanding how they shaped the present and continue to influence the future. Further on, an actual importance of a history essay lies in its ability to deepen people’s understanding of past events, analyze their impact on present times, and develop critical thinking skills by evaluating evidence and constructing well-supported arguments (McCoy, 2023). As such, a history research essay is a detailed written analysis that examines a historical topic or question, using primary and secondary sources to support a thesis and providing a critical interpretation of evidence. In turn, to start a research history essay, people begin with an engaging hook that introduces an assigned topic, provide necessary background information, and clearly state their thesis or main argument.

Defining Features

From a simple definition, a history essay is a text that gives a historical account of an issue or topic, such as colonialism, slavery, constitutionalism, human rights activism, or feminism. For example, as a prompt for organizing a paper in 300 words, a history essay is a written piece that analyzes and interprets past events, individuals, or periods using evidence from primary and secondary sources to support a thesis, demonstrating critical thinking and understanding of a unique historical context (Collins & Stearns, 2020). In writing, such a composition differs from other types of works, including analytical, compare and contrast, argumentative, cause and effect essays or reports and research papers. Further on, students write such types of essays when their instructors require them to examine an origin and evolution of an idea with current and future implications (Jones, 2016). Ideally, authors interrogate their ideas from different historical perspectives and credible sources to understand how some events began, how they have progressed, the people or entities involved in their developments, and how they affect society currently and may influence it in the future. Moreover, a history essay about a theory would mean that students need to mention a theorist behind it, its application over time, and any developments, such as incorporating new concepts by contemporary scholars (McCoy, 2023). In turn, some examples of sentence starters for beginning a history essay are:

• Throughout a historical analysis, [event/period] has been regarded as a turning point in shaping a course of [specify].
• An actual significance of [event/figure] in [time period] can be understood through its impact on [name sub-themes].
• In [year/time period], [event] marked a pivotal moment in a whole history of [region/nation], as it [describe].
• The roots of [historical event/conflict] can be traced back to [indicate time periods].
• By examining key causes and consequences of [event], people can better understand how it influenced [answer what].
• A hot debate surrounding [historical figure/event] centers on a question of whether [write a question].
• A unique era of [period] was defined by a series of significant changes in [society/politics/economy], particularly [count them].
• A [time period/event] represents a critical juncture in history, when [society/nation] underwent profound transformations in [describe fields].
• Historians have long debated an impact of [event], with some of them arguing that it was caused by [write causes].
• An entire legacy of [figure/event] continues to shape a modern understanding of [related topic], as it demonstrated [answer in what way].

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Typically, instructors specify essay topics for students in any writing assignment. However, sometimes, students may have to select a topic individually. For example, students should choose history essay topics that are easy to write about, meaning one can easily access materials helpful in creating them, such as books, articles, and videos (Schrag, 2021). In writing, the best way to accomplish this task is to read history course content and additional materials to develop and incubate ideas that become rich sources of topics. As such, the following topics are ideal for writing a good historical analysis because they suggest giving a historical account of an idea.

• Racial Dynamics in the Harlem Renaissance: A Detailed Study
• The Impact of the Printing Press on Renaissance Europe
• Examination of Manifest Destiny’s Influence on Territorial Expansion
• History of Cryptography and Its Modern Applications
• Exploring Key Factors That Led to the American Revolutionary War
• Discussing an Entire Development of the United States as a Republic
• Examining Sentiments That Have Shaped an Abortion Debate
• Explaining How the Republican and Democratic Parties Differ From a Philosophical Perspective
• Discussing the Shift of U.S. Foreign Policy From Isolationism to Interventionism
• Covering the Circumstances That Contributed to the End of the Cold War
• Discussing Religion in the Aztec Era
• Understanding a Role of City-States in Ancient Greece
• Exploring Cultural Aspects of Immigration

Outline and Template

Title: Unique Topic

I. Introduction

• Hook: Use a quote, historical fact, or question to capture a reader’s attention and trigger their interest to continue reading.
• Brief background: Tell readers about an assigned topic by addressing issues central to this theme that help to contextualize a historical discussion.
• Thesis statement: Write a short sentence to tell readers a history essay’s primary objective or ultimate agenda.

Use all body paragraphs with the following:

• A topic sentence that introduces a single idea about an assigned historical theme that supports a central claim of an essay.
• Incorporate evidence from reliable sources or primary sources that help to back up a single historical idea.
• Comment on evidence cited and how it helps readers to understand an assigned topic.
• End with a concluding sentence with a transition or bridge sentence that enhances a logical progression to a next paragraph or section.

Note: A specific number of body paragraphs depends on a volume of work, essay structure, college essay length, and assignment requirements. For example, to write a history essay quickly, people focus on outlining a clear thesis, organizing their main points with supporting evidence, and typing words and sentences efficiently by sticking to their structure, avoiding distractions, and reviewing only for major errors (Collins & Stearns, 2020). In principle, for writing a 1,000-word history essay (4 double spaced pages or 2 single spaced pages), there should be 3-5 body paragraphs, meaning 100-200 words per 1 body paragraph. In turn, first and last paragraphs (introduction and conclusion) of a history essay must be only 5-10% of a whole word count.

III. Conclusion

• Restate a central thesis in different words.
• Provide a summary of the main ideas discussed in topic sentences.
• Give a final remark about an assigned topic that leaves readers with a lasting impression after reading a history essay.

List of References

• Cite all primary and secondary sources in accordance with a required citation style, such as APA, MLA, Harvard, or Chicago/Turabian.

History Essay Example

Topic: Discussing the Shift of U.S. Foreign Policy From Isolationism to Interventionism

Introduction

American foreign policy is the most significant in world history for good and bad reasons. The early 20th century saw the United States adopt an isolationist foreign policy under the administration of President Herbert Hoover. The reason behind this stance was the prosperity and high standard of living the country experienced, making it meaningless to meddle in the affairs of Europe. However, the spread of fascism in Europe disturbed this illusion of safety and compelled the country to shift its foreign policy from isolationism to interventionism.

Body Paragraphs

Isolationism

The U.S. maintained isolationism in its foreign policy in the early 20th century because, while the nation was developing economically, some issues required internal politicking. As such, the country was increasingly insensitive to the threat of fascism in European democracies. Even if its allies were in trouble created by Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, the U.S. determined to avoid all conflicts at all costs (Kupchan, 2022). Ideally, American politicians saw no prospect of European troubles reaching their motherland if the country was not involved. Nonetheless, Americans feared that the instability in Europe could spread to their land. In turn, optimistically naïve politicians began initiatives to protect the country from the threat of war. For example, Frank B. Kellogg created the Kellogg-Briand Pact, which saw 15 countries agree to protect America from the threat of war (Kupchan, 2022). Consequently, the Nine Power Treaty affirmed China’s territorial integrity through the Open Door policy. However, Japan’s invasion of Manchuria in 1931 marked the end of the policy. Therefore, while the U.S. was keen to keep the world stable, events were moving too fast to remain aloof and optimistic (Kupchan, 2022). The takeover of free countries one by one by the Nazi war machine triggered panic among Americans who realized the folly of optimism in a world under crisis. Besides, politicians began clamoring for the country’s involvement in foreign affairs between 1930 and 1941, when the focus shifted from isolationism to interventionism.

Reasons for Moving to Interventionism

The 1940s were instrumental to U.S. foreign policy because the country finally realized that it could no longer be unconcerned about what was happening in Europe. For example, Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, the faces of fascism, were wreaking havoc in the region to create fear among Americans that this idea may reach their shores in no time (Nichols, 2022). As a country with a history with Britain, the U.S. could no longer assume that Britain’s fate was irrelevant. Therefore, support for Britain marked the first sign of the shift of U.S. foreign policy from isolationism to interventionism (Friedrichs & Tama, 2022). However, this shift was minimal because it was based on material support for Britain. It took the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941, for the U.S. to embrace interventionism fully as Americans anger propelled the country’s immediate revenge against Japan.

Adopting Interventionism

The administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt propelled the U.S. to full interventionism when it agreed to dispatch American troops to aid European allies in repelling fascist forces. For example, the president’s famous “Quarantine Speech” called for ending isolationism because it was dangerous to a free world. In 1940, the U.S. deployed 50 World War I destroyers to Britain, which offered eight defense bases in its colonies in South America and other regions strategic to a global conflict (Gordon, 2021). The U.S. Congress repealed the Neutrality Acts, officially ending isolationism as a foreign policy stance in favor of interventionism. The new perspective saw the country sell weapons to Britain on a ‘cash-and-carry’ basis to avoid the Nazi war machine attacking American ships (Kupchan, 2022). America’s dedication to the new policy compelled President Roosevelt to establish the lend-lease system that provided billions of dollars to Britain in American military equipment. The League of Nations gave the U.S. a stage to demonstrate its involvement in foreign affairs because its provisions affirmed people’s right to peace and security (Kupchan, 2022). As such, the Pearl Harbor attack gave the U.S. every reason to attack Japan.

The instability in Europe triggered the shift from an isolationist position to an interventionist stance in the U.S. foreign policy. As fascism spread in Europe and the Nazi war machine overran democracies in this part of the world, the U.S. feared that being aloof to these events was dangerous to its citizens and future. As such, politicians and Congress took measures to ensure the country’s involvement in foreign affairs, specifically to end the threat that Hitler and Mussolini presented to the peace and security of free nations.

Friedrichs, G. M., & Tama, J. (2022). Polarization and US foreign policy: Key debates and new findings. International Politics , 59 (5), 767–785. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41311-022-00381-0

Gordon, P. H. (2021). Losing the Long Game: The false promise of regime change in the Middle East . St. Martin’s.

Kupchan, C. (2022). Isolationism: A history of America’s efforts to shield itself from the world . Oxford University Press.

Nichols, C. M. (2022). Isolationism: A history of America’s efforts to shield itself from the world. Journal of American History , 109 (3), 643–644. https://doi.org/10.1093/jahist/jaac357

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Steps on How to Write a Great History Essay

Writing a well-organized history essay is a technical process involving four main steps: preparation, stage setup, writing a first draft of a paper, and wrap-up. For example, to write a history research essay, people start by analyzing an assigned topic, developing a clear thesis, organizing evidence to support their argument, and structuring a paper with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion while ensuring proper citations (McCoy, 2023). In writing, students should approach each step fully armed with essential details to make the paper meet quality expectations. Moreover, these details include a topic, background information, thesis statement, topic sentences, evidence, and transitions (Schrag, 2021). In principle, each writing element must appear in a right section. Therefore, the most crucial factor for students is knowing a basic structure of a history essay because it helps to shape their writing mindset.

Step 1: Preparation

a first step in writing a history essay is preparation, which involves several tasks. Basically, a first aspect is to define a specific topic if instructions are not provided. For example, the best approach to selecting a particular topic is using ideas one has generated and incubated over time (Collins & Stearns, 2020). In writing, various topics must reflect course content, meaning people should not define their themes without historical context. Further on, a second task is to organize ideas following a correct paper’s basic writing structure, meaning one must determine where each idea falls: introduction, body, or conclusion (Calder & Williams, 2021). In this respect, creating a well-organized essay outline is a third task in a preparation stage. Lastly, students should consider an intended audience and a history essay’s purpose, such as assessment or publication (Van Driel et al., 2022). Besides, these details determine if one should use simple or technical language in writing. As a result, preparation is where students undertake activities that make it easy to turn ideas into starting a history essay.

Step 2: Stage Setup

Setting a stage is the second step in writing a history essay. For example, students should research to find evidence to back up their claims about their topics (Collins & Stearns, 2020). When doing research, people should make notes of ideas, concepts, statistics, and interesting facts to incorporate into a historical paper. Further on, a next task is to match these details with an essay’s outline, meaning each writing element must appear in a right section (McCoy, 2023). Since evidence appears in a main section of a history essay, one should ensure all body paragraphs are sufficient for the ideas, concepts, data, and facts from the research process. In turn, the best way to collect evidence is to research credible materials, like government reports and primary resources, from key figures involved in a historical development of an idea (Schrag, 2021). As such, libraries and online archives are good places to search for evidence.

Step 3: Writing an Initial Draft

Writing an initial draft is a third step in writing a history essay. For example, to write a historical essay, people need to research an assigned topic, formulate a clear thesis, structure their argument with evidence from primary and secondary sources, and present their analysis in an organized format, concluding with a real significance of their findings (Collins & Stearns, 2020). As such, students should focus on organizing their ideas into writing an entire text. Further on, people can search for more information from secondary sources if some ideas are insufficient (McCoy, 2023). However, if there are too many ideas, one should delete some of them and their corresponding sources. In writing, a paper’s outline will change whether one adds or deletes some history course sources (Schrag, 2021). Moreover, students must ensure this change does not affect their ability to communicate their ideas logically. In essence, writing a first draft allows people to construct a paper following a history essay’s outline correctly.

Writing an Introduction Paragraph for a History Essay

When writing an introduction paragraph, students must know key expectations. For example, a first thing is to develop a hook, a statement with a quote, data, question, or other interesting fact that grabs a readers’ attention and triggers their interest to continue reading a history essay (Collins & Stearns, 2020). Further on, a next aspect is to provide a brief background to contextualize an assigned topic and make readers aware of some of the issues central to a main theme. Moreover, a next activity is to conclude a section with a clear historical thesis, which means a short sentence communicating an author’s claim and serving a paper’s primary purpose or main agenda (McCoy, 2023). When writing an introduction section, students should know their goal in history is to contextualize a central topic and state a claim demonstrating their thoughts.

Writing Body Paragraphs for a History Essay

A body part of a history essay is the most comprehensive section because it provides substantial details about a specific topic. For example, it is standard for students to construct several body paragraphs depending on a paper’s length and key ideas they wish to use to back up their claim (Schrag, 2021). In writing, a first detail in each body paragraph of such an essay is a topic sentence with an idea that links a section to a central thesis. Then, a following detail is evidence that establishes a single idea and demonstrates evidence-based writing (Collins & Stearns, 2020). In this case, students should use a sandwich rule in each body paragraph, meaning they must comment on evidence cited before proceeding to another historical idea. Furthermore, authors should provide a concluding sentence with a transition to allow a logical progression to a next paragraph or section (McCoy, 2023). Hence, students should understand that a body of a history essay is where they must convince a target audience that they know an assigned topic well to make a valid claim.

Writing a Conclusion Paragraph for a History Essay

A conclusion paragraph is the part of a history essay that marks an end of writing a paper. For example, students should restate a central thesis from an introduction part using different words, summarize main ideas discussed in body paragraphs, and give a final remark that leaves a lasting impression on an audience (Schrag, 2021). Moreover, they must refrain from introducing new ideas in this last section because it would be useless and affect a paper’s quality. In writing, this part of a history essay aims to reiterate key ideas covered in body paragraphs and provide authors’ final remarks about their understanding of a particular topic.

Step 4: Wrap-Up

Wrapping up a final paper isa last step in writing a history essay. Because a central focus is to perfect an initial draft, students should read and reread their compositions to identify and eliminate mistakes (Collins & Stearns, 2020). Therefore, principal writing activities that should define this step are revising a working essay to fix inconsistencies, such as ideas and sentences that do not make sense. Further on, another task is editing a history essay to correct grammatical mistakes like missing punctuation and formatting mistakes like incorrect citations (McCoy, 2023). Then, people need to confirm their outlines by ensuring all the essential writing elements of introduction, body, and conclusion parts are included. In turn, people should focus on a hook, background, and history thesis statement for an introduction; topic sentences, evidence, and transitions or bridge sentences for body paragraphs; and rewording and restating a central thesis statement, providing a summary of main ideas, and including a final remark for a conclusion (Pears & Shields, 2022). Lastly, one should confirm a correct formatting style (APA, MLA, Harvard, or Chicago/Turabian):

📕 APA Format

If a history essay adopts an APA formatting style, students should provide in-text citations and create a ‘References’ page at the end of a paper to list all the sources used. In turn, in-text citations have two formats:

• A first one has an author’s surname and a source’s publication year in asentence and a page number at the end of a sentence. An example is:

According to Müller and Mildenberger (2021), college students prefer online classes over physical lecture halls because of convenience and flexibility (p. 6).

• A second format is all the details at the end of a sentence. An example is:

Evidence shows convenience and flexibility make college students prefer online classes over physical lecture halls (Müller & Mildenberger, 2021, p. 6).

• Reference entry example for this article should read:

Müller, C., & Mildenberger, T. (2021). Replacing classroom learning with online learning: A systematic review. Educational Research Review , 34 , 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2021.100394

📕 MLA Format

If a history essay follows an MLA formatting style, students should use in-text citations and create a ‘Works Cited’ page to capture all the sources. In this case, in-text citations come in two forms: some details in the sentence and all the details at the end of a sentence.

• An example of a first form is:

Müller and Mildenberger argue that most students in higher learning institutions prefer online over physical learning because of convenience and flexibility (6).

• A second form is:

Scholars suggest most students in colleges and universities prefer online classes over classroom attendance because of convenience and flexibility (Müller and Mildenberger 6).

• Works Cited entry example for this article would read:

Müller, Claude, and Thoralf Mildenberger. “Replacing Classroom Learning With Online Learning: A Systematic Review.” Educational Research Review, vol. 34, 2021, pp. 1-16, doi:10.1016/j.edurev.2021.100394.

📕 Harvard Format

If students adopt a Harvard formatting style for writing a history essay, they should provide in-text citations and create a ‘References List’ at the end of a document.

• A first format of in-text citations is having some details about a source in a sentence:

Müller and Mildenberger (2021) found that students in colleges and universities prefer to study online than attend physical classrooms (p. 6).

• A second format captures all the details about a source at the end:

Research shows most college and university students prefer online classes over classroom learning (Müller & Mildenberger 2021, p. 6).

• References List entry example for this source would read:

Müller, C & Mildenberger, T 2021, ‘Replacing classroom learning with online learning: A systematic review,’ Educational Research Review , vol. 34, pp. 1-16, DOI:10.1016/j.edurev.2021.100394.

📕 Chicago/Turabian Format

If a history essay follows a Chicago/Turabian formatting style, students should use in-text citations and create a ‘Bibliography’ page at the end of a document to list all the sources. In-text citations appear as footnotes and can have an author’s name in a sentence. In writing, a uniqueness of this formatting style is that the details in footnotes reflect all the information on a Bibliography page with minor alterations.

• In-text citation within a text:

Today, people prefer online classes rather than attending physical places. 1

• Example of a footnote for writing a history essay:

1. Claude Müller and Thoralf Mildenberger, “Replacing Classroom Learning With Online Learning: A Systematic Review.” Educational Research Review 34, (2021): p. 6, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2021.100394

• Bibliography entry should read:

Müller, Claude, and Thoralf Mildenberger. “Replacing Classroom Learning With Online Learning: A Systematic Review.” Educational Research Review 34, (2021): pp. 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2021.100394

Since writing a history essay is a technical process that requires students to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of a basic outline and essential details, it is helpful to learn some tips. These recommendations include identifying a primary purpose of a historical assignment, defining a specific topic, formulating a clear thesis that states a claim, knowing where to get academic sources that provide evidence supporting a single claim, creating a correct outline and populating each section with ideas, ensuring an introduction paragraph has all essential details (a hook, background information, and thesis), understanding that all body paragraphs have topic sentences, evidence, and concluding sentences with a transition or a bridge sentence, and finalizing writing a history essay with a conclusion paragraph that summarizes a paper and does not introduce new ideas.

10 Things to Do:

• defining a specific topic that requires one to provide a historical account of an idea or topic;
• researching an assigned topic widely to generate ideas and collect evidence;
• creating a well-organized outline that meets a basic structure of an introduction, body, and conclusion;
• formulating body paragraphs with topic sentences, evidence, and transitions;
• adopting a sandwich rule to demonstrate evidence-based history writing;
• writing a historical essay without grammar or format mistakes;
• providing a conclusion that concludes a paper;
• following one format style (APA, MLA, Harvard, or Chicago/Turabian);
• citing all evidence;
• proofreading a history essay.

10 Things Not to Do:

• including a long, complex history topic;
• having an introduction that does not create a context;
• providing an unclear thesis or stating a biased claim;
• writing an extensive introduction;
• adding too many headings and subheadings;
• starting body paragraphs without topic sentences that communicate a single idea;
• failing to incorporate evidence in a history essay;
• using outdated evidence;
• creating illogical sentences;
• focusing on too many ideas in one paragraph.

What to Include

Common mistakes.

• Lack of a Clear Thesis: Failing to present a central argument or clear point makes a history essay directionless.
• Insufficient Evidence: Relying on generalizations without supporting evidence weakens a central argument.
• Ignoring a Historical Context: Not providing background or context limits an entire understanding of events or figures.
• Overreliance on Secondary Sources: Relying too heavily on interpretations from other historians without engaging primary sources limits originality in writing.
• Plagiarism or Poor Citation: Not properly crediting sources can lead to accusations of plagiarism in writing and reduce a history essay’s credibility.
• Misinterpreting Historical Events: Misrepresenting or simplifying complex events distorts an entire analysis.
• Writing in a Present Tense: Using a present tense to describe past events creates confusion, while a past tense should be followed.
• Poor Structure and Organization: A disorganized composition can make arguments unclear and hard to follow.
• Overgeneralizing or Making Assumptions: Assuming certain facts without evidence or making broad generalizations weakens an argument.
• Neglecting Counterarguments: Failing to address opposing views or alternative perspectives makes a history essay one-sided in writing.

A history essay explains and analyzes historical events, requiring writing a clear thesis, strong evidence, and critical analysis. Basically, this type of paper should include primary and secondary sources, focus on historical context, and maintain a logical argument. Further on, preparation involves defining a topic, gathering evidence, and structuring a history essay. Moreover, an entire writing involves drafting an introduction, body, and conclusion while ensuring clarity and coherence. Essentially, proofreading is key to eliminating errors. As a result, effective writing provides a balanced argument, consider different perspectives, and follow academic citation standards, such as APA, MLA, Harvard, or Chicago/Turabian. In turn, key writing takeaways include:

• Define a short and clear history topic.
• Use direct quotes or paraphrase information to defend a central claim in a thesis statement.
• Give a historical account of a chosen topic and not an analysis of events.
• Use strong topic sentences that express ideas central to a historical thesis.
• Incorporate credible sources, such as speeches, research articles, and government records, to cite evidence.
• Correctly use a proper citation format (APA, MLA, Harvard, or Chicago/Turabian).
• Read and reread a final draft of a history essay to eliminate all grammar and format mistakes.
• Proofread a final paper to ensure it is logical.

Calder, L., & Williams, R. (2021). Must history students write history essays? Journal of American History , 107 (4), 926–941. https://doi.org/10.1093/jahist/jaaa464

Collins, M., & Stearns, P. N. (2020). Why study history? Cambridge University Press.

Jones, A. N. (2016). A (theory and pedagogy) essay on the (history) essay. Arts and Humanities in Higher Education , 17 (2), 222–240. https://doi.org/10.1177/1474022216645260

McCoy, F. N. (2023). Researching and writing in history: A practical handbook for students . University of California Press.

Pears, R., & Shields, G. J. (2022). Cite them right: The essential referencing guide (12th ed.). A&C Black.

Schrag, Z. M. (2021). The Princeton guide to historical research . Princeton University Press.

Van Driel, J., van Drie, J., & van Boxtel, C. (2022). Writing about historical significance: The effects of a reading-to-write instruction. International Journal of Educational Research , 112 , 11–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2022.101924

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Steps for Writing a History Paper

Writing a history paper is a process.  Successful papers are not completed in a single moment of genius or inspiration, but are developed over a series of steps.  When you first read a paper prompt, you might feel overwhelmed or intimidated.  If you think of writing as a process and break it down into smaller steps, you will find that paper-writing is manageable, less daunting, and even enjoyable.  Writing a history paper is your opportunity to do the real work of historians, to roll up your sleeves and dig deep into the past.

What is a History paper?

History papers are driven by arguments.  In a history class, even if you are not writing a paper based on outside research, you are still writing a paper that requires some form of argument.  For example, suppose your professor has asked you to write a paper discussing the differences between colonial New England and colonial Virginia.  It might seem like this paper is straightforward and does not require an argument, that it is simply a matter of finding the “right answer.”  However, even here you need to construct a paper guided by a larger argument.  You might argue that the main differences between colonial New England and Virginia were grounded in contrasting visions of colonization.  Or you might argue that the differences resulted from accidents of geography or from extant alliances between regional Indian groups.  Or you might make an argument that draws on all of these factors.  Regardless, when you make these types of assertions, you are making an argument that requires historical evidence.  Any history paper you write will be driven by an argument demanding evidence from sources.

History writing assignments can vary widely–and you should always follow your professor’s specific instructions–but the following steps are designed to help no matter what kind of history paper you are writing.  Remember that the staff of the History Writing Center is here to assist you at any stage of the writing process.

• Sometimes professors distribute prompts with several sub-questions surrounding the main question they want you to write about.  The sub-questions are designed to help you think about the topic.  They offer ideas you might consider, but they are not, usually, the key question or questions you need to answer in your paper.  Make sure you distinguish the key questions from the sub-questions.  Otherwise, your paper may sound like a laundry list of short-answer essays rather than a cohesive argument. A helpful way to hone in on the key question is to look for action verbs, such as “analyze” or “investigate” or “formulate.”  Find such words in the paper prompt and circle them.  Then, carefully consider what you are being asked to do.  Write out the key question at the top of your draft and return to it often, using it to guide you in the writing process.  Also, be sure that you are responding to every part of the prompt.  Prompts will often have several questions you need to address in your paper.  If you do not cover all aspects, then you are not responding fully to the assignment.  For more information, visit our section, “Understanding Paper Prompts.”
• Before you even start researching or drafting, take a few minutes to consider what you already know about the topic.  Make a list of ideas or draw a cluster diagram, using circles and arrows to connect ideas–whatever method works for you.  At this point in the process, it is helpful to write down all of your ideas without stopping to judge or analyze each one in depth.  You want to think big and bring in everything you know or suspect about the topic.  After you have finished, read over what you have created.  Look for patterns or trends or questions that keep coming up.  Based on what you have brainstormed, what do you still need to learn about the topic?  Do you have a tentative argument or response to the paper prompt?  Use this information to guide you as you start your research and develop a thesis.
• Depending on the paper prompt, you may be required to do outside research or you may be using only the readings you have done in class.  Either way, start by rereading the relevant materials from class.  Find the parts from the textbook, from the primary source readings, and from your notes that relate to the prompt. If you need to do outside research, the UCLA library system offers plenty of resources.  You can begin by plugging key words into the online library catalog.  This process will likely involve some trial and error.  You will want to use search terms that are specific enough to address your topic without being so narrow that you get no results.  If your keywords are too general, you may receive thousands of results and feel overwhelmed.  To help you narrow your search, go back to the key questions in the essay prompt that you wrote down in Step 1.  Think about which terms would help you respond to the prompt.  Also, look at the language your professor used in the prompt.  You might be able to use some of those same words as search terms. Notice that the library website has different databases you can search depending on what type of material you need (such as scholarly articles, newspapers, books) and what subject and time period you are researching (such as eighteenth-century England or ancient Rome).  Searching the database most relevant to your topic will yield the best results.  Visit the library’s History Research Guide for tips on the research process and on using library resources.  You can also schedule an appointment with a librarian to talk specifically about your research project.  Or, make an appointment with staff at the History Writing Center for research help.  Visit our section about using electronic resources as well.
• By this point, you know what the prompt is asking, you have brainstormed possible responses, and you have done some research.  Now you need to step back, look at the material you have, and develop your argument.  Based on the reading and research you have done, how might you answer the question(s) in the prompt?  What arguments do your sources allow you to make?  Draft a thesis statement in which you clearly and succinctly make an argument that addresses the prompt. If you find writing a thesis daunting, remember that whatever you draft now is not set in stone.  Your thesis will change.  As you do more research, reread your sources, and write your paper, you will learn more about the topic and your argument.  For now, produce a “working thesis,” meaning, a thesis that represents your thinking up to this point.  Remember it will almost certainly change as you move through the writing process.  For more information, visit our section about thesis statements.  Once you have a thesis, you may find that you need to do more research targeted to your specific argument.  Revisit some of the tips from Step 3.
• Now that you have a working thesis, look back over your sources and identify which ones are most critical to you–the ones you will be grappling with most directly in order to make your argument.  Then, annotate them.  Annotating sources means writing a paragraph that summarizes the main idea of the source as well as shows how you will use the source in your paper.  Think about what the source does for you.  Does it provide evidence in support of your argument?  Does it offer a counterpoint that you can then refute, based on your research?  Does it provide critical historical background that you need in order to make a point?  For more information about annotating sources, visit our section on annotated bibliographies. While it might seem like this step creates more work for you by having to do more writing, it in fact serves two critical purposes: it helps you refine your working thesis by distilling exactly what your sources are saying, and it helps smooth your writing process.  Having dissected your sources and articulated your ideas about them, you can more easily draw upon them when constructing your paper.  Even if you do not have to do outside research and are limited to working with the readings you have done in class, annotating sources is still very useful.  Write down exactly how a particular section in the textbook or in a primary source reader will contribute to your paper.
• An outline is helpful in giving you a sense of the overall structure of your paper and how best to organize your ideas.  You need to decide how to arrange your argument in a way that will make the most sense to your reader.  Perhaps you decide that your argument is most clear when presented chronologically, or perhaps you find that it works best with a thematic approach.  There is no one right way to organize a history paper; it depends entirely on the prompt, on your sources, and on what you think would be most clear to someone reading it. An effective outline includes the following components: the research question from the prompt (that you wrote down in Step 1), your working thesis, the main idea of each body paragraph, and the evidence (from both primary and secondary sources) you will use to support each body paragraph.  Be as detailed as you can when putting together your outline.

If you have trouble getting started or are feeling overwhelmed, try free writing.  Free writing is a low-stakes writing exercise to help you get past the blank page.  Set a timer for five or ten minutes and write down everything you know about your paper: your argument, your sources, counterarguments, everything.  Do not edit or judge what you are writing as you write; just keep writing until the timer goes off.  You may be surprised to find out how much you knew about your topic.  Of course, this writing will not be polished, so do not be tempted to leave it as it is.  Remember that this draft is your first one, and you will be revising it.

A particularly helpful exercise for global-level revision is to make a reverse outline, which will help you look at your paper as a whole and strengthen the way you have organized and substantiated your argument.  Print out your draft and number each of the paragraphs.  Then, on a separate piece of paper, write down each paragraph number and, next to it, summarize in a phrase or a sentence the main idea of that paragraph.  As you produce this list, notice if any paragraphs attempt to make more than one point: mark those for revision.  Once you have compiled the list, read it over carefully.  Study the order in which you have sequenced your ideas.  Notice if there are ideas that seem out of order or repetitive.  Look for any gaps in your logic.  Does the argument flow and make sense?

When revising at the local level, check that you are using strong topic sentences and transitions, that you have adequately integrated and analyzed quotations, and that your paper is free from grammar and spelling errors that might distract the reader or even impede your ability to communicate your point.  One helpful exercise for revising on the local level is to read your paper out loud.  Hearing your paper will help you catch grammatical errors and awkward sentences.

Here is a checklist of questions to ask yourself while revising on both the global and local levels:

– Does my thesis clearly state my argument and its significance?

– Does the main argument in each body paragraph support my thesis?

– Do I have enough evidence within each body paragraph to make my point?

– Have I properly introduced, analyzed, and cited every quotation I use?

– Do my topic sentences effectively introduce the main point of each paragraph?

– Do I have transitions between paragraphs?

– Is my paper free of grammar and spelling errors?

• Congratulate yourself. You have written a history paper!

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