writing a good history thesis

(a.k.a., Making) History At first glance, writing about history can seem like an overwhelming task. History's subject matter is immense, encompassing all of human affairs in the recorded past — up until the moment, that is, that you started reading this guide. Because no one person can possibly consult all of these records, no work of ...

Your thesis statement is one of the most important parts of your paper. It expresses your main argument succinctly and explains why your argument is historically significant. Think of your thesis as a promise you make to your reader about what your paper will argue. Then, spend the rest of your paper-each body paragraph-fulfilling that promise.

2. Develop a Thesis Statement. To create a thesis statement, a student should establish a specific idea or theory that makes the main point about a historical event. Scribbr, an editing website, recommends starting with a working thesis, asking the question the thesis intends to answer, and, then, writing the answer.

Director of Studies to write a thesis that exceeds 20,000 words. Typical theses run somewhere in the range of 15,000-20,000 words. • All candidates for an honors degree in History & Literature must prepare a senior thesis. Students who do not complete a thesis are not eligible to graduate with honors in History & Literature.

Tips for Writing a Good Thesis Find a Focus: Choose a thesis that explores an aspect of your topic that is important to you, or that allows you to say something new about your topic. For example, if your paper topic asks you to analyze women's domestic labor during the early nineteenth century, you might decide to focus on the products they ...

The History Faculty Canvas page is a good place to start. Use reading lists from other papers to put together an introductory reading list for your thesis. ... Throughout your thesis writing process you can access up to 5 hours of support (inclusive of time spent responding to email questions as well as meetings), so don't use all your time ...

Monitoring Thesis Progress A Handbook for Senior Thesis Writers in History | 19. One-on-One Meeting with Seminar Leader. 25-30 page Paper Due. (Only for students dividing History 99) January Thesis Progress Check-In Completing Essential research. You should finish all of your critical research before february .

Once you are satisfied with your argument, move onto the local level. Put it all together: the final draft. After you have finished revising and have created a strong draft, set your paper aside for a few hours or overnight. When you revisit it, go over the checklist in Step 8 one more time.

You needn't worry that you have to master a specialized "historical style.". A successful history paper is clear, precise, concise, organized, analytical, and concrete. It uses the active voice; it has a thesis; it explains the signifcance of the topic; and it tells the reader who, what, when, where, why, and how.

Crafting a good thesis is one of the most challenging parts of the writing process, so do not expect to perfect it on the first few tries. Successful writers revise their thesis statements again and again. A successful thesis statement: • makes a historical argument. • takes a position that requires defending. • is historically specific.

using the ponts of controversy, ambiguity, or "issues" to develop a thesis statement . If you're having trouble with your thesis statement, ask your professor for help or visit the Student Academic Success Center: Communication Support. Your thesis may become refined, revised, or changed as your research progresses. Perhaps these sites may be ...

This video explains thesis statements and gives a few clear examples of how a good thesis should both make a claim and forecast specific ways that the essay will support that claim. You can view the transcript for "Thesis Statement - Writing Tutorials, US History, Dr. Robert Scafe" here (opens in new window) .

It uses the active voice; it has a thesis; it explains the signifi cance of the topic; and it tells the reader who, what, when, where, why, and how. We hope that this booklet will help you to avoid the most common problems of style and substance that students encounter in writing history papers.

How to Develop a Thesis Statement. The thesis must focus on a single contention. You cannot list multiple reasons for the "truth" of your contention because the paper must follow a unified line of reasoning; a multifaceted thesis statement prevents this. The thesis must be precisely phrased and coherent. Generalizations and a failure to ...

The senior thesis in History is a year-long project involving considerable primary- and secondary-source research and a good deal of writing; finished theses are expected to be between 60 and 130 pages in length, and to make an original contribution to historical knowledge. The department's senior thesis program is one of the strongest in ...

Writing a Senior Thesis. History majors have the option of writing a senior thesis. This process involves original research, normally with extensive use of primary materials. The department encourages students with a strong interest in a particular historical subject to consider a thesis and strongly advises all students considering an academic ...

The best way to achieve this is to: 1. Record the key ideas, themes and quotes from what you have read. Try to find a uniform way to do this as it will make it easier to find information when you come to write your dissertation. Some formats are freely available on the internet, such as the Cornell Note Taking System.

A good thesis has two parts. It should tell what you plan to argue, and it should "telegraph" how you plan to argue—that is, what particular support for your claim is going where in your essay. Steps in Constructing a Thesis. First, analyze your primary sources. Look for tension, interest, ambiguity, controversy, and/or complication.

Placement of the thesis statement. Step 1: Start with a question. Step 2: Write your initial answer. Step 3: Develop your answer. Step 4: Refine your thesis statement. Types of thesis statements. Other interesting articles. Frequently asked questions about thesis statements.

History 99: Senior Thesis Seminar Course Objectives The Senior Thesis Writers' Seminar has a twofold purpose . The first is to provide you with practi-cal guidance and writing advice as you complete a senior thesis in History . We will discuss many of the common hurdles and pitfalls that past students have encountered .

There are many professional guides to thesis writing which give you more information on the style and format of theses - for example the MLS handbook (British) and the Chicago Manual of Style (American), both in the Whipple, and a booklet, H. Teitelbaum, How to Write a Thesis: A Guide to the Research Paper, 3rd ed., 126 pp., New York ...

Don't start to write until you have a good outline. Make sure that your paper has a thesis. (See the entry State a clear thesis.) Check and recheck your facts. Footnote properly. (See the entry Cite sources carefully.) Save plenty of time to proofread. Start early. Top Ten Signs that you may be Writing a Weak History Paper. 10.

History Thesis Topics: List of 69 Outstanding Ideas. by IvyPanda®. 11 min. 21,395. Unless you plan to go for a Ph.D. in history, a thesis will be the most significant academic writing of your life. It shows your in-depth knowledge of a subject, your ability to think logically, creatively, and originally.