Guide to Writing

It is widely known that many of you detest writing. You would rather be playing sports, watching the latest Jersey Shore, or sitting at home with a flashlight making your dog chase that beam of light constantly until he falls over dizzy and throws up on your Mom’s new carpet (always a good time…). Be that as it may, an excellent student must have the ability to write properly. In World History class, that is no exception.

In order to demonstrate that you are a brilliant scholar, there are a few pitfalls that you must avoid. Let’s look at those here:

Writing No-No’s!!!

  • Do not use the words that belong to the 1st or 2nd person. “I, you, we, our, your, etc.” must be avoided. A historical essay is impartial and free of bias. When you include those words, it places you (the writer) in the essay.
  • Don’t say “I think, I believe, I agree.” See above.
  • Do not avoid taking an opinion if the question asks you to do so. Choose a side, do not be wishy-washy. It does not matter which side you choose. What matters is how you use facts to defend your position.
  • Do not generalize. Use FACTS to support what you say!!! Proper names, places, examples are a must.
  • Do not conclude with “And that’s why _____ happened.” You’ve spent the entire essay explaining why it happened. The reader now understands why. To end with this sentence insults the reader’s intelligence.
  • NEVER USE AIM SPEAK. (This is not a LOL matter!)
  • Spelling/Grammar Mistakes! PROOFREADING IS A MUST!! You are all very intelligent adolescents. Misspellings or poor grammar hind that intelligence.
  • Copying another student/book/webpage’s ideas! It is very, very easy to spot a student who is cheating on an essay. This is why Mr. Dees will use turnitin.com!!

The layout for a historical essay

Historical essays are always written in the same format. So, let’s go over that right here:

1. Opening Paragraph (should go in this order)

A. Grabber: an opening sentence that catches the reader’s attention to the topic that is about to be discussed

B. Background Information: a sentence or two about the era, place, etc. that is about to be discussed

C. Restatement of the question: put the question in your words, and it leads well into your argument.

D. Thesis and Plan of Attack: The thesis is your argument, or position, on the question. It can be its own sentence, or it can be paired with the Plan of Attack. The Plan of Attack (or roadmap) discusses the reasons for your thesis and how you will talk about it in the essay.

The Plan of Attack will always have three distinct reasons, or categories, for how you plan to prove your thesis.

2, 3, 4. Body Paragraphs(5 sentences or more):

A. Topic Sentence: Introduce the theme of the body paragraph.

B. Evidence 1: This should be your first major fact (or facts) that you will use in your paragraph.

C. Argument 1:For each piece of evidence, you should make an argument that helps to build on your thesis

D. Evidence 2

E. Argument 2

F. Evidence 3

G. Argument 3

At this point, you have written enough about that topic. Move on to your next paragraph!!!

5. Concluding Paragraph (should go in this order):

A. Concluding Sentence:Restate your main argument with fresh conviction and new words

B. Wrap-Up: Can either elaborate more on your concluding sentence or use it as a connection to later historical events or modern era