Tips on Formal
Historical Writing
►What is Historical Writing?
►What is Formal Writing
►General Grammar Tips
What is Historical Writing?
The Thesis
► History does not simply tell a story
► Historical Writing MUST have a thesis
► A thesis MUST make an argument
A thesis is not a subject/topic or a statement of
fact.
An argument is not a value-based opinion.
An argument is a statement with which
someone could reasonably disagree.
A thesis should seek to answer the question:
why is this important?
Topic/Statement of Fact
Not a Thesis:
► Honor was important in colonial Latin American
society.
► This essay will discuss the importance of honor in
colonial Latin American society.
► Mexico experienced turmoil in the nineteenth
century because of conflict between Liberals and
Conservatives.
► This essay will discuss the Conservative philosophy
in nineteenth-century Mexico.
Value-based opinion
Not a Thesis:
► Thehonor code in Colonial Latin America
was unfair.
► Nineteenth-century Mexican Conservatives
were wrong and can be blamed for near
constant instability.
Historical Writing
Narrative versus Analysis
► Historicalessays should not be simply
narrative accounts of what happened.
From lecture notes or textbook
► Essays should incorporate examples.
From Journal readings and primary documents
► Essays should include analysis of those
examples and how they support the overall
thesis.
Historical Writing:
Active versus Passive
PASSIVE: The town was raided by vandals.
ACTIVE: Vandals raided the town.
PASSIVE: The French were defeated by the
English.
ACTIVE: The English defeated the French.
Historical Writing:
Passive and “to be” verbs
“To be” verbs = is, are, was, were, have been, will
be, etc.
► “To be” verbs are linking verbs
► They should be used to link nouns with descriptive
words
Dr. Rankin is short
► They should not be used in sentences that want to
be active.
NOT: It was a challenge – INSTEAD: It challenged
NOT: He was successful – INSTEAD: He succeeded
NOT: The author’s argument is – INSTEAD: The author
argues
Historical Writing:
Plain Old Past Tense
► Use past tense verbs
The president died and eventually his cousin replaced
him.
► Avoid the “historical present”
The president dies and eventually his cousin replaces
him.
► Avoid the conditional
“Would” should only be used in conjunction with the
word “if”
The president died and eventually his cousin would
replace him.
Formal Writing
Write in 3rd Person
► 3rd Person = He, She, They, It
► Do not use 2nd person
Your reader was not there
► 2nd person = You
In colonial Latin America, if you were not
sexually pure, you did not have honor.
Formal Writing:
Write in 3rd Person
► Do not use 1st person
► 1st person = I, me, we, us
► 1st person can weaken formal writing:
We can see the colonial honor code in this
example.
I think the Mexican Revolution was important
because …
Formal Writing:
Spell Out Numbers
► Generally spell out cardinal numbers 1-12.
► Spell out all ordinal numbers:
First, second, third (not 1st, 2nd, 3rd)
Nineteenth century (not 19th century)
► Exceptions:
Dates
►October 1, 2005 – (not October 1st, 2005)
Serial Numbers
►King Charles V, Figure 3
Formal Writing:
Clichés, Jargon, Casual Speak
► Clichés:
A blessing in disguise.
Fall through the cracks.
The bitter end.
► Jargon:
Key (not an adjective)
Impact, access, research (not verbs)
► Casual Speak:
Get
Formal Writing
Be Concise
Never use more words than necessary
► At this very moment = Now
► In spite of the fact that = Although
► As a result of = Because
► In the month of May = In May
► During the time that = While
► Have need of = Need
► Is of the opinion of = Believes
Formal Writing:
Miscellaneous
► Avoid contractions
Did not (instead of didn’t)
► First and last name
Lazaro Cardenas (the first time in the essay,
thereafter Cardenas)
► Presidential (or royal) administrations
In parenthesis the first time in the essay
Lazaro Cardenas (1934-1940)
► Italicize foreign words
Ejido, Mita, Criollos
General Grammar Tips:
Agreement
► Subject-Verb Agreement:
The group of soldiers were tired and hungry.
The group of soldiers was tired and hungry.
► Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
Someone born into the lower class could not change
their status.
Someone born into the lower class could not change
his or her status.
People born into the lower class could not change
their status.
General Grammar Tips:
Split Infinitives
► Infinitive = “to” plus verb
Must never be split by a modifier
To boldly go where no man has gone before
► Incorrect:To effectively govern
► Correct: To govern effectively
► Incorrect:To completely defeat
► Correct: To defeat completely
General Grammar Tips:
The Poor Overused Apostrophe
► Apostrophes make words possessive
The soldier’s guns (Belonging to one soldier)
The soldiers’ guns (Belonging to more than one soldier)
They also form contractions – but this is not appropriate
in formal writing
► They do not make words plural
► They do not make numbers or acronyms plural
1500s (not 1500’s)
MREs (not MRE’s)
General Grammar Tips:
Commonly Misspelled Words
► Their (possessive), There (place), They’re (they
are)
► To (direction), Two (2), Too (also)
► Affect (verb, influence), Effect (noun, result)
► Allusion (suggestion), Illusion (deception)
► Eminent (noteworthy), Imminent (impending)
► Than (comparison), Then (at that time)
► Ensure (make certain), Insure (indemnify)