Tips on Formal Historical Writing

Tips on Formal Historical Writing is Historical Writing? ►What is Formal Writing ►General Grammar Tips ►What What is Historical Writing? The Thesis 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? ► History Topic/Statement of Fact Not a Thesis: was important in colonial Latin American society. ► This essay will discuss the importance of honor in colonial Latin American society. ► Honor experienced turmoil in the nineteenth century because of conflict between Liberals and Conservatives. ► This essay will discuss the Conservative philosophy in nineteenth-century Mexico. ► Mexico Value-based opinion Not a Thesis: ► The honor code in Colonial Latin America was unfair. Mexican Conservatives were wrong and can be blamed for near constant instability. ► Nineteenth-century Historical Writing Narrative versus Analysis ► Historical essays should not be simply narrative accounts of what happened.  From lecture notes or textbook ► Essays ► Essays should incorporate examples.  From Journal readings and primary documents 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 ► 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  Dr. Rankin is short Historical Writing: Plain Old Past Tense ► Use past tense verbs the “historical present” the conditional  The president died and eventually his cousin replaced him. ► Avoid  The president dies and eventually his cousin replaces him. ► Avoid  “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 ► Do Person = He, She, They, It 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 not use 1st person ► 1st person = I, me, we, us ► 1st ► Do 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 spell out cardinal numbers 1-12. ► Spell out all ordinal numbers:  First, second, third (not 1st, 2nd, 3rd)  Nineteenth century (not 19th century) ► Exceptions: ► Generally  Dates ►October ►King 1, 2005 – (not October 1st, 2005)  Serial Numbers 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 ► First contractions  Did not (instead of didn’t) and last name (or royal) administrations  Lazaro Cardenas (the first time in the essay, thereafter Cardenas) ► Presidential  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 do not make words plural ► They do not make numbers or acronyms plural  1500s (not 1500’s)  MREs (not MRE’s) ► They General Grammar Tips: Commonly Misspelled Words ► Their 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) (possessive), There (place), They’re (they