This document provides guidance on choosing a topic for a U.S. history paper. It emphasizes selecting a topic of interest and understanding terminology. Keywords are important for research. Background research in various sources provides context. Narrowing the topic ensures it is manageable. Sources should be evaluated for relevance and reliability. Developing a clear thesis statement that answers the research question is essential.

1. Choosing a Topic
For your U.S. History Paper
Created by Mary Alice Osborne, Librarian

2. Keep in mind…
 Choosing a topic that you can work with is
extremely important for the U.S. History
Paper.
 You should have both interest and
knowledge in the subject
 You should be comfortable and understand
the language and terminology used in your
subject area

3. Key Words
 Think about the significant
terms, concepts, and keywords that
describe your topic. These terms will become
the keys for searching online catalogs and
databases, the Internet, and print resources
for information about your topic.
 Keep track of the Key Words for your topic

4. Background
Information
 Begin your research by reading articles (or book
chapters) that will give you a broad overview of a
topic. Look in the Contents and Index of your
textbooks and other books for ideas.
 You can find background articles in
books, encyclopedias, journals and magazines.
Also, these resources often provide
bibliographies—lists of books and articles that
will allow you to discover what else is available
on a subject.

5. Narrowing a Subject to
a Manageable Topic:
 A topic that covers too much material is a common
problem for students. Depending on your interests, a
general topic can be focused in many ways.
 What do you already know about this subject?
 Is there a specific time period that you want to cover?
 Is there a geographic region or area of the country on
which you would like to focus?
 Is there a particular aspect of this topic that interests
you? For example, public policy implications, historical
influence, sociological aspects, psychological
angles, specific groups or individuals involved in the

6. Topics that are too
narrow
 Think of parallel and broader associations for your subject if you
need a broader topic that will be easier to research. Sometimes a
topic may be too new and sources to your research questions
may not yet exist. For example, if you want to do a paper on the
effect of wind power on Vermont's long-term ability to produce
energy for its citizens, consider the following questions:
 Could you examine other states or regions in addition to
Vermont?
 Could you think more broadly about this topic? Give thought to
wider topics like agriculture and sustainable development. Who
are the key players in this topic? The government? Citizens?
Other organizations?
 What other issues are involved in this topic? For example, what
other options are available to produce green energy?

8. Great Website:
Zero in on Topics
This website presents a very thorough and interesting
overview of American History with many interesting
topics:http://www.shmoop.com/history/
For instance, if you click on Colonial New England in the
website, a page pops up with two features:
 1. In a nutshell
 2. Why should I care. This website is written in teen-
friendly language. At the top of each page there are tabs
with links to other aspects of each topic. I especially like
the timeline feature with clickable links. There also is a
section of recommended websites and books.

9. Mind Map
 Write your prospective topic in the center of a
blank page. Surround it with related
topics, connecting sub-topics to the main
topic. Do this by drawing a line from the sub-
topic to the main topic as if you were
connecting spokes to the hub of a wheel.
Branch other topics off of the sub-topics
(making smaller wheels).

12. MindMap Website
 Easy to use Website for brainstorming:
https://bubbl.us/

13. Explore
 Go to the areas of the Library Media Center
that have books about your subject.
 Explore the area, pull out books and scan
the contents and index
 Look at Magazines and Reference Books
 American History is located in the Dewey
Decimal #: 973 in the Media Center

14. Refine your ideas
 Go back to your Mind Map and Free Write
 Add more information
 Keep these documents to look back at later
and refine more in the next few days and
weeks.
 Try using the following questions to help you:

15. Journalistic Questions
 Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?
about your topic.
 Answer each question as completely as
possible.
 Question Brainstormer:
http://sdst.libguides.com/content.php?pid=1847
60&sid=1552990

16. Discovery Questions
Explore your topic by answering the following
questions:
a) Can you discuss an incident about it?
b) What caused it?
c) What can you describe about the topic?
d) What resulted from it?

17. Continued…
e) How does it compare to something
else?
f) What are its parts, sections, or
aspects?
g) What do you remember about it?
h) Why is it valuable or important?
i) Are you for or against it? Why?

18. Things to do…
Before starting work on your paper, you should:
 Read the assessment criteria
 Read previous papers to identify strengths and
possible pitfalls
 Spend time working out the research question
(imagine the finished essay, work with your
teacher or librarian on this)
 Work out a structure for the paper.

19. Sources
 Research requires the use of sources.
Ideally, primary sources will be included. Many
different approaches to the research question can
be appropriate, for instance:
 Using primary and secondary sources in order to
establish and appraise varying interpretations
 Analyzing sources in order to explain changing
views over time of particular happenings or
developments

20. Sources, continued
 Using source material for a case study or local history
project, perhaps leading to a comparison of local and
national developments
 Collecting and analyzing oral and written data from family
and other contacts to help explain past
 Happenings, perhaps leading to a comparison of local and
national developments
 Using all available sources to answer the question posed
are also accessed.

21. Sample topics –
History
 Title: Varying interpretations of the Salem Witch
Trials
 Research question: Which theory best explains the
Salem Witch Trials?
 Approach: Background reading is undertaken to
enable identification and explanation of two
dominant theories as to why the trials took place.
The merits of the two theories are appraised using
data obtained about the accused and the accusers.

22. Sample topics –
History
 Title: Changing views of the 1962 Cuban missile
crisis
 Research Question: How and why have explanations
of the Cuban missile crisis changed since 1962?
 Approach: General reading is undertaken for a
historical introduction and note taking. The views of a
number of historians are summarized in order to
understand, categorize and evaluate selected
explanations of the 1962 missile crisis in the
1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

23. Thesis Statements

24. A Thesis Statement:
 Tells the reader how you will interpret the
significance of the subject of your paper.
 Is a road map for the paper
 Directly answers your research question.
 Makes a claim that others might dispute.
 Is usually a single sentence somewhere in your first
paragraph that presents your argument to the
reader.

25. What makes a good
Thesis Statement?
Weak Thesis Statement: Abraham Lincoln was an influential
president.
Reason: This sentence makes a claim, but it stops short of telling us
“because why.”
Stronger Thesis Statement: Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation
Proclamation was the most influential part of his presidency.
Reason: This statement is better because it focuses on what was
most influential during Lincoln’s term of service; however, it doesn’t
explain WHY or provide any evidence to support the claim.
Even Stronger Thesis Statement: The most influential part of
Abraham Lincoln’s presidency was the Emancipation Proclamation.
By establishing the abolition of slavery as a Union objective in the
Civil War, the Proclamation did three important things: it committed
the Union to a common goal, it helped the Union gain foreign
support, and it provided the legal framework for the eventual freeing
of 4 million African American slaves in the United States.
http://www.michelepolak.com/Michele_Polak/Student_Center_files/WritingThesisStatement.pdf

26. Writing a Thesis
1. Does the thesis inspire a reasonable reader to ask, "How?" or
Why?"
2. Would a reasonable reader NOT respond with "Duh!" or "So
what?" or "Gee, no kidding!" or "Who cares?"
3. Does the thesis avoid general phrasing and/or sweeping words
such as "all" or "none" or "every"?
4. Does the thesis lead the reader toward the topic sentences
(the subtopics needed to prove the thesis)?
5. Can the thesis be adequately developed in the required length
of the paper or project?
Writing a Thesis:
http://sdst.libguides.com/content.php?pid=184760&sid=1552957

27. Helpful Websites
 Basic Steps for writing a Research
Paperhttp://sdst.libguides.com/researchtools
 10 Steps to Writing an Essay
http://www1.aucegypt.edu/academic/writers/
 Research Organization form:
http://extendedessayhelp.wikispaces.com/Big6+Re
search+Form

28. Primary Sources
• http://sdst.libguides.com/content.php?pid=17
5173&sid=1599080

29. Citations
 MLA Citation Help
http://extendedessayhelp.wikispaces.com/M
LA+Help
 Noodletools
http://www.noodletools.com/index.php
 EasyBib
http://www.easybib.com/