The document provides tips and strategies for crafting a history paper. It outlines a common structure for papers, including an introduction with thesis, background information, historiography, evidence section, and conclusions. For the evidence section, it recommends starting with favorite sources, analyzing their context and how they relate to claims and other sources. It also offers writing tips such as focusing each paragraph on one topic, using past tense for events and present tense for authors, and emphasizing cause and effect through sentences.

1. UNF Writing Center
Craft of the Historian Workshop
“Perfectionism is the voice of the Oppressor" - Anne Lamott
Remember – What are your papers goals? Plan a timeline to achieve them!
The “Tried and True” Method (Optional and Customizable)
• Introduction
• Thesis/Argument
• Background
• Historiography (What have people said about topic, where do you fit in?)
• Evidence (Focus on Primary Sources)
• Conclusions
Paragraph Structure
• Transition (Optional)
• Topic Sentence (Paragraph’s Topic)
• Minor Point
• Evidence for Point (Primary and Secondary Sources)
• Minor Point (Rise, Wash, Repeat, etc.)
• Wrap-up Sentence Segue to next paragraph
One Possible Strategy with Drafting Evidence Section:
1. Start with your favorite sources
2. Think about the context of this source
3. Think about what this source will prove
4. Think about how this source relates to other sources
5. Write down this information and any other analysis
6. Continue to next source until you covered all sources
7. Group sources of similar points together into a paragraph
8. Write topic sentence for paragraph
Writing Tips
• Remember: “The steady writer keeps his/her sanity” and “Everyone’s first draft is crappy”
• One Paragraph = One Topic/Argument
• One Sentence = One Idea
• Write in Events in Past Tense, Authors in Present Tense. Avoid “would”
• Focus on Cause and Effect with your sentences
• Start with people, places, or dates at the beginning of sentences.
o “While visiting Vermont in 1910, Theodore Roosevelt drank three gallons of maple syrup.”
• Passive Voice = form of “to be” (is, are, was, were, etc.) + a past tense verb
• Hidden Actors – Remember the “By Zombies” Rule
• Try to avoid “to be” words
o “Ships were off the coast of Germany” vs. “Ships anchored off the coast of Germany”