Writing History

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Writing Guides

An excellent introduction to the practice of historical research is Antoinette Burton, ed., Archive Stories:  Facts, Fictions, and the Writing of History (Durham:  Duke University Press, 2005). 

The single best guide we have found to all aspects of historical scholarship—from reading a history book to doing primary source research to writing a history paper—was produced by a history professor at Bowdoin College.  We are grateful to Professor Patrick Rael for developing this guide and encouraging students and faculty far and wide to use it.  The formal citation for the guide is Patrick Rael, Reading, Writing, and Researching for History: A Guide for College Students (Brunswick, ME: Bowdoin College, 2004).  But you can access the complete guide from this link:

• http://academic.bowdoin.edu/WritingGuides/

The following writing and citation guides are standard reference works for writers of historical scholarship:
The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003). The authoritative guide to style in the field of History as well as other disciplines.  Here at UW-Madison, you can access key aspects of what is called the “Chicago style” at:   

• http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/DocChicago.html

Citing Electronic Sources

• http://memory.loc.gov/learn//start/cite/index.html

Kate Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 6th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996).  A condensed writers’ manual based on The Chicago Manual of Style.  This is the standard source for college-level writers of history, and it offers a comprehensive overview of Chicago-style citation formats (as well as other styles).
Mary Lynn Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing in History, 3rd ed. (Boston: Bedford Books/St. Martin's Press, 2001).  Contains much concise, useful advice, including a guide to Chicago-style citations.
Diana Hacker, Rules for Writers, 3rd ed. (Boston: Bedford Books of St. Martin's Press, 1996). A standard reference, useful for identifying and correcting writing mistakes.
William Strunk and E.B. White, The Elements of Style, 4th ed. (New York:  Longman Publishers, 2000).  A highly readable, often entertaining guide to all aspects of good writing.  A venerable text that has stood the test of time.

Online guides for citing sources

• http://www.copyright.gov/resces.html (a collection of links to sites with copyright information)
• http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/  (online guide from Bedford/St. Martin's Press)
• http://www.h-net.msu.edu/%7Eafrica/citation.html  (brief citation guide by H-Net for internet sources in history and the humanities)
• http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/index.html (guide to using electronic sources by Bedford's/St. artin's Press)
• http://memory.loc.gov/learn/start/cite/index.html  (Library of Congress guide to citing electronic sources)
• http://www.dartmouth.edu/%7Esources/  (general guide to citation of sources from Dartmouth College)

Other resources

• http://historians.org/governance/pd/Curriculum/plagiarism_intro.htm  (the American Historical Association's guide to understanding and avoiding plagiarism).
• The Writing Center

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