Writing

These are overall guides to writing papers in history. For exercises targeting the acquisition of specific skills, and for model essays, consult this page devoted to Specific Writing Skills.

Writing Basics

 * The Writing Process.
 * [|Types of Essays and Command Terms]. How to distinguish between prompts that call for giving
 * your own interpretation of a given event
 * your application of a given descriptor to an event
 * your analysis of a given argument about an event
 * [[file:Writing I–The Writing Process 130502.doc]]
 * The Timed Essay.
 * [|Writing In-Class Essays–A Quick Guide]. A 2-page digest of the most important points to remember when writing an in-class essay.
 * [|Timed Essay Dos & Don'ts] My detailed guidelines for each stage and element of the type of essay used by the IB for its exam papers, and by me for unit tests.
 * [|Timed Essay Rubric] My full-length rubric for timed essays.
 * [|Essay–Summary Rubric]. My shorter, summary rubric for essays, which I may use for homework essays, or when I have limited time to give feedback and return essays.
 * Paper 1, Question 4: The Mini-Essay. Question 4 of the IB Paper 1 exam consists of a timed mini-essay. See the section of this website entirely devoted to explaining how to carry out this assessment.
 * Paper 2. The IB Paper 2 exam consists of two timed essays. See the section of this website entirely devoted to explaining how to carry out this assessment.
 * Paper 3. The IB Paper 3 exam consists of three timed essays. See the section of this website entirely devoted to explaining how to carry out this assessment.
 * __An exemplary timed essay__. This is an essay comparing the success of Napoleon’s domestic and foreign policies. It was written by an 11th grade student at the International School of Prague (in the Czech Republic). Note that the instructor gave it an 18/20 IB marks. However, this student went on to earn a 7 on the IB exam. This is an exemplar of how to respond to an “evaluate”-type essay question. (It is also an excellent content source on Napoleon’s rule!)
 * Here is [|the transcribed digital version of the original handwritten essay], which was written under exam conditions.
 * This is [|a marked-up version of the same essay,] where I have analyzed and color-coded how each part of the essay contributes to meeting the Timed Essay Rubric Criteria.
 * The Mini-Essay. This is a more compact essay, appropriate when you have only about 20-25 minutes, as in the IB Paper 1, Question 4.
 * [|Mini-Essay Rubric]. My adaptation of the timed essay rubric to mini-essay constraints.
 * [|How To Write DBQ Answers]. A detailed guide to how to format your answers to Questions 1-3 in a DBQ test.
 * [|DBQ Rubric]. A detailed rubric for Questions 1-3.
 * [|OPVL Rubric]. A summary rubric for doing source evaluations. Includes Origin ("Context"), Purpose ("Subtext"), Value and Limitations.
 * [|OPVL Rubric–Extended]. A source evaluation rubric extended to include a section on the surface interpretation of the source ("Text").
 * Longer historical writings, including research papers and historical investigations
 * Research Essay. My recommendations about how to organize and motivate yourself through a long outside-of-class assignment.
 * [[file:Writing III, Research Papers 120908.doc]]
 * Historical Investigation. See the section of this website entirely devoted to explaining how to carry out this assignment.
 * Extended Essay. See the section of this website entirely devoted to explaining how to carry out this assignment.
 * My Quia Quizzes on Essay Writing
 * Methods Quiz W-01
 * Methods Quiz W-02
 * Methods Quiz W-03
 * Methods Quiz W-04
 * Methods Quiz W-04

Specific Writing Skills
Here I offer recommendations about various specific skills:
 * How to interpret the "command terms" in IB exam questions
 * How to define or clarify key terms in the GQ:
 * How to develop a logical argument
 * How to structure an essay; A general approach
 * How to"explain with evidence"
 * How to include a historiographical perspective
 * How to make good use of short quotes
 * How to challenge the assumptions in the guiding question, explained and trained here.
 * Get first-pass feedback on an essay you are developing.
 * How to qualify your essay for the highest markband scores (18-20 on a 20-point scale)

Other History Essay Check-Offs, Rubrics, and Assessment Guides
> IB History Markbands and the 100-Point Grading Scale, a translator
 * The official IB Essay Markbands
 * [[file:Paper 2 Markbands, 2008.pdf]]
 * [[file:Paper 3 Markbands, 2008.pdf]]
 * [[file:IB Markbands, 100-Pt Scale.doc]]
 * "Writing Essays at Advanced Level: Some General Advice", by R. J. Tarr. This includes his simplified version of the IB markbands. The best single-page guide to how to structure an advanced essay. Tarr is a superb IB teacher of history.
 * [[file:Adv. Essay-writing-ActiveHistory.pdf]]

Scholarly Writing

 * [|"What is an Academic Paper?"]
 * Written by Karen Gocsik. Last modified: Tuesday, 12-Jul-2005 11:27:37 EDT Copyright © 2004 Dartmouth College
 * [|"Writing Historical Essays: A Guide for Undergraduates".]
 * Written by Professors Matt Matsuda and John Gillis of Rutgers University.

Other Writing Resources

 * [|Critical Thinking on the Web: A Directory of Quality Online Writing Materials] (Univ. of Melbourne)
 * Grammar Resources