Mary Lynn Rampolla (Ph.D., University of Toronto) is associate professor of history at Trinity College in Washington,
D.C. Her scholarly work focuses on medieval and early modern Europe, and her publications include articles in Medieval
and Renaissance Texts and Studies and entries in the Dictionary of the Middle Ages. Active in the fields of history
and composition, she has presented at the Conference on College Composition and Communication and at conferences
of the Center for Medieval and Early Renaissance Studies and the International Congress on Medieval Studies.
Summary
Small, inexpensive, handy primer for history students. From sample assignments to finished papers with bibliographies,
this brief guide provides models of each step of the research and writing process for students of history.
Extensive guidance on using, evaluating, and finding historical sources. Features advice on working with primary,
secondary, and Internet resources, including a case study and a section on incorporating and citing nonwritten
sources in history papers. Appendices point students toward places to start their research, highlighting the most
recent and helpful indexes, references, periodicals, as well as document and Internet sources.
Covers a wide range of issues critical to good writing in history. Offers comprehensive treatment of the conventions
of writing in history, as well as of researching, quoting, paraphrasing, and documenting sources. Extensive coverage
of the computer as a tool for research and writing includes tips on conducting Internet searches, evaluating Web
sources, and using spelling and grammar checkers, plus an enlarged list of electronic resources in history. More
than 60 documentation models offer additional guidance on documenting sources.
Table of Contents
Preface
Chapter 1. Introduction: Why Study History?
Historical questions
How this manual can help you
Chapter 2. Working with Sources
Identifying historical sources Primary sources
Secondary sources
Primary or secondary?
Analyzing and interpreting sources
Evaluating sources Evaluating primary sources
Evaluating secondary sources
Evaluating Internet sources
Looking at historical sources: An example
Chapter 3. Approaching Typical Assignments in History
Reading critically
Writing history papers History papers: General approaches
Summaries
Book reviews
Annotated bibliographies
Short essays
Historiographic essays
Revising and editing your paper
Taking history exams Preparing for an exam
Taking an essay exam
Answering identification questions
Chapter 4. Writing a Research Paper
Thinking about your topic
Conducting research Conducting an Internet search
Taking effective research notes
Developing a working thesis
Making an outline
Revising your research paper
Chapter 5. Following Conventions of Writing in History
Considering the whole paper Your relationship to the subject
The introduction and thesis
The body
The conclusion
Considering word choice and grammar Word choice
Tense
Voice
Use of the pronouns I, me, and you
Chapter 6. Plagiarism: What It Is and How to Avoid It
What is plagiarism?
Avoiding plagiarism? Citing sources to avoid plagiarism
Paraphrasing to avoid plagiarism
Downloading Internet sources carefully to avoid plagiarism
Plagiarism and the Internet
Chapter 7. Quoting and Documenting Sources
Using quotations Conventions for using quotations
Documenting sources Footnotes and endnotes
Bibliography
Documenting Internet sources
Documenting nonwritten materials
Using quotations and documenting sources: An example
Documentation models Models for footnotes and endnotes
Models for bibliographic entries
Sample pages from a student research paper
Appendix A. Writing Guides of Interest to Historians
General writing guides
Guides to writing in history
Internet guides for historians
Appendix B. Guide to Resources in History
Library resources Indexes
Guides and bibliographies
Overviews of topics in history
Specialized dictionaries
Atlases, chronologies, and timetables
Where to find primary sources The press
Diaries, pamphlets, and books
Public documents
Local history collections
Internet resources
Internet search tools Search directories
Metasearch engines
Directories
Internet sites for general research purposes
Internet sites of special interest
Electronic journals and magazines
