The research essay is one of the most important skills that students must develop during their university careers. Essays are a major part of the written work assigned to students in History, and this web site will attempt to address the key questions and concerns of students when approaching the research and writing of these papers.
Firstly it must be noted that effective academic writing is not an innate skill or ability, but rather one that takes time and practice to develop. Writing clearly and crafting a logical, convincing argument that makes the best use of available sources is the basic goal – and simplicity of style can often enhance the effectiveness of that argument. Writing assignments in History may take any of several forms, including: the research essay, the book review, the comparative book review, the annotated bibliography, and the simple reading note, to name a few. While the structure of the paper may differ in each of these cases, the aim of the writer should nevertheless remain the balanced presentation of suitable sources in order to develop and defend a central argument supported by strong conclusions.
The student may consider the process of researching, organizing, and preparing the essay as similar to the prosecution of a case before a jury of one’s peers in a court of law. The familiarity of the courtroom drama makes a useful parallel for the process of writing a research essay. A case must be investigated, evidence must be collected, weighed, and organized, and a clearly articulated argument must be presented to an audience that will ultimately decide the merits of the author’s case.
The best essays state their aims at the outset, through the provision of a clear introduction in which the author’s thesis, or argument, is presented to the reader. Following this opening argument, a good essay develops point-by-point, in a logical fashion, and introduces relevant, supportive evidence. Each of these points typically constitutes a subsection of the argument, and by organizing them in a straightforward manner, the intended effect should be to carry the reader along with the argument. Finally, after linking these points together, the essay must propose a conclusion or conclusions supportive of the initial thesis. At this stage, the reader must decide whether the author’s research, the presentation of his or her evidence, and the formulation of his or her argument have effectively supported the central thesis of the paper.
Often, students face difficulty in choosing a topic because of the wide variety of possible subjects at hand. Some instructors will issue a list of suggested topics in order to facilitate this process, but the student may feel free to consider another topic and obtain the instructors’ permission to pursue it instead. When choosing a topic, a few things should be considered.
