Writing the Paper
How should I write my paper? Writing is a creative process that should reflect your own ideas. You should never write an essay with only your sources in hand. It will be necessary to have access to them for proper citation and general reference, but you should first and foremost have your notes and outline before you. Consider the following as you write your papers:
Avoid quoting excessively at all costs. At times, the person who uses numerous quotations demonstrates that they did not engage properly with their sources; it shows that they are simply seeking to fill up space.
Crafting a Title
How do I craft an interesting title? All essays need titles that are creative, attractive, and informative. The purpose of a title is to draw your reader into the general subject of your paper, so make sure you choose one that outlines your argument, geographical scope, and chronological focus. Do not use the title of the assignment as the title of your paper.
Referencing Sources
How do I reference my sources? All citations for historical essays need to follow the Chicago Manual of Style, so please consult the following resource for help: The Chicago Manual of Style, 17thed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2017)
URL:https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/home.html
. Footnotes are the preferable method for citations and bibliographies need to properly appear at the end of all your essays and exams.
Formatting
How do I format my essay? Your essay should have a title page that states the title of your work, name, course code, instructor, and the date. It should be double-spaced with letters using 12-font and Times New Roman. All pages of your essay should be numbered at the bottom or at the top of each page (excluding the title page). See the Sample Paper for more details.