Almost all of your written assignments in your history course are formal, written assignments. Here are some style rules to help you write in a formal, analytical manner. You can listen to some more information about these writing style rules and the history paper guidelines as a mp3 file.
- These are the specific, formal writing style rules that you should follow for all writing in my history courses.
- No present-tense verbs ("were" not "are"). Since you are writing about the past, you should use the past tense in your writing.
- No passive voice verbs ("read the book" not "the book was read")
- No first- or second-person personal pronouns (I, we, you). You should not personalize your analytical papers by using "I."
- No contractions (couldn't)
- Correct spelling
- Correct use of pronouns and their antecedents (Avoid use of the dreaded "it.")
- Proper capitalization
- Parenthetical citation (Note that if you are using an electronic version of a book, please check with your instructor about how to cite. One option is to cite the location of the quoted material.)
- Proper use of the possessive
- No figurative language
- Correct format (double-spaced, one-inch margins)
- If you do not understand any of these style requirements, please check the following resources:
- The online Guide to Grammar and Writing
- Handouts from the University of North Carolina's writing center
- Dr. Diane Thompson's Grammar and Editing Help
- You should also review the History Paper Guidelines with more specific paper requirements.