Acknowledgments ix
Preface to the Second Edition xii
Introduction to the Student: Why Would You Look at a Book Like
This? 1
Part I Thinking and Reading About History 5
1. History: It?s About Time 7
2. What?s the Story with History? 14
3. Th e Sources of History 21
4. Good Answers Begin with Good Questions 30
5. Search Engines, Research Ingenuity 37
6. How to Read a Book without Ever Getting to Chapter One 47
Part II Writing About History 61
7. Analysis: Th e Intersection of Reading and Writing 63
8. Making a Case: An Argument in Three Parts 72
9. Defi ning Introductions 80
10. Strong Bodies (I): Th e Work of Topic Sentences 92
11. Strong Bodies (II): Exposition and Evidence 101
12. Strong Bodies (III): Counterargument and Counterevidence
112
13. Surprising Conclusions 120
14. Scaling the Summit: Crystallizing Your Argument 127
15. Writing is Rewriting: Th e Art of Revision 132
16. Putting It All Together: Th e Research Essay (A Case Study)
140
Conclusion: The Love of History 160
Appendices
A Writing an Essay: Ten Easy Steps in Review 164
B Essay Varieties: DBQs, Reviews, and Comparison Assignments
166
C Let?s Give a Hand: Bibliographies and Footnotes 173
D Credit Scams: Th e Dangers of Plagiarism 184
E Web of Lies? Weighing the Internet 189
F A Glossary of Key Terms 193
G More Reading About Writing 198
Index 200
Jim Cullen teaches history at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School in New York City. Cullen, a former Preceptor in the Expository Writing Program at Harvard University, is the author of several books, including The American Dream: A Short History of an Idea that Shaped a Nation (2003) and the forthcoming, provisionally titled Sensing the Past: Hollywood Actors as Historians.
"...a useful, relatively clear guide on how to write and frame a
history essay or research paper, with a structure which easily
allows the reader to dip in and out of the book. Its clear prose
makes it much more accessible to younger students....pleasing and
clear, [it] makes the theoretical process of showing someone how to
write an essay fun. [The author's] style is engaging, and his pop
culture references are particularly appreciated throughout....an
excellent tool for history teachers and students in a secondary
school." - The York Historian Praise for the first edition:
?There's a level of sophistication in Essaying the Past that is
disguised by its utterly clear and engaging style. Jim Cullen tells
students just what they need to know to write about the past.?
? Mari Jo Buhle, Brown University
?The ultimate insider?s guide to historical writing, the new gold
standard in the field.?
? Kerry Walk, Otis College of Art and Design
Praise for the second edition:
?Newly revised and better than ever, Essaying the Past remains the
single most useful resource for history students and instructors in
high school and college.?
? Burke Miller, Northern Kentucky University
?Jim Cullen presents a compelling case for the historical essay as
a tool of learning and plots the course for success with a rare
combination of clarity, sophistication, humor, and easy
candor.?
? James E. Wadsworth, Stonehill College
?A clear, concise and engaging guide to the practice of history.
Jim Cullen excels in walking students through all the steps of
researching and writing a persuasive paper.?
? Carter Jones Meyer, Ramapo College of New Jersey
?In this first-rate book, Jim Cullen delivers a concise and
accessible guide to the critical work that historians do: reading,
writing, and thinking about history. Students will find it
informative and a pleasure to read.?
? Elizabeth Smith-Pryor, Kent State University
?With lucidity, verve, and empathy, Cullen lays the writing process
bare, including fumbles, setbacks, and paths not taken. In
analyzing the writing of history, he also shows why it
matters.?
? Roberta Pergher, The University of Kansas
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