Given what I posted yesterday, I wanted to make a post on how to begin a history research paper. Whether this paper is for a class, for publication, or for any other reason, I hope this post helps you begin your research and research paper.
This post will focus on __ tips for beginning your history research paper.
Tip 1: First, and foremost, you need to know what you'll write about in your history paper.
If you're writing a research paper for a history class, you most likely have a prompt of some sort. However, you should know how you'll answer that prompt. Do you agree with the prompt? Disagree with it? Are you in the middle ground when it comes to the prompt? (Yes, you can agree and disagree with a prompt, especially if it has multiple parts to it.) However, if you're a professional historian, you won't have an official "prompt" for your paper. You may have topics you want to write on based on books you've read or something you've watched. No matter what situation you're in, you need to know what your paper will be about. So know what your prompt is, know what question you're trying to answer.
Tip 2: Go to Amazon (US link), Goodreads, Google Books, and Google NGram and look up books on your topic.
Look at the years the books were published. If it's a more recently published book, maybe steer away from that topic. If the book was published 10 or more years ago, then feel free to go with the topic Looking at the sites listed above can also show you how much has been written on a particular topic, so they're definitely great resources to start off at.
Tip 3: If you're able, read the first chapter or two of any books you find.
Usually, you can get books 100+ years old for free through Google Books. However, if copyright is still in place due to how old the book is, Google Books usually offers a preview of some sort. Amazon may also offer previews, but book previews are hit or miss on Amazon. Usually, you get the author's thesis within the first chapter of the book they wrote on the topic. And you can 100% disagree with their thesis in your own thesis. I.e. if someone says that the Crusades were only about religion, but you found evidence to the contrary, you can say that: "[Scholar A] claimed in [Source B] that the Crusades were only about religion. The Crusades were not just about religion. They were about X, Y, and Z as well."
Tip 4: Use Wikipedia as a starting point.
I made the following post about using Wikipedia back in March: Why Wikipedia IS Your Best Friend for Research. As I mentioned in that post, though, Wikipedia is only a starting point for your research. It is a great place to start your research because you can get basic information on your research topic. From there, you can move on to databases and other resources for your paper.
Tip 5: Remember that your paper should be based mostly on primary sources.
Your research paper needs to be based on your interpretations and argument about the primary sources for your topic. While secondary sources can be helpful for boosting an argument, those secondary sources are not what your paper should be based on.
Tip 6: Secondary sources should be used mostly for context and historiography.
Historiography is the study of history and/or historical writing. This is where your secondary sources come in the handiest - you're showing what other scholars have said about a topic, and you're giving context to your own paper. However, your secondary sources shouldn't outnumber your primary sources,
Tip 7: Take notes on your sources.
Your notes do not have to be super in-depth and detailed. It can be as simple as what quotes you want to use in your paper. However, taking notes on your sources can really help hone in your thesis and argument if you have notes and keep them all in one place.
Tip 8: Paraphrase quotes as much as possible.
When you paraphrase quotes, you show that you have an understanding of that quote, and you can make it easier for your readers to understand. Unless your research paper is heavily based on a person's writing, or you can't think of a better way to rephrase the quote, you want to paraphrase quotes as much as possible. And depending on the quote's length, it can really tidy up your paper.
Tip 9: Remember that you will be using the Chicago citation style with most history research papers.
The two most useful resources are the Chicago Manual of Style Online and Kate Turabian's A Manuel for Writers (US Amazon link) for learning how to set up Chicago citations for both the bibliography and footnotes. It can be confusing, whether or not you're used to it. So remember to always look at these two sources for help.
Tip 10: If you can't find enough primary sources for your paper, or you can't get access to primary sources, it's okay to change gears for your paper. But make sure to do it as early as possible.
I had to do this with my paper for my history proseminar in the Spring 2021 semester. I was finding primary resources for one part of my thesis, but I didn't have access to them without paying 50+ USD. As a university student, paying $50+ for one primary resource that I was probably not going to look at again is not the best option for me right now. That's when I had to switch gears. And it is perfectly okay to switch gears. But you need to do it as early as possible so that you're not rushing at the end to wrap up your paper.
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