Local History Research Guide

Step 7:
Write the Paper

Writing history is more than just telling what happened, listing fact after fact. Writing history requires your interpretation of those facts. You must make some kind of judgment about the subject. You must develop a thesis or central argument. You usually introduced this argument to the reader in the form of a thesis statement. Everything included in your paper should support that thesis statement. The links below offer more information about researching and writing history.

History Research, Writing, and Philosophy

Local History Research
Strategy Steps:

Guide Introduction
Choose a Topic
Find Background Information
Narrow Your Topic and Form a Research Question
Find Research Materials
Evaluate and Cite Sources
Formulate a Thesis Statement
Write the Paper


BYU History Department

© Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University
Send comments to Mike Hunter, 1224 HBLL
Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602
Updated: Wednesday, 6 March 2002