From: Subject: 10 Commandments of Good Historical Writing by Theron F. Schlabach Date: Wed, 9 Apr 2008 10:05:39 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://personal2.stthomas.edu/gwschlabach/courses/10commnd.htm X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3198 10 Commandments of Good Historical Writing by Theron = F. Schlabach

Ten Commandments of Good Historical Writing

by Theron F. Schlabach
With apologies to the = Author of the=20 original ten

I. Thou shalt begin with an outline that buildeth thy entire = paper=20 around thy central ideas.

An outline built around a THESIS AND SUBTHESES will do the = job much=20 better than one that only categorizes information or puts it into = chronological=20 order--although topical analysis and narrative also have their uses. In = any=20 case, whether you organize by thesis-subthesis, topic, or narrative, = your=20 central task is to ask penetrating, interpretive questions of your = sources.=20 Therefore structure your outline to let incidental facts recede as = supporting=20 evidence, and to emphasize answers to intelligent questions.

Facts and details should always support the main ideas in evident = ways.

Do not relegate the real point (or points) of the paper to the = conclusion.

II. Thou shalt avoid self-conscious discussion of thy = intended=20 purposes, thy strategy, thy sources, and thy research = methodology.

Draw your reader's attention to the points you are making, not to = yourself=20 and all the misery and sweat of your process of research and writing. = Keep the=20 focus on what you have to say, not on the question of how you hope to = develop=20 and say it. Do not parade around in your mental underwear. Show only the = well-pressed and well-shined final product.

Avoid self-conscious-sounding phrases such as: "now let us turn to"; = "I will=20 demonstrate that"; "now we see that"; even "I think that", or (even = worse) "I=20 feel that".

Avoid use of first person.

If you must discuss methodology, do it in a preface; discussing = sources is=20 fine, but in a bibliographical essay.

Phrases that tell your reader explicitly what you intend to do or to = do next,=20 or that tell explicitly where to see emphasis, are crutches. They = indicate=20 weaknesses in your paper's implicit development and emphasis.

The above does not mean that you offer the reader no cues and clues. = Yes, it=20 is important, in the opening paragraph or two of a paper or a section, = to lay=20 out the essential question(s) you will address and often to hint at the = answers=20 you may find. But do it artistically, not with a heavy hand.

In the cases of historiographical papers and book reviews you may of = course=20 discuss sources. Those cases are exceptions. There may be other = exceptions.

III. Thou mayest covet other writers' ideas but thou shalt = not steal=20 them.

Document EVERY quotation, paraphrase, or crucial idea that you borrow = from a=20 source.

Document those facts which you cannot consider common textbook=20 knowledge--especially those which could be controversial or which are = crucial to=20 the development of your argument, analysis, or narrative.

If there get to be too many footnotes, combine some or all that refer = to a=20 given paragraph. However, never make one footnote cover material in more = than=20 one paragraph. When in doubt, footnote.

IV. Thou shalt strive for clarity above cuteness; thou shalt = not use=20 jargon when common language will serve, nor a large word when a small = one will=20 serve, nor a foreign term when an English one will serve, nor an = abstract term=20 where a vivid one is possible.

Learn first of all to write lean, tough, logical, precise prose. = After you=20 have learned that, you may begin to experiment with metaphors, = allusions, and=20 fancily turned phrases. But use these only if they add to communication = and do=20 not clutter it up.

Never use more words when you can make the point with fewer.

Trying to impress your reader with obscure vocabulary, erudition in = foreign=20 or specialized verbiage, and all such pretension, is absolutely out.

Take special care to keep verbs in their active, verb form, rather = than=20 changing them into abstract nouns, usually with "tion" endings. ("She = helped=20 organize." Not: "She helped in the organization of." "He was one who = used Marx's=20 ideas." Not: "He participated in the utilization of the ideas of=20 Marx.")

V. Remember thy paragraph to keep it a significant unity; = thou shalt=20 not fragment thy discussion into one short paragraph after another, and = neither=20 shalt thou write a paragraph that fails to develop a topical = idea.

Think of the paragraph as an instrument to develop an idea. The = paragraph=20 should have a recognizable idea, usually as a topic sentence.

Usually, three sentences are minimum for a good paragraph, and most=20 paragraphs should have more. Short paragraphs seldom develop ideas or = nuances.=20 They are for people with very short attention spans (which partly = explains why=20 journalists use them).

Maximum length for a good paragraph is roughly one typed, = double-spaced page,=20 although a paper full of such long paragraphs will be tiring. A good = length for=20 most is 1/2 to 3/4 page.

There are times to violate the no-one-or-two-sentence-paragraph rule, = especially: to make a succinct statement stand out sharply for emphasis; = or, to=20 make a transition to a new section of the paper.

VI. Thou shalt write as if thy reader is intelligent--but = totally=20 uninformed on any particular subject: hence, thou shalt identify all = persons,=20 organizations, etc., and shalt in every way try to make thy paper a=20 self-sufficient unit.

Here, the chief temptations are: to plunge into a subject without = adequately=20 establishing time, place, and context; and, to refer to authors and to = obscure=20 historical events as if everyone knew of them. The motive may even be = snobbery,=20 showing off one's esoteric knowledge.

So, do not refer to facts in language that implies that the reader is = already=20 familiar with them, unless you have first established the facts. To do = so may=20 make the reader feel dumb. Often this rule means: using "a" or no = article at all=20 instead of using "the" or a possessive pronoun; and, not putting the = reference=20 in a subordinate clause.

In the first reference to a person, organization, or whatever, give = the=20 complete name (not only initials). Thereafter, unless a long space has = elapsed,=20 you may refer to a person only by last name (seldom the familiarity of = only the=20 first name). In the case of an organization, after the first reference = you may=20 use an acronym (e.g., CIA for Central Intelligence Agency) if you have = made the=20 meaning of the acronym clear.

VII. Thou shalt use quotations sparingly and judiciously, = only for=20 color and clarity; if thou must quote, quotations should not break the = flow of=20 thine own language and logic, and thy text should make clear whom thou = art=20 quoting.

Effective quotation is a literary device--not a way to transfer = information=20 unprocessed and undigested from your sources to your reader.

Quoting does NOT add authority, unless you have already established = that the=20 source carries authority. Even then, paraphrasing may do as well or = better.=20 (Often, you should be able to write better than did the original = author!)

Usually, for art's sake, do not quote whole sentences. Your language = will=20 flow better, without strange sentence structure and abrupt shifts in = style, if=20 you quote only short phrases and merge them nicely into your own stream = of=20 language.

Indented block quotations are out! If a quotation gets beyond about = four=20 lines (heaven forbid!), break it up, paraphrase, do something--but do = not make=20 notches at the edge of your paper that signal a coming mass of = undigested=20 material.

VIII. Thou shalt not relegate essential information to thy=20 footnotes

Normally, discursive footnotes should be very few. If the information = is=20 important enough to print, get it into the text; if not, save the paper.

IX. Thou shalt write consistently in past tense, and in other = ways=20 keep thy reader firmly anchored in time.

The "historical present" causes more confusion than it is worth. = Sense of=20 time and context is first among the historian's contributions. Writing = of past=20 events in the present tense is usually evidence that the author lacked=20 appreciation for historical setting.

Historical essays and book reviews present special problems. But even = the=20 author's act of writing a book took place in the past, even if only a = year or=20 two ago. Thus, Hofstadter ARGUED, not "argues", in his Age of = Reform.=20 Hofstadter is now dead, and presumably cannot argue (present tense). = Even if he=20 were still living, we do not know that he has not changed his mind; = authors do=20 change their minds. On the other hand, the book, if it is the subject of = the=20 verb, does always continue to make the same point, so that you do use = present=20 tense. Thus, Hofstadter's Age of Reform "argues," not "argued".

As you write, frequently intersperse time phrases: "in 1907", "two = years=20 later", whatever. If the date is the more important, state the date; if = time=20 elapsed is the more important, use a phrase such as "two years later".

Perfect tense is very helpful, indeed often necessary, for keeping = the time=20 line clear--especially when you shift or flash forward or backward from = some=20 reference point in time. ("In August, 1893 Smith met Jones at the = World's=20 Exhibition in Chicago. Three years earlier they had met in London. Now = they met=20 as old friends.") Note "had met".

X. Thou shalt not use passive voice.

Passive voice destroys clarity because often it does not make clear = who did=20 the acting. ("The order was given.") In such cases, it fails to give = complete=20 information. Or even if it does give the information ("The order was = given by=20 Lincoln.") it gives it back-end-forward. Why not: "Lincoln gave the = order."?

If you write many sentences in passive voice, check whether your = language is=20 not generally abstract and colorless. Passive voice almost always goes = with a=20 style that lacks vigor and clear, direct statement.

Some people have the notion that passive, colorless writing shows = scholarly=20 objectivity. The idea is pure rot.

Copyright =A9 1996 by Theron F. Schlabach.
Permission = has been=20 granted to reproduce this document for non-commercial educational = purposes, on=20 the condition that the author receives credit. Theron F. Schlabach is a=20 professor of history at Goshen College, in Goshen, Indiana.

Page maintained by Gerald W. = Schlabach, gwschlabach@stthomas.edu.=20
Copyright =A9 Gerald W. Schlabach. Last updated: 12 July=20 2000.