You need to spice up an opening, add some pizzazz, and write a catchy hook, so readers actually want to read what you write. So let’s leave the dull introductions behind and move on to how to start a history essay with more engaging opening lines that won’t bore your readers to death History, Culture and Self Discovery in Amy Tan’s Joy Luck Club In the novel The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan, the relationship between history, culture and identity is illustrated through the narrations of seven women. In these stories the women discuss events of their past and the reader is able to see how it affects them later in life Tongzhi Restoration/ Self-Strengthening Movement Essay Tongzhi Restoration/ Self-Strengthening Movement Essay The Treaty of Beijing (Peking; see Aigun) of that ended the Second Anglo-Chinese Opium War and the suppression of the Taiping and other rebellions in the s gave the Qing (Ch’ing) dynasty a reprieve
Essay Strategy – SELF STUDY HISTORY
First of all we ought to ask, What constitutes a good history essay? Probably no two people will completely agree, if only for the very good reason that quality is in the eye — and reflects the intellectual state — of the reader.
What follows, therefore, skips philosophical issues and instead offers practical advice on how to write an essay that will get top marks. Witnesses in court promise to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. All history students should swear a similar oath: to answer self history essay question, the whole question and nothing but the question, self history essay.
This is the number one rule. You can write brilliantly and argue a case with a wealth of convincing evidence, self history essay, but if you are not being relevant then you might as well be tinkling a cymbal. In other words, you have to think very carefully about the question you are asked to answer. Take your time, look carefully at the wording of the question, and be certain in your own mind that self history essay have thoroughly understood all its terms.
If, for instance, you are asked why Hitler came to power, you must define what this process of coming to power consisted of. Is there any specific event that marks his achievement of power?
If you immediately seize on his appointment as Chancellor, think carefully and ask yourself what actual powers this position conferred on him.
Was the passing of the Enabling Act more important? And when did the rise to power actually start? If you can establish which years are relevant — and consequently which are irrelevant — you will have made a very good start. Then you can decide on the different factors that explain his rise.
Or if you are asked to explain the successes of a particular individual, again avoid writing the first thing that comes into your head.
Self history essay about possible successes. What does it really mean? Is it objective a matter of fact or subjective a matter of opinion? Do we have to consider short-term and long-term successes?
If the person benefits from extraordinary good luck, self history essay, is that still a success? This grappling with the problem of definition will help you compile an annotated list of successes, and you can then proceed to explain them, tracing their origins and pinpointing how and why they occurred. Is there a key common factor in the successes? If so, this could constitute the central thrust of your answer. The key word in the above paragraphs is think. This should be distinguished from remembering, daydreaming and idly speculating.
Thinking is rarely a pleasant undertaking, self history essay, and most of us contrive to avoid it most of the time. So think as hard as you can about the meaning of the question, about the issues it raises and the ways you can answer it.
You have to think and think hard — and then you should think again, trying to find loopholes in your reasoning. Eventually you will almost certainly become confused. If you get totally confused, take a self history essay. When you return to the question, it may be that the problems have resolved themselves. If not, give yourself more time. You may well find that decent ideas simply pop into your conscious mind at unexpected times.
Self history essay can of course follow the herd and repeat the interpretation given in your textbook.
But there are problems here. First, what is to distinguish your work from that of everybody else? The advice above is relevant to coursework essays. But even here, you should take time out to do some thinking. Examiners look for quality rather than quantity, and brevity makes relevance doubly important.
Every part of an essay is important, but the first paragraph is vital. This is the first chance you have to impress — or depress — an examiner, and first impressions are often decisive. You might therefore try to write an eye-catching first sentence.
De Mille. More important is that you demonstrate your understanding of the question set. Here you give your carefully thought out definitions of the key terms, and here you establish the relevant time-frame and issues — in other words, the parameters of the question.
Also, you divide the overall question into more manageable sub-divisions, or smaller questions, on each of which you will subsequently write a paragraph. You formulate an argument, or perhaps voice alternative lines of argument, that you will substantiate later in the self history essay. Hence the first paragraph — or perhaps you might spread this opening section over two paragraphs — is the key to a good essay. Self history essay reading a good first paragraph, examiners will be profoundly reassured that its author is on the right lines, being relevant, analytical and rigorous.
They will probably breathe a sign of relief that here is one student at least who is avoiding the two common pitfalls. The first is to ignore the question altogether. The second is to write a narrative of events — often beginning with the birth of an individual — with a half-hearted attempt at answering the question in the final paragraph. Philip Larkin once said that the modern novel consists of a beginning, self history essay, a muddle and an end.
The same is, alas, self history essay, all too true of many history essays. It should be obvious, from your middle paragraphs, what question you are answering, self history essay. So consider starting each middle paragraph will a generalisation relevant to the question, self history essay. Then you can develop this idea and substantiate it with evidence. You must give a judicious selection of evidence i. facts and quotations to support the argument self history essay are making.
You only have a limited amount of space or time, so think about how much detail to give. Relatively unimportant background issues can be summarised with a broad brush; your most important areas need greater embellishment. The regulations often specify that, in the A2 year, students should be familiar with the main interpretations of historians. Do not ignore this advice. On the other hand, self history essay, do not take historiography to extremes, so that the past itself is virtually ignored.
Self history essay often in essays students give a generalisation and back it up with the opinion of an historian — and since they have formulated the generalisation from the opinion, the argument is entirely circular, and self history essay meaningless and unconvincing. It also fatuously presupposes that historians are infallible and omniscient gods, self history essay. Unless you give real evidence to back up your view — as historians do — a generalisation is simply an assertion.
Middle paragraphs are the place for the real substance of an essay, and you neglect this at your peril. In the middle paragraph you are akin to a barrister arguing self history essay case.
Now, in the final paragraph, you are the judge summing up and pronouncing the verdict. Do not introduce lots of self history essay evidence at this stage, though you can certainly introduce the odd extra fact that clinches your case.
If your question is about Hitler coming to power, you should not end by giving a summary of what he did once in power. Such an irrelevant ending will fail to win marks. On the other hand, it may be that some of the things Hitler did after coming to power shed valuable light on why he came to power in the first place. Examiners are not expected to think; you must make your material explicitly relevant. A good essay, especially one that seems to have been effortlessly composed, has often been revised several times; and the best students are those who are most selfcritical.
Get into the habit of criticising your own first drafts, and never be satisfied with second-best efforts. Also, take account of the feedback you get from teachers. Relevance is vital in a good essay, self history essay, and so is evidence self history essay in such a way that it produces a convincing argument.
But nothing else really matters. The paragraph structure recommended above is just a guide, nothing more, and you can write a fine essay self history essay a very different arrangement of material. Similarly, though it would be excellent if you wrote in expressive, witty and sparklingly provocative prose, you can still get top marks even if your essay is serious, ponderous and even downright dull.
There are an infinite number of ways to write an essay because any form of writing is a means of self-expression. How To Write a Good History Essay.
The former editor of History Review Robert Pearce gives his personal view. Robert Pearce Published in History Review Issue 72 March Relevance Witnesses in court promise to tell the truth, self history essay, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. The Vital First Paragraph Every part of an essay is important, but the first paragraph is vital, self history essay.
Middle Paragraphs Philip Larkin once said that the modern novel consists of a beginning, a muddle and an end. Final Thoughts A good essay, especially one that seems to have been effortlessly composed, self history essay, has often been revised several times; and the best students are those who are most selfcritical.
Robert Pearce is the editor of History Review. Popular articles, self history essay. Contested Legacy of the Conquistadors.
how I write a 400 word essay introduction in 20 minutes at university. My advice.
, time: 10:38Essay Examples of Personal History
History, Culture and Self Discovery in Amy Tan’s Joy Luck Club In the novel The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan, the relationship between history, culture and identity is illustrated through the narrations of seven women. In these stories the women discuss events of their past and the reader is able to see how it affects them later in life 9/24/ · + Words Essay on My Self. Seven billion people are on this Earth, and everybody is different from the rest of others. There is nothing without purpose in this world. Everything has some purpose. Humans are the best creation, and each person is exclusive. Thus, writing about myself, I’m here to express myself that what I see, what I experience 2/15/ · History Optional Comprehensive Study Materials cum Online Test Series- Daily and Weekly Problem Practice with Solution of History Optional for Main Examination Complete Map material along with Previous Years Solved Questions and Practice Set for History Optional Previous Years Questions with Solution of History Optional Click here for Our Results in CSE- , Toppers' Interview and Toppers' Answer Sheets Daily and Weekly Problem Practice for Main Exam [History
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