Writing in history

Historians analyze the information available to them to develop their own theories about past events, experiences, ideas, and movements. Depending on their interests, historians may consider a variety of issues and sources, including those related to economics, politics, social issues, science, the military, gender, the family, and popular culture.

Historians do not simply record what happened at a particular time; rather, they attempt to explain why or how events occurred as they did and to place those events in a larger context. For example, a historical study of women in the British military during World War II would not simply describe the positions women held in the armed forces. Through an analysis of the available information, it might develop a theory about why women were authorized to hold certain jobs and not others and how changes in women’s roles affected the evolution of the women’s rights movement in the decades that followed.

Related topics:

Audience in history

Forms of writing in history

Questions historians ask

Kinds of evidence historians use

Writing conventions in history

Chicago system for citation in history writing

Sample student paper: Research essay