Writing History Essays: A Student's Guide I.W. Mabbett To write history successfully, it is essential to understand the nuts and bolts of technique as well as the underlying principles which are too rarely made explicit, but which govern the whole process. I.W. Mabbett carefully analyzes these principles, and takes us step-by-step through the stages of the process. He shows how history differs from other disciplines, outlines the methods of historical research and writing, and clearly illustrates their application to writing assignments, essays and dissertations in history. This practical guide covers all aspects of the essay-writing process, including: • How to read source critically • How to plan and draft your essay • The purpose of footnotes and referencing • The problems of inadvertent plagiarism • The importance of using good English • Beyond the history essay: book reviews, reports and examinations Writing History Essay is an indispensible aid for all those studying history and is ideal for beginners. Focusing on the fundamentals, this helpful and informative guide demonstrates that it is through the writing of history essays that we learn the nature of the discipline. I.W. Mabbett is Reader in History at Monash University. He has held visiting positions at the Humanities Research Centre (in the Australian National University) and at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. Since 2002 he has been Professor Emeritus at Aichi Bunkyo University, Nagoya.