Researching and Writing in History

Much agony over writing research papers originates in the failure of the academic system to teach students how to use the library and how to write formally structured English. This handbook is intended to aid the student in learning these skills. It provides a step-by-step guide to preparation of a research paper, from selecting a working topic to editing the final draft. McCoy attempts to develop the student’s self-confidence, believing much writer’s paralysis and graduate school attrition result because able students lack scholarly sophistication. She traces one research topic through from the beginning to end, showing how t use library reference materials, how to outline the paper, how to prepare emotionally for the act of writing, how to achieve clear, easily read yet formally structured English, and how to edit the finished paper for the errors most irritating to professors.