Mongol essay writing skills

1. Mongols Essay Writing

2. History Essays
Why do we write essays?
• ‘To essay’ as a verb means to attempt – don’t expect it to be easy
• Thus, an essay is an attempt to explain something or to persuade
someone of a point of view
• At their best essays provide a more balanced, considered, and clear
perspective on an issue than other forms of writing
• The world today has an unprecedented need for leaders who can
clearly and accurately present an account of the past, the
complexities involved in constructing such an account, and its
ongoing relevance to modern communities.

3. Analytical vs. narrative
• Many history books, documentaries and articles are narratives – retellings of
what happened
• But history essays are analytical
• still use the descriptive categories of who, how, what, where, & when
• History essays analyse HOW things happened, WHY the event happened and/or
RELATIONSHIPS between things/concepts/factors
• What continues and what changes?
• What is the pace and pattern of change? What are the turning points? How can it be divided
up?
• Why do events happen and what are their impacts?
• Do multiple causes result in multiple consequences? Which are short-term and which are
long-term?
• Which causes were more influential than others?
• Who are the historical actors? What are the social, political, economic and cultural conditions
within which they operate?
• How are unintended consequences generated?
• How can we better understand the people of the past?

4. Analysing the question
• Highlight key words in the
question
• Identify the verb(s) in the question
– what are you being asked to do?
• Identify the key noun group(s) –
what are you talking about?
• Decide on a strategy
• What kind of information will you
need to answer the question?
• What will you have to do to that
information to answer the
question?

5. Research, research, research
• Choosing resources and sources
• Critical reading of sources
• Notetaking
• Point of View
• Arguments
• Evidence
• ‘Cloud of witnesses’

6. Sorting process
• Break down the material into categories
• Look at the relationship between each category
• Examine how each category contributes to the big picture
• Can you find one idea or concept that controls all your categories?
• Draw conclusions about their significance
• Organise your points logically
• Strongest to weakest
• Weakest to strongest
• Chronologically
• Etc.

7. Basic outline
• Introduction
• 3-4 body paragraphs
• follow the TEEL method you
have been taught
• Include explanations of points
and the implications of the
explanation
• Conclusion

8. Paragraph Structure
Point
It can be
argued
that…
Historians
have
argued…
The sources
suggest…
It can be
inferred….
Evidence Explanation Link SentenceTopic Sentence
Secondly…
However…
It can therefore
be seen…
It is clear that…
In conclusion
This means that…
Therefore…
Consequently…
Because…
As a result…
So…
Furthermore…
In addition…
Moreover…
Firstly…
Conversely…
On the other
hand…
Alternatively…
But…
Similarly.…

9. Introduction
• How do you intend to answer the question?
• What line of argument do you want to take?
• Begin with a bold, attention-grabbing statement to show what you are
doing
• Answer the question as briefly as possible in the first sentence
• Second sentence should then enlarge upon the argument
• This is called your thesis statement and should DIRECTLY answer your
question
• Give an overview of major arguments you will advance in the paper,
showing how you will organise the discussion and indicating the
conclusion you will draw.
• You can add three or four sentences briefly indicate why the topic under
discussion is important and should be of interest to the reader
• Define key terms

10. Body paragraphs
• Each new paragraph discusses only ONE
idea
• Each paragraph has a topic sentence and
what follows in the paragraph should
prove this topic sentence
• You need to provide strong historical
evidence that will support your thesis.
• Evidence needs to be explained.
• Each paragraph should conclude with a
sentence that links back to the question
and reminds the reader of your purpose

11. Topic & link sentences
• Make explicit the POINT of the paragraph
• Show how the paragraph fits into the argument of the essay as a whole
• Cluster your sentences so they flow from one to another, building the bigger
picture
• Give your marker a sense of where your opinion ends and the supporting
evidence begins
• May run over 2 sentences
• Each paragraph needs a concluding sentence that sums up what you have said
and
• There needs to be a clear link to the next paragraph
• How does this paragraph lead into the next point that continues your analysis

12. Conclusions
• You need a carefully thought out conclusion which follows logically
from the points made and affirmed in the essay
• It restates your thesis and sums up all points mentioned, reminding
the reader what your essay has been about
• Never introduce new material/points not discussed in the essay
• This is your last opportunity to make your argument convincingly
• DO NOT just rearrange your introduction – synthesise your points
• Does your conclusion answer this question: What was the issue I was
trying to highlight?
• The significance of the understanding your thesis leads us to

13. Referencing/citations
• All good historians include references in their work to substantiate
evidence and to acknowledge the ideas of others.
• The initial evidence is called primary sources (i.e. ancient texts,
artefacts) and the interpretations of this evidence by scholars is called
secondary sources or modern studies.
• Most importantly, you always need to be aware of showing that you’ve
looked at the primary sources and evaluated them for yourself, along
with secondary sources, and that you have not stolen any ideas.
• In-text references are quicker to write and the preferred system for this
sort of essay
• Use references whenever you
• Quote verbatim words “”
• Paraphrase
• Summarise
• Example: According to Craughwell, following the siege of Nishapur
Genghis Khan ordered “every man, woman, and child” to be beheaded.
• A massacre of the citizens of Nashapur encouraged other cities in
Khwarzim to immediately surrender (Craughwell).

14. Titles
• Are a good way of getting a reader’s attention and/or foreshadowing
your line of argument
• Usually an essay will not have subheadings
• Alliteration yes, rhythm yes, rhyming no, puns no

15. Things to avoid
Language
• Flowery language and awkward phrases
• Clichés
• Colloquialisms (informal language)
• Spelling & punctuation errors
• Impossible to read handwriting
Argument
• Irrelevant facts
• Weasel words (some say)
• Generalisations (always, never, all)
• Highly opinionated statements

16. 1. Highlight/underline in different colours:
• Thesis statements
• Topic sentences & Link Sentences
• Evidence
• Explanation of evidence
2. What was the student’s ‘controlling idea’?