A Pocket Guide to Writing in History | 
 enlarge | Author: Mary Lynn Rampolla
Publisher: Bedford/St. Martin's
Category: Book
Buy Used: $6.00
New (30) Used (47) from $6.00
Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 64815
Media: Paperback
Edition: 5th
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 160
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 4.2 x 0.4
ISBN: 031244673X
Dewey Decimal Number: 809
EAN: 9780312446734
ASIN: 031244673X
Publication Date: July 17, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
 The Best Introduction to Historical Writing I Have Found July 1, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I am a History Professor at a small, Christian, liberal arts college on the outskirts of Chicago. I have used this book, both the fourth edition and the fifth edition, in my Historical Methods course for the last four years. The fifth edition is a great improvement over the fouth.
Overall, the book provides an excellent introduction to what historians do and how we do it. It defines primary and secondary sources well and provides a good list of questions to ask about each type of source. It talks about the types of writing assignments that are used in history and how to approach them. It gives a straightforward explanation of each step in the process of writing a research paper. It has a nice explanation of what plagiarism is (although like most scholars she describes it as a form of theft rather than fraud) and how to avoid it. Finally, it gives University of Chicago forms for footnotes and bibliographies in the back.
When compared to the other introductions to history writing on the market--and I've looked at over half a dozen of them--Rampolla's book is shorter, more to the point, and less expensive than all of them (MUCH less expensive than some). The publisher is to be commended.
Great Writing Guide August 23, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Very helpful guide to writing about history, or anything else. Helpful for both the undergraduate and graduate student who wants a refresher.
Well-rounded resource for students. August 11, 2007
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
As a high school history teacher, I've created several writing tip sheets and links to writing websites for my students. All of these efforts were intended to help the motivated improve their understanding of good writing as well as their skills in writing.
The Pocket Guide to Writing in History replaces all of my earlier efforts in one handy resource. With an introduction to research, note taking, formulating and supporting points with evidence, citations & bibliographies, it's an excellent guide for advanced high school and college students in writing in-class essays or lengthy, long-term research papers.
The Guide briefly considers the different types of history writing assignments, and offers unique suggestions for preparation and execution for each format. Its primary referencing focus is on the Chicago style of foot/endnotes, the style most widely used in history. Plus, the 5th edition includes more up-to-date citation format examples for internet sources, a big improvement from the 4th edition.
Writing is a key skill in this discipline, but most teachers have little class time in which to teach it. As a stand alone student resource, the Guide is the best option I've found. It could also be used in class for lessons on specific writing skills, or as a supplement to a major research paper assignment. I plan to recommend The Guide to all of my Advanced Placement students this year. Highly recommended.
 You can judge this book by the cover November 6, 2006
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
This book is a pocket guide and lives up to the name. Everything is summarized and made simple. Sometimes the simplicity leads to confusion, but the guide acts as a reference to solve the problem by finding another source. Overall, by itself the guide is okay, but utilized with other manuals, it is a great tool.
Excellent resource September 27, 2003
Amazingly enough, I don't know Dr. Rampolla, but that won't stop me from adding my praise for this little gem of a book. Clearly and concisely written, this slim guide covers the important aspects of the study of history. From evaluating sources to documenting the sources you've found, it's a marvelous little tool for students. Don't leave home for your next history class without this book.
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