What's the best way to write a history essay?

I think the key is to be argumentative, the structure you're given is more of a guide than a rule - essentially, you need to have an opinion, state that opinion and provide all the evidence for that; then you need to counter other arguments, but do so in an academic way: instead of saying that they're wrong, state that they're unconvincing for several reasons, and don't be afraid to admit why they might convince some people (do this at the start of a paragraph/section, and not at the end) And vocabulary and phrasing are key to sounding really analytical: instead of saying "the fact a lot of Protestants voted Hitler shows that cultural factors were important" say "the fact that a great proportion of the Nazi vote was a protestant vote lends legitimacy to the case that cultural identity was an important factor in the rise of Hitler". Reading is key here! You'll learn academiese the more you read.

CM
Answered by Christopher M. History tutor

2241 Views

See similar History A Level tutors

Related History A Level answers

All answers ▸

Assess the view that the feminist movement of the 1960s was the most significant turning point for women's rights in the USA, 1894-1992


Why was modernisation of the Soviet Union necessary for Stalin?


How accurate is it to say that the lend-lease programme was the most important reason for the USSR’s victory in WW2?


To what extent did African American lives improve due to government legislation between 1919-1955?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2025 by IXL Learning