What is the best way to incorporate historiography in my essays?

Historiography is a stylish accessory that marks your essay as a 7 rather than a 6, most of the time it should not form the basis of your essay. Therefore, I would recommend that the best way to go about it would be to smoothly interweave small quotes into your paragraphs when appropriate, with a name following in brackets. If you want to really impress your examiner and shoot for a high 7, you should also be able to state the school of historical thought, e.g. 'revisionist western historian' when you can. I can provide you with many historiography quotes and their origins like this.

It is also important to be selective with historiography, as there is a lot out there. I would recommend a minimum of three quotes per essay and a maximum of seven. Choose the quotes that are most relevant to your argument.

It should also be noted that sometimes, especially for controversial topics, there is an abundance of historiography that is very important and forms the basis of a crucial historical debate. At times like this it is hard to be selective. An example would be the causes of WW1, where many strong but differing historical arguments arise. In this case, I would recommend to save space (and time) for a final paragraph at the end to discuss two or three historical arguments with quotes, and conclude with your opinion.

I can show you examples in both styles that I have written myself.

Answered by Francesca B. History tutor

2908 Views

See similar History IB tutors

Related History IB answers

All answers ▸

Compare and contrast the impact on women of the policies of two authoritarian states, each chosen from a different region.


Analyse which was the most prominent form of conflict between the Soviet Union and United States during the Cold War


Analyze how the outcome of the First World War impacted the rise to power of two 20th century dictators.


Should I always note whether or not historians are intentionalist, functionalist, or structuralist?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact usWhatsapp logoMessage us on Whatsapptelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

© MyTutorWeb Ltd 2013–2024

Terms & Conditions|Privacy Policy