Keys to Good Historical Writing

1
Keys to Good Historical Writing
2
The Paragraph
3
The Paragraph

• The paragraph is a series of sentences developing
  one topic.

4
The Topic Sentence

• The topic of a paragraph is stated in one
  sentence. This is called the topic sentence.

5
The rest of the paragraph consists of sentences
that develop or explain the main idea.
main idea

• Through the centuries rats have managed to
  survive all our efforts to destroy them. We have
  poisoned them and trapped them. We have
  fumigated, flooded, and burned them. We have
  tried germ warfare. Some rats even survived
  atomic bomb tests conducted on Entwetok atoll in
  the Pacific after World War II. In spite of all
  our efforts, these enemies of ours continue to
  prove that they are the most indestructible of
  pests.

concluding sentence
6
Developing a Paragraph
A topic sentence may be developed by giving
examples.
A topic sentence may be developed by telling
an incident

• A topic sentence may be developed by giving
  details.

7
Unity in the Paragraph
Every sentence in a paragraph should support the
main idea expressed in the topic sentence.
main idea
sentence
sentence
sentence
sentence
8
The concluding or clincher sentence

• Restate the topic sentence in different words.
• A clincher sentence or concluding sentence
  clinches the point made in the paragraph.
• It summarizes the paragraph.

9
Coherence in a Paragraph

• Stick to the point
• The ideas have a clear and logical relation to
  each other.
• Put details or examples or incidents in logical
  order.

4
3
2
1
chronological
in relation to each other
in order of importance
10
Connecting Sentences Within the Paragraph
Transition words
chronological order first meanwhile later afterwar
ds finally
objects in relation to one another next to in
front of beside between behind
in order of importance however furthermore as a
result in fact yet
11
Types of Paragraphs

• The narrative paragraph
• tells a story
• The persuasive paragraph.
• tries to convince the audience
• The descriptive paragraph
• describes something
• The expository or explanatory paragraph
• gives information or explains something

12
The Comma
13
Commas
Use a comma to set off the elements of a series
(three or more things), including the last two.
My favorite uses of the Internet are sending
e-mail, surfing the Web, and using chat rooms.
You may have learned that this comma is not
necessary.
Sometimes, however, the last two items in your
series will glom into one if you dont use the
so-called serial comma.
14
Commas
Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and,
but, or, nor, for, yet, so) to separate two
independent clauses.
The public seems eager for some kind of gun
control legislation, but the congress is
obviously too timid to enact any truly effective
measures.
If the two independent clauses are brief and
nicely balanced, this comma may be omitted, but
the comma is always correct.
Our team is very good but their team is better.
15
Commas
Use a comma to set off introductory elements.
Anxious about the upcoming winter, settlers began
to bicker among themselves about supplies.
In the winter of 1644, nearly half the settlers
died of starvation or exposure.
If the introductory element is brief and the
sentence can be read easily without the comma, it
can be omitted.
In 1649 the settlers abandoned their initial
outpost.
16
Commas
Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives.
Coaches grew weary of running practices in the
drafty, dreary, dilapidated gymnasium.
The designs for an expensive, modern gym should
make them happy.
If you could put a but or an and between the
adjectives, you should put a comma between them.
expensive and modern expensive, modern . . . .
But not a little and old house. A little old
house would be correct.
17
Commas
Use a comma to set off elements that express a
contrast or a turn in the sentence.
The house was cute, but too expensive for the
newlyweds.
They were looking for something practical, not
luxurious.
18
Commas
Use a comma to set off states and countries,
years (in a full date), titles, etc.
The conference was originally set for Geneva,
Switzerland, but was then rescheduled for
Chicago, Illinois.
Their wedding date was set for August 5, 2000, in
the college chapel in Newton, Massachusetts.
Tashonda Klondike, Chair of the Ways and Means
Committee, submitted the committees final report.
19
Commas
Use a comma to set off quoted language.
Frosts poem Fire and Ice begins with the
lines, Some say the world will end in fire, /
Some say in ice.
Fire when ready, Gridley, the Admiral said.
We cant see into the future, said the
President, but we have to prepare for it
nonetheless.
20
Commas
Use a comma to set off parenthetical elements.
This is the most difficult rule in comma usage. A
parenthetical element is added information,
something that can be removed from a sentence
without changing the essential meaning of that
sentence. Deciding what is added information
and what is essential is sometimes difficult. See
the next slide.
21
Commas
Parenthetical elements
When an appositive phrase can be removed from a
sentence without changing its meaning or making
it ambiguous
Robert Frost, perhaps Americas most beloved
poet, died when he was 88.
An absolute phrase is treated as a parenthetical
element
Frankly, my dear, I dont give a damn.
An addressed persons (or peoples) name is
always parenthetical
I am warning you, good citizens of Hartford, this
vote is crucial to the future of our city.
22
Commas
One more parenthetical element
An interjection is treated as a parenthetical
element
Excuse me, but there are, of course, many points
of view that we must consider before voting.
23
Commas
One last rule Dont over-use commas! When a
comma is needed, use it otherwise, do
without. Reviewing the rules of comma usage will
help you understand the way sentences are built
and that, ultimately, will help you become a
better writer.
24
The Semicolon
25
Our Friend, the Semicolon
Lets begin with a simple sentence
Grandma stays up too late.
26
Our Friend, the Semicolon
Now lets expand on that a bit
Grandma stays up too late. Shes afraid shes
going to miss something.
This is OK. Two independent ideas, separated by a
period.
27
Our Friend, the Semicolon
What if we try to combine the two ideas? Grandma
stays up too late, shes afraid shes going to
miss something.
Somethings wrong. We connected two independent
clauses with only a comma. The dreaded COMMA
SPLICE!
28
Our Friend, the Semicolon
We could insert a coordinating conjunction
Grandma is afraid shell miss something, so she
stays up too late.
This is better! Note the comma that accompanies
the coordinating conjunction.
29
Our Friend, the Semicolon
We could also try subordinating one of these
ideas Grandma stays up too late because shes
afraid shes going to miss something.
Notice that the comma disappeared. One idea (the
second one) now depends on the other it has
become a dependent clause.
30
Our Friend, the Semicolon
But lets try something else.
ENTER THE SEMICOLON !
31
Our Friend, the Semicolon
Lets try using a semicolon in this
sentence. Grandma stays up too late shes afraid
shes going to miss something.
Notice there is no conjunction used with this
semicolon either subordinating or
coordinating. Just the semicolon, all by itself.
32
Our Friend, the Semicolon
Sometimes semicolons are accompanied by
conjunctive adverbs words such as however,
moreover, therefore, nevertheless, consequently,
as a result.
Grandma is afraid shes going to miss something
as a result, she stays up too late.
33
Our Friend, the Semicolon
Notice the pattern as a result,
semicolon conjunctive adverb comma
This is a typical construction with semicolons.
34
Our Friend, the Semicolon
There is one other use of the semicolon to help
us sort out monster lists, like this one
The committee included Peter Wursthorn, Professor
of Mathematics, from Marlborough, Connecticut,
Virginia Villa, Professor of English, from
Hartford, Connecticut, Paul Creech, Director of
Rad-Tech, from Essex, Connecticut, and Joan
Leach, Professor of Nursing, from Farmington,
Connecticut.
35
Our Friend, the Semicolon
Be careful where you insert semicolons in this
sentence.
The committee included Peter Wursthorn, Professor
of Mathematics, from Marlborough, Connecticut
Virginia Villa, Professor of English, from
Hartford, Connecticut Paul Creech, Director of
Rad-Tech, from Essex, Connecticut and Joan
Leach, Professor of Nursing, from Farmington,
Connecticut.
36
Our Friend, the Semicolon
Now you know everything youll ever need to know
about using semicolons! Hint if you are unsure
about usage, do not use the semicolon. Dr. Piston
once remarked that it should be outlawed.
37
Colons
38
The Colon a sentence gateway
The colon comes at a point in the sentence where
the sentence could come to a complete stop.
Im going to tell you the names of my favorite
breakfast foods.
We could even put a period after the word
foods, couldnt we? In fact, we did.
39
The Colon a sentence gateway
We know, however, whats going to come after this
period.
Im going to tell you the names of my favorite
breakfast foods.
Thats right, a LIST of breakfast foods.
40
The Colon a sentence gateway
Im going to tell you the names of my favorite
breakfast foods meuslix, cornflakes, oatmeal,
grits and gravy, and yogurt on toast.
And the proper punctuation mark to set off this
list from what precedes it is a colon. The colon
announces that a list is about to follow it is
the gateway to that list.
41
The Colon a sentence gateway
My favorite breakfast foods are meuslix,
cornflakes, oatmeal, grits and gravy, and yogurt
on toast.
Would I use a colon in the sentence above?
No, because the sentence does not come to a halt
here.
Instead, the sentence flows right into the list.
A colon would not be appropriate here.
42
The Colon a sentence gateway
Examine this next sentence carefully.
Our math tutor wants just one thing from us that
we try our best.
Here, we have an independent thought (ending with
us),
followed by another kind of completer (a noun
clause).
43
The Colon a sentence gateway
To set off this completer, this explanation, we
can use a colon.
Our math tutor wants just one thing from us that
we try our best.
These are the two main uses of the colon to set
off a list or an explanation that we know is
about to follow the main part of the sentence.
44
The Colon a sentence gateway
We also use the colon to set off a formal
quotation.
My father was always using his favorite quotation
from Yogi Berra It aint over till its over.
45
The Colon a sentence gateway
Just remember that you usually know what is going
to follow a colon a list, an explanation, or a
formal quotation.
46
Now you know everything.That's All folks