Essential Writing Guidelines:
 Introduction: The article you are reviewing and the subject explored in the article.
o THESIS STATEMENT: the thesis should be the last sentence of the first
paragraph. It must clearly state your position (what is your answer to the
question?) and explain why this is your position.
 Body Paragraphs: Three or more paragraphs. What are the most important ideas you need
to explain for the reader to understand your argument (why you have taken your
position). Use citations to show where the reader can find the evidence that supports your
position.
o TIP: keep quotations to a minimum; use paraphrasing throughout, and only quote
where the SPECIFIC wording of the author is REQUIRED to make your point.
Make sure to CITE paraphrasing.
 Conclusion: ? Say something big.
Assignment Outcomes:
 Critical reading of scholarly articles, and analysis of its most important features.
 Assess the historical value of a piece of scholarship.
 Creation of a clear and concise argument related to the value of the text for understanding
Canadian history.
 Build expertise in analyzing media/propaganda sources.
Key Questions to ask about an academic article:
 What is the passage describing/discussing? Why is this topic important to historians?
 Who wrote the passage? What was their relationship to the subject matter? Are they a
credible historian?
 When was it written? How does this affect the meaning or significance of the document?
 How effectively does the author use evidence? What kind of sources are being cited in
the footnotes? Does this make the document more credible?
 What is the historical significance of this document? Why should a historian read this?
FOCUS QUESTION:
In your scholarly opinion, why does this article make a valuable contribution to our
historical knowledge? Why is the article successful or unsuccessful?