Source Integration for Historical Writing

When writing for history courses, it is common to incorporate evidence from primary and secondary sources. Writers integrate information from these sources into their writing in three ways: summaries, paraphrases, and quotations.

Summaries

Writers typically summarize when the information from a source does not have to be provided in detail. For example, a writer might want to summarize an author’s overall argument for the audience as opposed to explaining every line. Summaries are particularly useful for describing key historical events or figures. Writers can use descriptive facts, such as names, dates, and places, to create a summary that provides critical background information for the audience.

Summary Example

In Kris Myers’ (2012, 198) essay, she traces the development of the Alice Paul Institute (API), also known as Paulsdale, a house museum that features historical lessons based on the life of women’s rights activist Alice Paul.

Paraphrases

Paraphrasing works best when writers can state information from a source in a more clear and concise manner without changing the original meaning of the words. Under most circumstances, readers expect to see paraphrased evidence in historical writing. Paraphrasing helps writers balance information from their sources with their own words and voice. For example, if a writer wants to include an author’s idea to support their argument, but the original text spans an entire paragraph, the writer can paraphrase key details from the original paragraph into one or two sentences to capture the important aspects.

Paraphrase Example

Myers (2012, 198) states the API decided to use Alice Paul’s life as the foundation for a leadership program that teaches young girls skills to become leaders in their community.

Quotations

Quotations suit several purposes in writing. The most common reasons writers use quotations are when the words serve as concrete evidence to back up a claim, come from an authoritative figure that adds credibility to their argument, are so compelling and original that there is no better way to express the idea, or communicate an idea in order to accurately dispute it. For historical writing, quotations are used to reference primary and secondary sources as evidence to support an argument. However, writers should keep in mind that quotations from a primary source are often considered stronger forms of evidence than quotations from a secondary source.

Quotation Example

Despite the success of Paulsdale, Myers (2012, 207) notes that “[t]he API confronted constant claims that women’s history is not significant to American memory, or that women like Alice Paul represented a radical element” when advocating for the project.

Note: Always refer to assignment instructions for specific information regarding which citation style to use and how many sources or quotations are required.

Works Consulted

Myers, Kris. 2012. “Paulsdale: Adapting Alice Paul’s Birthplace for a New Generation of Leaders.” In Born in

the U.S.A.: Birth Commemoration, and American Public Memory, edited by Seth C. Bruggeman, 197-215,

Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Press.

Turabian, Kate L. 2018. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. 9th ed. Chicago:

University of Chicago Press.