How to Write a Social Studies Essay

Notes to be taken in Cornell Note Form

CAN’T STUDY THIS!!!

1. NO I, Me, We, Our, Us or My

Social studies essays are not your opinions

Social studies essays are a restatement of the facts

I.e. “I don’t like President Wilson.”Instead: “Many historians state that President Wilson created a hostile working environment for African Americans.”

2. No “is” or “was”

I.e. “George Washington is considered a cold dude.”

Instead: “George Washington, often considered a cold dude, refused to shake hands with visitors to the White House.”

I.e. “Thomas Jefferson was the third president of the United States.”

Instead: “Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, wrote the Declaration of Independence.”

http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples/examples-of-active-and-passive-voice.html

2. No “is” or “was”

No, would be, could be, might be…

Use an action word

i.e. He fought, It creates, connects, controls, holds…

3. No @,#,lol or

slang.

You can not use abbreviations.

Exception: B.C. (before Christ) A.D. (AD actually stands for the Latin phrase "anno domini" which means "in the year of our Lord.“) When writing numbers, all numbers under 100 must be spelt out. 99= ninety-nine, 1= one (except dates)

4. No Absent Antecedents

You may not begin a paragraph without introducing the person first.

I.e. He created the Declaration of Independence.

Who is he?

Read your essay backwards and aloud

Did you find the mistakes?

Thomas Jefferson created the Decleration o Independance.

Once introduced you can use, He or Mr. Jeffeson…

fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too. Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can.i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd

waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at

Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno’t mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghi t

pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the

huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I

awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

5. No a lot or got or

get

• Just tell me the number, or many, dozens, hundreds, thousands.

• Got = received

Summary

• Across the bottom, write a short summary with information from EACH of the 5 areas above.

Homework

• Rewrite your “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” essay in Social Studies format.

• This: I went to the mall.• Becomes: Gary Edge went to the mall.