Anyone here studying history in college? How do you approach studying for an exam. Do you learn off whole essays or just key points?
Structure is most important to essays, and the most basic aspect of any argument, be it an internet debate or college essay, is a structure system called SEC.
Statement - Your point, summed up
Evidence - The evidence backing up your point
Conclusion - Repeating your statement in light of the evidence
For example
>Statement
The Vikings were a Norse medieval people who raided much of Europe
>Evidence
We know this because of many historical recordings of such events, such as X and X, as well as X and the X, and archeological evidence such as X
>Conclusion
Therefore, the Vikings came from Scandinavia, and raided much of Europe.
You would of course flesh these out into large paragraphs. You should have several making up your entire essay. In fact the structure of the Essay as well should be the same. Start your essay with a paragraph statement, then have all your SECs, then conclude at the end, making the essay like an Oreo with Oreos within it.
And yes, you need to learn all the key points, not an essay, if you know the points you can write the essay.
>>403760
Wow, notOP but thanks.
>>403760
Yeah thanks man
Usually, I just lay down on the floor and cry for an hour or two.
>>403760
Also thanks. Great to have stuff like summed up simply.
>>404415
This. Then pop some adderall the night before it's due and get a B.
>>403760
This is literally 7th grade shit m8
>>405111
ffs its so hard to get adderal. feelsbadman
>>403689
I pay attention in class, take notes, then receive my A after the test. One day I won't be able to get away with it and on that day, I will get a B.
>>403689
History undergrad major
>fuck core classes
Ive only taken 2 history classes and im halfway though my 2nd year, this fucking sucks
>only papers I've had to write were all less than a thousand words
>one class didnt even have any papers due, it was all lecture/multiple choice
Ive had more to do in the anthropology classes Ive taken than in my history classes, at least there I had 3 3 or more page papers and a 8 page research paper
Also should I get a masters in public history and work with museums or double down on trying to teach at the college level?
>>405732
Why would you choose history as your major?
Really, why?
>>404415
True. I lost my notes for the essay I'm supposed to finish in a month from now. I think I'm just gonna have to write everything right away without any notes hoping I won't fuck up too much.
>>405743
Its the only thing I really enjoy doing, with studying government and the other humanities. Its really not as limiting as it may seem, as any history department staff will tell you. If worst comes to worst, people like an experienced researcher/bookkeeper, and its one of the best pre law degrees
>>405767
Yeah I didn't mean to put you down or anything, I've heard you have some options, what are you planning on getting into when you leave college? Best case realistic scenario I guess.
4th year honours major, philosophy minor.
In my 4th year courses, we don't actually have any exams, just papers.
>>403760
This is good, but there is one more thing, and that is debates in historiography, usually.
>Statement
19th century America welcomed Darwinism
>Evidence
Cook, Cotkin and More all argue it fit into Malthusian views
>Historiography
This other author thinks this is wrong, and posed a threat to notions of free will, etc.
>Conclusion
Based on the evidence, argument x appears more convincing.
I've maintained an 83 average thus far, and never had a professor dislike my writing style. I try and bring in some conflicting views that might challenge to views the prof taught, considering at least two sides, then wrap it up.
>>405787
Im lucky since my dad was military, so Ive got basically 2 GI bills I can use for almost all of my schooling, and they give me a housing allowance so Im not too hard up on finding a real job right after i finish my undergrad. So I'm pretty open with what I can do.
Hopefully I can get a few TA jobs and once Im working on a PhD I can get a professorship going, if not like I said, bookkeeper, lawyer, or museum work.
>>405815
I'll probably sound dumb, but what's TA?
>>405878
Teacher's Assistant. Here in Canada, they usually pay just over 5 figures a year for marking, office hours and teaching a tutorial.
>>405895
>just over five figures
That's not a lot of money anon.
>>405111
Adderall has been 50/50 with me. Unless I get lucky and immiediatly start focusing on the paper, I'll get sidetracked by everything. There's also the problem of having to constantly fap.
>>405919
No, it isn't, but I believe they also don't have to pay tuition. At least I believe that is in my university's history department.
>>405919
its entry level and not too many hours, a lot of them have part time jobs
History/Secondary Ed. major, just started my first year of teaching. (captcha asked me to pick out all images of school buses fittingly)
History essays were the best during my easy survey classes the first two years, just:
>grab some books on your topic
>pick a thesis
>start writing your paper
>open up yours books to any random page
>find a quote or section you can paraphrase that agrees or connects with your thesis
>add footnote
>repeat
I've gotten A's on 10 page papers that I did the night before. Also:
>Chicago style is best style
>>405919
if you do a halfway decent job you can get easy networking contacts and other things, its like a residency with doctors, everyone had to do it and it sucks
>>406055
>He doesn't recommend going to the index which gives you the pages of things which agree with you.
Basically the same thing. Plus, fuck yeah Chicago. Fuck MLA.
I cannot fathom how you are in college and don't know how to write an essay or study for an Exam.
This isn't something you go to the internet for. You talk with your professor or TA and ask for advice. They will tell you how they want the essays written and how to prepare for exams.
If you are going through with a History degree you need to familiarize yourself with the faculty in the department and build an academic relationship with them.
Acting like a recluse for your first two years only sets you behind in the department and the professors will be less helpful in the future, especially when it comes to writing letters of recommendation.
History is all about evidence and interpretation of that evidence. Make a claim, present the evidence, interpret it to suit tour agenda, conclusion.
>>405111
I was scoring As with cigarettes and cola. Step up, scrub.
>>408754
Is it really that hard, and important, to get letters of recommendation?
I'm somewhat engaged with my studies (ask questions, contribute to class discussion, sometimes email profs if their instruction for an assignment aren't 100% clear)
but I don't have much of an 'academic relationship'
Hell I don't know anyone in any of my classes
>>403689
When I did my history degree you needed to write an essay on one topic during the exam and an essay on one topic for the coursework to pass each course.
So for each term for each course I used to show up to two out of the ten lectures and take some good notes. I didn't rally bother with the seminars and shit.
I'm not saying it is a good method and I now regret not having fun learning as much as possible before I got into the world of work. However this did work for my 18-21 year old self.
>>403760
we learn this in high school
you can also turn it around and bring your evidences, then make a conclusion and end it with a final statement
how do you learn whole essays? what is even the point of that
>>408812
>how do you learn whole essays? what is even the point of that
Different anon here but you learn the relevant information and develop an argument so you can write your essay. You don't 'learn an essay' and surely knowledge and understanding of your topic and the ability to analyse your topic is the whole point.
Also, top tip, every history lecturer has their own particular opinion on a topic so it is best to try and write it from the perspective of agreeing with their point of view, even if you really don't.
>>405129
Welcome to college anon
>>405732
Studying history at Uni myself, but I'm in the UK.
Literally no idea what I want to do in life afterwards, I just really enjoy the subject. It's one of the few things I've enjoy working hard at.
>>403760
in school we called that PEE or Point Evidence Explanation, same thing really.
>>405732
where I am it's really easy to get the required classes down to have what you need for a history degree
I didnt even realise i had done it until i got a letter from the advisor saying so, this semester has just been polishing off the last few gen eds
if anything im fairly close to having done double what i need for the degree
>>406055
>that one prof in the department that wants the paper in MLA when every other one has either said specifically chicago or no preference so long as it's sourced
>>403689
read once
read again and underline
read third time and write an abstract, underlining the most important things
write down the most important dates from older to newest
this way you can't lose m8
>>403760
How the fuck does someone get into university without knowing this?
>>415066
When your ability to be admitted equals the limit on your credit card, that's how.
Welcome to "higher education" in the USA.
>>409514
America.
