TIPS & TRICKS

FOR READING AND WRITING IN THE

Humanities
Rhetorical Choices Structural Elements
Intended Audience: Narrow, Both types of theses -- implicit and

directed toward academics, explicit -- are used in humanities

students, and experts in the papers, and they vary with the style

humanities field. of the paper. Argumentative should

Audience's Prior Knowledge: The be explicit and informative can be

audience of your paper is likely to either one.

have mediocre to extensive The identifying mark of a

knowledge in the humanities area. humanities paper is its

Explain your own ideas and organization. Unlike academic

concepts thoroughly, but keep papers you may have written in the

explanations of common past, new ideas are split by more

humanities principles to a minimum.

Typography
than just a new paragraph.

Humanities essays have sections,

numbered and each with a brief

header explaining the concept

Humanities papers are often
covered in that bit.

Reference Elements
written in Chicago style, especially

for themes like history or

government, but APA is also

common. MLA is only used for The base of all humanities papers

English, usually. For more is extensive research. Many papers

information on how to use each of contain more than fifty sources,

these formatting styles, and which though it completely depends on

types of humanities papers they the topic of your paper. Fifty

apply to, visit the Chicago style sources is not necessary, just make

website (The Chicago Manual of sure your sources are reliable and

Style) and the APA section of the contain enough evidence to

Purdue website (APA Style Manual). effectively support your thesis.