The Process of Historical Inquiry:

Choose a time period or theme

Narrow your inquiry to a specific topic or event

Do background research to get an overview 

Develop your essential question

Gather your sources

Work with each source:

  • Collect evidence
  • Consider bias
  • Evaluate evidence
  • Use the evidence to answer your essential question

Corroborate the evidence across sources 

Put it all together: make your argument

  • Develop a thesis statement that clearly states your argument
  • Create a report plan
  • Support your argument with evidence and evaluation of your sources
  • Decide on your report format (written report, PowerPoint, etc.)
  • Clearly state your conclusions

Terry's Tips

Provide a checklist for students to monitor progress

This outline of the historical inquiry process gives students an overview of the steps.  Preview the outline with your students in the initial stages of their historical inquiry.  This gives them a tool and a guide for monitoring where they are in the process.