Document Type
Article
Publication Date
Fall 2025
Abstract
The study of history is too often relegated to the basic skills of memorization and summarization. Teaching students history, however, should not be just memorization. Research has shown that the ability of students to take multiple perspectives, analyze cause and effect, and make well-reasons assertions is much more valuable than basic memorization. Tying all these skills together is the concept of being able to present an argument with specific supporting evidence that helps to prove the point. Many freshmen in entry-level high school history courses struggle to use this skill well. This inquiry-based research study aims to help understand why students struggle with this and what methods might be used to improve their ability to make solid arguments supported with specific evidence. The study makes use of a quantitative approach, analyzing students' ability to write brief argumentative paragraphs after interventions have been used to help increase their skills in this area. The findings demonstrate the importance of taking different approaches to teaching these historical skills, showing an overall improvement in students' scores when exposed to different interventions. This study also emphasizes the importance of how history is being taught in classrooms. There is further research needed to help expand on the length and size of the study, as well as introducing a qualitative aspect to dive deeper into student perceptions and teacher input.