How should I approach historiography in my coursework essay?

Unlike exam essays, historiography is very important for coursework, as the way in which you use and analyse the opinions of different historians plays a key role in the marking criteria. But this doesn’t just mean name-checking as many famous scholars as you can. Rather than simply latching a quote onto the end of a paragraph to make it sound good, you need to think about whether you agree with the historian’s argument and how their background may have influenced their view. To achieve the highest grades, you should also try to compare different historians, thinking about similarities and differences within their arguments and how their contributions relate specifically to the question you are answering. Remember, though, that you mustn’t let your own voice become drowned out. At the end of the day, it’s your opinion – not that of Taylor, Schama or Ferguson – that matters most, so take care not to sacrifice your own individual argument, which should form the core of the essay.