Powerpoint presentations have their uses, as do maps, graphs, and dirty limericks. But essays are particularly well suited to ideas about change over time, to history. And this brings me to my conclusion, for having written an essay, I must write a conclusion. That is, assume that you have convinced your reader of your thesis statement, and tell her why it is important. I have argued that the key to writing a clear essay is to structure it around a clear thesis statement, and now, trusting that I have made my case, I suggest that learning the essay form should be just the beginning of learning how to write.
Real writing is about ideas.
Real history writing is about events. As an instructor, I am happy to work with students on issues of form, but my vocation is to grapple with content. If you write a poor essay, with no central thesis statement, with rambling paragraphs, with shaky grammar, all we can talk about is improving your writing style. If you write a good essay, one that expresses your ideas clearly, we can skip all that and work together to understand the past. And that is what I would prefer to do.