Read the prompt carefully
Identify the historical task, time period, and key terms
Analyze the documents for author, audience, purpose, and point of view
Group the documents by theme or argument
Write a clear thesis that answers the prompt
Use contextualization to set up the historical background
Support each claim with specific evidence from the documents
Include outside historical evidence
Explain how the documents support your argument
Compare, contrast, and connect the documents when relevant
Address sourcing for multiple documents
Organize body paragraphs by argument or theme
End with a strong conclusion that restates the argument