History Projects & Methodological Walkthroughs
A curated directory of step-by-step guides, open-source tools, and methodological workflows for applying historical knowledge through tangible artifacts—from digital maps and archival collections to oral histories and research monographs.
Write a Narrative History
- A Brief Guide to Writing the History Paper (Harvard College Writing Center)
- Reading, Writing, and Researching for History: A Guide for College Students (Patrick Rael / Bowdoin College)
- Learning to Do Historical Research: Sources and Narrative (William Cronon)
Write a Historical Biography or Profile
- Writing Historical Biography (Elizabeth Shown Mills / Evidence Explained)
- How to Write a Biography: A 7-Step Guide (Reedsy)
Build an Interactive Historical Timeline
Create a Historical Map or Spatial Visualization
- Introduction to Map Warper (Anthony Picón Rodríguez & Miguel Cuadros / The Programming Historian)
- Displaying a Georeferenced Map in KnightLab's StoryMap JS (Erica Y. Hayes & Mia Partlow / The Programming Historian)
- Preparing a Historical Map for GIS Systems (Jason M. Kelly)
Curate a Primary-Source Archive or Collection
- Creating a Primary Source Archive: All History Is Local (Library of Congress)
- Home Archival Guide: Your Guide to Build Your Own At-Home Archive (Detroit Historical Society)
- Up and Running with Omeka.net (Miriam Posner / The Programming Historian)
Curate a Virtual Museum Exhibit
- Creating an Omeka Exhibit (Miriam Posner & Megan R. Brett / The Programming Historian)
- Building a Digital Exhibition with CollectionBuilder and the Internet Archive (Jennifer Isasi / The Programming Historian)
Conduct and Record an Oral History Project
- How to Do Oral History (Smithsonian Institution Archives)
- Step-by-Step Guide to Oral History (Judith Moyer / DoHistory)
- Oral History Best Practices (Oral History Association)
- How to Conduct an Oral History Interview (National Trust for Historic Preservation)
Build a Genealogical Family Tree
- How to Build a Family Tree: Tracing Your Ancestors (National Genealogical Society)
- Resources for Genealogists and Family Historians (US National Archives)
Write a Historiographical Essay
- Seven Steps to Writing Historiography (University of Guelph Library)
- Historiography Papers (Regent University Writing Lab)