Penn Professors on Writing in History

Arthur Waldron

About the Professor

Arthur Waldron is the Lauder Professor of International Relations in the Department of History. His areas of specialty are East Asia and China and their militaristic power. Waldron's works have been translated into Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Italian.

For more about Dr. Waldron, please visit his Faculty Page.

Writing Tips

Dr. Waldron recommends that students write routinely as their research and understanding unfolds, as this is a better approach for reducing stress levels than "binge" writing. Also, he believes that students should not be too overambitious and spend too much time researching.

Important Criteria for Student Writing

Dr. Waldron believes that correctly using facts in a paper is one of the most important components. He notes that there are two schools within writing about history: orthodox and postmodern. The orthodox school emphasizes facts that can be established. Postmodernists interrogate the validity of facts. Dr. Waldron is part of the orthodox school, and emphasizes the importance and validity of facts. In addition, he believes having original ideas is crucial.

Personal Writing Process

Dr. Waldron writes one entire draft without erasing or revising anything until it is completed. He then does substantial revision. For Dr. Waldron, the process of writing is the process of thinking. He is currently working on a book, titled, The Chinese. On a good day, he notes that he completes three pages. If he doesn't get his daily quota done, he feels disappointed.

Exemplary Authors

Dr. Waldron points to Elie Kedourie as an exemplary writer, honest and clear, and a superb scholar of the Middle East.