How can you use historical context to add depth to a story without sacrificing objectivity?

1 Choose relevant sources

When you research historical sources, look for reliable and diverse ones that can support your main point or angle. Avoid sources that are too biased, outdated, or incomplete. Use primary sources, such as documents, interviews, or eyewitness accounts, whenever possible. Secondary sources, such as books, articles, or documentaries, can also be useful, but make sure to check their accuracy and credibility. Cite your sources clearly and transparently, and acknowledge any limitations or gaps in the information.

3 Compare and contrast

One way to use historical context effectively is to compare and contrast different situations or perspectives. For example, if you are writing about a current political crisis, you can compare and contrast it with a similar or different one in the past. How are they similar or different? What factors or forces influenced them? What were the outcomes or consequences? How do they affect the present or the future? Comparing and contrasting can help you highlight the similarities and differences, the continuities and changes, and the complexities and nuances of your topic.

4 Use examples and anecdotes

Another way to use historical context creatively is to use examples and anecdotes that illustrate your point or capture your audience's attention. For example, if you are writing about a current environmental issue, you can use an example or anecdote from the past that shows how people or nature responded to a similar or different challenge. How did they cope or adapt? What were the costs or benefits? What lessons can be learned? Examples and anecdotes can help you make your story more concrete and relatable, and show the human or ecological impact of your topic.

5 Be accurate and ethical

Finally, when you use historical context, be accurate and ethical. Do not distort or manipulate the facts to fit your narrative or agenda. Do not cherry-pick or omit relevant information that contradicts or complicates your point. Do not plagiarize or misquote your sources. Do not offend or harm your subjects or sources. Respect the historical truth and the historical actors, and follow the ethical standards and codes of conduct of your profession. By being accurate and ethical, you can use historical context to add depth to your story without sacrificing objectivity.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?