Research Paper assignment sheet

The Research Paper in History: assignment sheet

Be certain to use Benjamin's A Student's Guide to History pp. 77-184 to assist in the writing of the research paper. The paper itself should be modeled on the research paper example provided pp.165-184, including the note and bibliography forms.

Basic Requirements: (you will be docked one percentage point from the grade otherwise earned for the assignment for each requirement missing from your paper)

1) The paper must be word processed/typed, must have page numbers in the top right-hand corner of each page after the first, must have a maximum of 1 inch margins throughout, must be double spaced, and must be printed out in 12 point type font (Courier or Times Roman). You may use a cover sheet or place necessary information in the top left-hand corner of the first page of your paper. Each paper should have at least your name, the course for which it is being turned in, the instructor to whom it is being turned in, and the date. Your paper must have a brief but appropriately illustrative title. Staple your papers in the top left-hand corner. Do NOT use plastic covers or binders of any sort.

2) The paper must have at least 1 independent scholarly source for each page in length (e.g. 10 sources for a 10 page paper) and a separate bibliography (at the end) conforming to Chicago/Turabian style . While you may, and perhaps should, use reference sources like the Encyclopedia Britannica in your paper, they do not count toward the source count. Internet sources are acceptable, but should come from reputable, preferably academic, sites and be properly cited. For each World Wide Web internet source you use (other than primary documents) there must be at least 3 traditional book or journal article sources (articles delivered electronically through services like JSTOR that originally appeared in refereed academic journals do not count as "internet sources"). You should cite at least once from each of the sources listed in your bibliography in the body of the paper.

3) In writing the paper, all sources of information must be cited , even when the writer is not quoting directly. Each citation must refer unambiguously to an item in the bibliography and must have specific page citations. Research papers in history must use footnote/endnote citations conforming to Chicago/Turabian (humanities [Documentary-note] format] style . The Chicago Manual of Style is on reserve at Terteling Library. Follow this link for a few brief examples of common Chicago -style citations. You may also want to use the Chicago Style Manual Quick Guide (humanities format only).

4) You must write your paper in stages providing the following by the set dates (total project grade made up of the following percentages): topic (a formal, typed submission), bibliography (at least 8 quality sources), outline and tentative paper thesis (3 pages, double spaced: 2%), critical annotated bibliography (10 sources or more, 3 pages single spaced: 3%), draft with revised thesis stated separately and including a polished introduction and conclusion (5%). You must turn in the copy of your draft (with my comments and comment sheet) with the final draft of the paper. A draft must be at least six pages of appropriate text with missing sections indicated in detailed outline. Final draft: 90%. If you miss ANY of the deadlines for these stages, you will be removed from the research paper option and required to complete the reaction paper option. If this happens, you will be required to turn in all of the outstanding reaction paper assignments within one week of the missing the research paper assignment date. Late penalties will apply after the one week grace period.

5) Each research paper must, when turned in, be accompanied by a signed copy of the History Department Academic Integrity Statement available at http://www.albertson.edu/academics/history/courses/plagiarism.htm. Please be sure to read the examples of plagiarism as well as the statement itself.

General Requirements:

1) Read the Research Paper Writing Guide and follow the instructions for selecting a topic, researching it, and writing a paper on it. Be certain to utilize all the research tools available, including Interlibrary Loan when necessary. Please note well that Interlibrary Loan materials can take up to three weeks to arrive, and thus you should begin your research and IL requests as soon as possible.

2) The paper must have a concrete thesis stated in its introductory paragraph. Each following paragraph and each example/argument should be explicitly chosen and developed to support that thesis. The conclusion should restate the thesis as an answered question and, ideally, extend the argument to issues of greater historical concern. As the old saying goes, "Tell 'em what you're gunna tell 'em [introduction], tell 'em [and show/demonstrate to them in the body of the paper], tell 'em what you told 'em [conclusion]." Analysis and argumentation are crucial. Your paper should always be able to pass the “so what?” test; that is, you should always seek to convince your reader of the importance and interest of your topic. Furthermore, the importance of the information and arguments in the paper should always explicitly support a clearly developed and defended thesis that is central to your topic.

3) General narratives of development or descriptions of situations must be supported with concrete and specific evidence. Specific examples, quotations, and other evidence are essential to historical analysis. Thus, note these points:

a. Paragraphs within the body of a research paper should generally have at least one source citation and one concrete example each. You must cite your sources even when paraphrasing or relating information in your own words drawn from a specific source. Judicious use of quotations, especially from primary sources, can add dramatically to the power and effectiveness of your arguments. Even though you are writing a research paper, and will naturally rely on secondary-source analyses, incorporation of primary-source materials relating to your topic is always desirable.

b. Overuse of quotations can detract from the quality of your paper. Generally speaking, you should only quote those phrases that are outstandingly striking and illustrative or use long quotations (of a full sentence or more) when the material is so powerful that it cannot be paraphrased without detracting from its usefulness. If you use long quotations, note that those of over three lines should be block indented. Furthermore, as a general rule, long quotations should be followed by at least as much independent explication of meaning or analysis as the length of the quotation. If you are quoting from a secondary source, it is usually the best to acknowledge the author of the work in the body of the text with a signal phrase ("As Ranajit Guha notes, . . . ").

4) If you refer to a historical debate or a contested point of interpretation among historians, you should indicate the principle figures in the debate and provide citations to key articles or books that demonstrate their various positions. If it detracts from the flow of your paper to include these in the body of the text, provide this information in the form of an informational footnote.

5) In a research paper you should use and display the use of a wide range of sources in your footnotes. It is a sign of poor research and a narrow evidential base if the same source is repeatedly referred to. If you have several sources that convey similar information or interpretation, mix your references to these sources to demonstrate the breadth of your research work through the scholarly apparatus of the footnote.

6) Examine the Research Paper Grading Criteria sheet in order to review the expected levels of organization and analysis set for the paper, and the common writing errors to be avoided in formulating your paper.

Some common writing errors to avoid:

1) when indicating decades, the plural, not the possessive should be used: thus, 1960s NOT 1960's.

2) when using block quotations (of over 3 lines of text), do not use opening and closing quotation marks, though you DO maintain any quotations marks that exist within the quotation in question.

3) do not confuse its (the possessive form) and it's (the contraction): remember, it's = it is, ALWAYS!

4) refer to the Research Paper Grading Criteria sheet for more common writing errors to avoid.