RESEARCH PAPER GUIDELINES

RESEARCH PAPER GUIDELINES

One research paper is required for this course. The Research Paper is worth a total of 30% of your grade and is due on the assigned date found on your syllabus!

The research paper is of your choice as long as it covers the period that is being cover in the course. The paper will be 10 pages in length, double spaced, using 12 point font, submitted online. This should be similar to any paper you would write for other classes – including a title page, an introduction, body of text, a conclusion, and references/bibliography. APA or MLA format is acceptable.

Proper Citation of Sources.

When writing papers which use information from researched sources, it is necessary to provide complete and correct documentation to show the source of all words and ideas which are not those of the student. Failure to cite a source implies that the information used is the original work of the paper writer – a form of stealing known as “plagiarism.” In the college class, plagiarism is grounds for failure, no matter how well written the rest of the paper may be.

Do not use first person or contractions when writing. Also, remember that a successful term paper is not one that is written at the last moment, rather it is one that has been thought out, written, edited, and edited some more (you may consider turning in a rough draft or talking with me prior to the due date if you are unsure about how to approach writing the paper). Make sure you proofread! Nothing detracts from a paper (or grade) worse than a poorly written, mistake-filled paper.

When writing this research paper, you should attempt to address the following questions: Comprehensive introduction ( includes who, what, where , and when) with clear thesis statement that answers the question.

 Why is this person or event important in American History?

 Does this individual or event represent an aspect that helped shape American History?

 Would American History be different if not for the actions of this person or the occurrence of the events? (ensure you have a solid conclusion)

Students should not use the encyclopedia or the course text book as the primary source of research. Also keep in mind when writing the research paper ,You should not rely solely on the internet for information either; students may use certain web page links such as, The History Channel or Historynet.com to reinforce the research paper.

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