Research Paper Information

1. Research PaperInformation Assignment Details & “Way to an A”

2. Research Paper Due Date • Research Paper due • Dec. 9, 2018 at midnight (11:59pm). • No late submissions will be accepted. • You have the time to write this so “ I got sick/in an accident/ etc.” will not excuse leaving this until the last minute. • Do not procrastinate until the night before it is due to write. • Trust me, this NEVER works out in your favor.

3. Paper Assignment- Format • 5-7 full pages (plus bibliography/works cited) • Use Microsoft Word (or similar program) • 12 point • Times New Roman (or similar) font • Double-spaced • 1 inch margins • Title page up to your discretion • Not included in page count

4. Paper Assignment: Way to an A • P1: Introduction • Make sure to have a thesis sentence • P2: What are you arguing… Evidence. • Present possible solutions. • P3: Other side would argue… Evidence they would provide. • P4: Why wrong. • P5: Conclusion • Bibliography

5. Paper Assignment:Part One A: Introductory Paragraph • The first paragraph of your paper, which will introduce your argument • Have a clear thesis sentence • Do I answer the question? • Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? • Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument and will lead to a weak paper.  • Example: • While both sides fought the Civil War over the issue of slavery, the North fought for moral reasons while the South fought to preserve its own institutions.

6. Paper Assignment: Part One B:Sources • Finding Sources • J-stor (one required) • Google Scholar • Google and Wikipedia for general information • News • Do not use Wikipedia as source • Library website • Once you find one article, look at its reference section • Read abstracts to save time

7. Acceptable Sources • Government Data • Data from some non-governmental organizations • Government Policy Papers • Newspaper Articles • Scholarly Articles • Etc.

8. UNacceptable Sources • Data derived from TV pundits • Newspaper editorials • Blogs • Wikipedia • Etc.

9. Sources • REQUIRED: For the Semester Final Paper, your paper should include at least 4 “acceptable” sources. • I highly recommend using an average of one source for each page written. • This does not mean only cite one source a page. • J-stor: one source must come from this database.

10. What is plagiarism? • Plagiarism means using another’s work without giving credit. If you use others’ words, you must put them in quotation marks and cite your source. • You must also give citations when using others’ ideas, even if you have paraphrased those ideas in your own words.

11. What is plagiarism? • “Work” includes the words and ideas of others, as well as art, graphics, computer programs, music, and other creative expression. The work may consist of writing, charts, data, graphs, pictures, diagrams, websites, movies, TV broadcasts, or other communication media.

12. What is plagiarism? • The term “source” includes published works -- books, magazines, newspapers, textbooks, websites, movies, photos, paintings, plays -- and unpublished sources (e.g., materials from a research service, blogs, class handouts, lectures, notes, speeches, or other students’ papers). Using words, ideas, computer code, or any work without giving proper credit is plagiarism. Any time you use information from a source, of any kind, you must cite it.

13. What is plagiarism? • Distinguishing "common knowledge" from original work • Facts can be viewed as common knowledge if they are generally known and widely established. The term "common knowledge" implies that the audience and the author have agreed on certain facts, so accepted common knowledge might vary depending on your audience. • For example, dates referring to well-known events can be viewed as common knowledge. So, when referring to December 7, 1941 as the date the Japanese forces attacked Pearl Harbor, you would not need to cite a source for your information—if Americans comprise your target audience. • Be wary, however, when treating information as common knowledge. When making this judgment, consider whether the information is both widely known and undisputed. As your expertise within your field grows, your base of common knowledge, as it pertains to that field of expertise, will also grow.  • When in doubt about the status of a piece of information, err on the side of caution and include a citation.

14. How to Cite Sources • One citation method is to identify the source in the text, putting the author’s last name and publication year in parenthesis and giving the page number where the cited information appears. (Hacker, 2003, p. 391). • The author’s name links the reader to a list at the end of the paper giving full publishing information. Example: • Sources Cited: • Hacker, D., A Writer’s Reference, 5th Ed. (Bedford/St. Martin’s Press 2003) pp. 391-2.

15. How to Cite Sources • Example: Journal • Agustín, Laura. 2006. “The Disappearing of a Migration Category: Migrants Who Sell Sex.” Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 32, no. 1: 29-47. • There is a scarcity of research, and especially of quantitative research, in this area because “there can be no correct figures where a sector is unrecognized [sic] by official accounting” (Agustín 2006, 31).

16. How to Cite Sources • Example: Book Chapter • Castles, Stephen, and Mark J. Miller. 2003. "Migration to Highly Developed Countries since 1945." In The Age of Migration: International Population Movements in the Modern World, by Stephen Castles and Mark J. Miller, 68- 93. New York, NY: The Guilford Press. • (Castles and Miller 2003, 69)

17. How to Cite Sources • The Word shortcut • (This is the best and easiest way to do this) • Please set your computer to either Chicago or APA • Consistency is key

18. Questions • If you have ANY QUESTIONS please feel free to contact me. • Like with most things, it is better to do so sooner rather than later.