DESCRIPTION OF RESEARCH PAPER PROJECT
Type a research paper of 6-8 pages in length, double-spaced. A 12-point font, in Times Roman, is preferred.
The paper should include at least one illustration or a map [not
included in the 6-8 pages], and all sources will be footnoted. See the
“Suggested Citation Guide” below.
The intent of the paper is to explore further a topic of particular
interest to you related to the class. You may also choose to include a
summary paragraph that relates the historical material to current events
today.
This is a short paper but it must show that you have done research
beyond what we learned in class. Try to find an unusual angle or
perspective (your thesis). Formulate your own opinion and back it up
with sources. Don’t forget to look for primary sources.
You should use at least 3 academic sources in your paper. Avoid
television shows or documentaries, and DO NOT USE student websites or
Wikipedia.
If you use web-based sources, be sure it is an academic or scholarly
source or a footnoted article from a museum or research institute. You
can also use sites like the Library of Congress, FBI or CIA published
documents, Congressional hearing reports, reputable newspaper articles,
etc.
Aim for at least two citations per page. But ALL information should be referenced, not just quotations.
The research paper is worth 100 points, like an exam, and counts as 30% of the final semester grade.
THE RESEARCH PAPER IS DUE on Blackboard
Before you begin your research, check out this website for the Writing Center at GMU: http://writingcenter.gmu.edu/
and this GMU website about plagiarism: http://mason.gmu.edu/~montecin/plagiarism.htm#plagiarism
ANY DISCOVERY OF PLAGIARISM WILL RESULT IN A “0” FOR THE PAPER.
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SUGGESTED CITATION GUIDE
You can use any style or format that you choose, as long as it is consistent throughout the paper.
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Here are some helpful hints:
(1) The style most used for history papers in the United States is the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS).
Here’s a link for Chicago Style, for your information:
https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide/citation-guide-1.html
Click on “Notes and Bibliography Style” to see how to do footnotes and a bibliography at the end of the paper.
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(2) OR for this paper you might prefer to use the Turabian Citation Quick Guide at
http://www.press.uchicago.edu/books/turabian/turabian_citationguide.html
For example, #1 (below) is the first time you cite a
source; #2 is the second time you cite the same source with a different
page number.
1. Malcolm Gladwell, The Tipping Point: How Little
Things Can Make a Big Difference (Boston: Little, Brown, 2000), 64-65.
2. Gladwell, Tipping Point, 71.