research paper

READING IN THE CONTENT AREA

RESEARCH PAPER INSTRUCTIONS

Each student is required to produce a research paper on any one of the suggested research topics listed on page.

The paper should follow generally accepted research guidelines.  For example, students should not engage in plagiarism or cutting and pasting of information from the Internet, etc.  Both on-ground and on-line students should feel free to ask Instructors’ questions either face-to-face or on-line if they are not clear about any term paper issues.  It is highly recommended that students get writing assistance from the University Writing Center (4^th Floor, Student Success Center).

When preparing your paper use double-space Times New Roman, Font Size 12 only, with 1-inch margins on all sides.  Select one typing style and stick to it, do not mix both styles.  For example:  Either type in BLOCK style – each paragraph begins on the left margin or type in INDENTED style – the first line of each paragraph is indented 5 spaces.

1.   Select a topic from one of the many topics provided on the following pages.

2.   Research the topic thoroughly using a combination of books, journals, newspaper articles, recorded interviews with established experts on the subject and internet resources, etc.  Your research materials must be scholarly and reputable, for example information from the Washington Post, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, etc., television news programs such as Public T.V. and the other major news programs such as CBS 60 minutes, ABC 20/20, CNN with Anderson Cooper, etc., and academic journals and resource textbooks, etc.  Your primary resource will be your textbook and you should cite a minimum of five (5) sources.  NB:  You may use Wikipedia to introduce yourself to the topic however it is not a reliable resource for citation purposes.

Prepare a Formal Outline of your Topic:  Formatting your Outline/Topic Page

Your Outline should be done using Roman numeral letters – I, II, III, IV, V, etc.

Head your paper with:

Name:                          Type in your name

Course                         EDRD 2010 - plus your Section number

Instructor’s name        Type in the Instructor’s name

Date                            September 18, 2014

TOPIC:                                                           Centered on the Page

Do not paraphrase, etc.  Do not use terms such as “My topic is” or “I will be writing about…”

Just state the topic.  For example – look at the sample topic below:

(Sample Topic):  America Needs a Contemporary Civil Rights Movement

         Leave 2-4 lines of space after the topic and begin your outline

3.   At the bottom of your page add the following:

Topic Approved_____________________________ Date Approved___________________________________

Topic Denied_______________________________ Reason for Denial _________________________________

Instructor’s Suggestions________________________________________________________Initials__________

This is the Topic : 1.      Increasing government spending will help the economy. Discuss

RESEARCH PAPER OUTLINE

I.               Introduction

A.   Attention grabber (facts, rhetorical questions or anecdote)

B.    Thesis Statement

II.             Body Paragraph (Topic Sentence)

A.   Reason #1

B.    Reason #2

C.    Reason #3

III.           Body Paragraph (Topic Sentence)

A.   Reason #1

B.    Reason #2

C.    Reason #3

IV.           Body Paragraph (Topic Sentence)

A.  Reason #1

B.  Reason #2

C.  Reason #3

       V.    Body Paragraph (Topic Sentence)

A.  Reason #1

B.  Reason #2

C.  Reason #3

VI.           Conclusion

A.   Restate the Thesis Statement

B.    Closing Thoughts

RESEARCH PAPER OUTLINE EXAMPLE

I.         Introduction

A.   Anecdote

B.    Abortion should be illegal in the United States because it is murder, unsafe for the mother, and unfair to the unborn child.

II.             History of Abortion

A.   Fact #1

B.    Fact #2

C.    Fact #3

III.           Murder (define murder)

A.   Type of abortion #1

B.    Type of abortion #2

C.    Type of abortion #3

IV.           Unsafe for the mother

A.  Prevention of future pregnancies

B.  Possible death

C.  Mental aspects

   V.      Unfair to unborn child

A.  Child’s influence to society

B.  Development of facts

C.  Other options

V.             Conclusion

A.    Abortion is murder, unsafe for the mother, and unfair to the unborn child, so it should be illegal in the United States.

B.    Closing Thoughts