Research

Paper Guidelines and FAQ

READ THE DIRECTIONS AND FOLLOW THEM COMPLETELY

Directions:

1. Use the memoir of Anbara Salam al-Khalidi to highlight an aspect of life in the Arab world during the 20th century, focusing on one aspect of her life (her experience as an Arab feminist, her education, her family, her encounter with Zionism, etc.).

2. You MUST make Anbara the central focus of the paper, do not simply include random quotes from the book and write an unrelated research paper.

3. Use secondary sources to place Anbara’s experience in a historical context.

4. Write a 6 page analytical paper, complete with thesis and bibliography, citing appropriately using the Chicago citation style (6 pages of text, not including the bibliography).

5. ONLY SCHOLARLY SOURCES, at least 5 Academic sources, meaning books or academic articles

Grading Criteria

· Clarity and quality of argument (i.e. you wrote a thesis sentence and stuck with the purpose of it throughout)

· Quality of research and sources chosen

· Accuracy and consistency of argument

· Technical writing skills (i.e. lack of many errors, academic language and tone, clarity of language)

· Adherence to citation style guidelines

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is this an informative essay?

A: Nope! This is an academic essay, which means it must have a CLEAR thesis statement and an argument that you use to guide the paper all the way through. All evidence must support the thesis or it should be left out. Don’t just tell me about your topic, tell me what is important about it according to the sources and your own judgment.

Q: How many sources do I need?

A: Don’t make this a book report. You need more than one source. Find several sources, see what they say, what they agree or disagree on, and present your own interpretation. It’s tough to do this without accessing at least 4 sources, but I do understand that some topics are tougher to find articles on than others.

Q: I often plagiarize. Is this okay?

A: Not in the least. If you plagiarize or fail to cite internally you will fail the assignment and I will be extremely disappointed in you and will refer you to the Dean. See the Student Handbook for additional consequences.

TL/DR Version:

1. Your thesis must be a clear answer to your research question and located at the end of the introduction

2. The paper must be written in formal academic language and use appropriate grammar and proper spelling. No contractions (don’t, it’s, etc.)

3. It must be properly cited according to the Chicago citation method

4. You must use at least 5 Academic sources, meaning books or academic articles.

5. You cannot cite Wikipedia

6. If you plagiarize, you will get a zero on the assignment and face additional consequences, as laid out in the Student Handbook.

* Ottoman Arab relations

* Preferably Chicago style

* Experiences from her life and relate it to all of the changes related to the atab world

* Try to look through her eyes and view the world

* Anbara should be the primary resource

* Quality of resources

* BE CONSISTENT

* No I me you, keep it as general as possible

* do not say in my opinion, what I think ….. however, make your opinion show through your writings