CPO4057 final

CPO 4057 Political Violence and Revolution TR 8:15-11:35

Research Paper Guidelines and Rubric

As you already know, you will be writing a research paper by the end of the term. I am confident

that you are more than capable of doing the necessary research and turning in a paper that

reflects weeks of careful planning and editing.

The exact topic of your paper is completely up to you. I do, however, ask that you follow some

basic parameters in choosing a focus for your project:

1. Your topic must be situated in the timeline covered in our class lectures, e.g. roughly 1860-present. (i.e. no papers on the American Revolution, etc.)

2. A successful paper requires that you make a substantive and original argument about the topic you are covering while considering scholarly debates around that topic.

a. For reference, “original” does not mean “brand new,” but rather a thesis and argument rendered in your own words based on your own insights and analysis,

supported by sources that you compile through research.

3. No more than half of your sources should be drawn from course readings. Sources should be drawn from published work from credible scholars, through book-length works or

academic journals (i.e. Entertainment Weekly is not a credible source, nor is an

encyclopedia or related reference work). I can evaluate other types of sources (video,

etc.) on a case-by-case basis.

a. As you know, FIU has institutional access to multiple databases. Some more popular options for social scientists include JSTOR for academic articles and

Worldcat for bibliographic references

b. For remote access, make sure you have downloaded the university’s VPN in order to use the library and associated databases

1 Research Paper (8 pp. minimum) – Due July 31th (11:59 PM)

The core of any good research paper is a compelling topic. Once that is developed, come up with

a central research question (ex. “What were the causes of the Reign of Terror during the

French Revolution?) Given the nature of the course, I expect your topics to reflect questions

and debates around actual historical revolutions, comparative studies of different revolutions, or

questions of political theory relating to revolution supported by historical examples. As stated in

the syllabus, you can select case studies not included in the course readings, provided that these

case studies are relevant to the course (i.e. related to the intersection between revolution

and political violence).

I encourage you to seek feedback outside of class such as during office hours or via e-mail. This

applies both to possible topic choices and drafts of your papers, which I am willing to read with

advanced notice.

As the author, you should assume your reader has little prior knowledge of your topic. Provide

adequate background for the topic. In addition, make sure that the reader can clearly understand

CPO 4057 Political Violence and Revolution TR 8:15-11:35

your thesis and supporting arguments. You should have a strong introductory section that

provides these elements. A strong paper will also consider counterarguments or debates

pertaining to whatever topic you choose. Any additional questions about structure can be

addressed in class or office hours.

As previously indicated, no more than half of your sources can be taken from course readings. I

am not requiring a minimum or maximum number of sources, but please keep in mind that it is

much harder to write a good academic paper with an insufficient number of sources.

Style and Formatting

Without exception, papers should be written in Times New Roman in 12 pt. font. Margins should

be 1 inch on all sides, and all written assignments should be double-spaced. Not following these

guidelines may result in point deductions. Include a centered title for your paper and page

numbers in the header or footer.

References made to your sources in the body of your research papers should be done as

either footnotes or parenthetical citations (please choose one format and stick to it). Include a

bibliography with full citations of the works you are using. Remember that paraphrasing or using

any information from an outside work requires that you cite properly. Failure to do so is

essentially plagiarism, even if unintentional.

Submission and Late Papers

All papers must be submitted on the due date for full credit. Late papers will only be accepted for

24 hours past the due date and will be marked down by 1 letter grade. Remember that your

papers will be checked for originality using turnitin.com!

Research Paper Rubric

Category Explanation

A well-argued thesis You have a structured topic and research question as well as a

response in the form of an argument or point of view on the topic

Supporting arguments

connecting to the thesis

The body paragraphs of your paper expand further on the topic,

connect to your thesis, and make use of your sources to provide

support

Consideration of

alternative viewpoints

(counterargument)

At least a paragraph of your paper is used to explore, consider, and

provide a rebuttal to an alternative argument different than your

own

A sufficient number of

appropriate sources

Sources have to be appropriate for an academic paper, relevant to

the topic, and numerous enough to support your arguments

Organization and

formatting

Formatting is done correctly (font, margins, citations) and the

paper is organized in presenting information with a title and page

numbers