Research paper (Internet of Things and the environment)

Grading Scheme

93 – 105% A 90 – 92.99% A-

87 – 89.99% B+ 83 – 86.99% B 80 – 82.99% B-

77 – 79.99% C+ 73 – 76.99% C 70 – 72.99% C-

60 – 69.99% D < 59.99% F

Attendance/Participation 15% (30 points) Real World Service Project 10% (20 points) Short Quizzes 25% (50 points) Literature Review / Research Paper 30% (60 points) Oral Presentation 20% (40 points) Extra Credit 5% (10 points) POSSIBLE TOTAL 105% (210 possible total pts)

Research Paper

The thesis topic or outline is due on Monday, (10 points). The final, completed paper is due on Monday, (50 points).

Grading Category Points Description

Thesis Statement or Outline 10 pts Clearly stated; good breadth of topic; turned in on time to Professor; covers the subject matter well

FINAL PAPER

Introduction 10 pts Clear introduction to topic &/or issues and need for paper; may highlight some appropriate background information

Writing Style & Quality 10 pts

Writing should be without misspellings or significant grammatical problems; Writing should be clear, concise, and include an evident knowledge of recent literature on the subject matter (including appropriate citations)

Discussion / Analysis 15 pts

Writing should analyze the topic thoroughly; student should evaluate the data and/or compare/contrast (where appropriate) to show a higher level of understanding than just a repetition of data

Solutions 10 pts Student should suggest ideas or possible solutions to the problem or concept and/or future directions to the research. Think creatively.

Length 5 pts Meets minimum of 1500 words without excessive repetition: including a literature cited (references section) and *optional* abstract (≤250 words).

Total 60 points -----

Common Paper Mistakes • Preconceived conclusions

• Not accounting for error or variability

• Opinion-based statements

• Too broad of a thesis statement

• Not enough supporting literature

– Using only one source for a central idea

Where can I find scientific literature?

• www.scholar.google.com

• www.jstor.org

• http://www.refseek.com/

• http://academic.research.microsoft.com/

• LMU Library! (whoa… there’s an idea!)

• And so on…

Research Paper Outline • Introduction

• Include relevant background information • End with specific topic/hypothesis/problem statement • Be specific about what you will be analyzing

• Key Analysis Point #1 • Supporting literature; sub-points of discussion; facts & figures

• Key Analysis Point #2 • Supporting literature; sub-points of discussion; facts & figures

• Key Analysis Point #3 • Supporting literature; sub-points of discussion; facts & figures

• Conclusions • Wrap up your discussion highlighting your key conclusions • Solutions / Future Directions

Food for thought…

• Make sure to reach a higher level of analysis! Don’t just report facts – analyze them and evaluate them. Think critically. Think about how we’ve evaluated papers in class and where your research compliments itself and where it differs by author. Why? What does that mean?

• End on a positive note! Try to find solutions.