1. Format
a. The paper is to be between eight and twelve pages in length, double-spaced, with 12 point Times New Roman font. The paper should use Chicago Style footnotes for citations and does not need a Works Cited page. No cover page is needed for this research paper, but a title page should be provided. Each page should be numbered in the bottom left-hand corner of the page. Each paragraph needs main idea based on the analysis of historical evidence drawn from both primary and secondary sources with clear reasoning. Sentences should be grammatically correct and clearly written in a language befitting an academic paper.
2. Organization and content
a. The paper should begin with an introduction that ends with a thesis statement that answers the research question posed in the first paragraph. The introduction should briefly state the significance of this topic or use an anecdote or fact that illustrates the intellectual heft of the paper.
b. Following the introduction, it should be described through a literature review / histography what leading scholars have argued about this topic. The thesis of each secondary source needs to be clearly stated and a critique of the strengths and weaknesses of each source should be provided.
c. The next section should use the primary sources to examine how these sources balance or contradict any general ideas or specific claims made by the secondary sources.
d. The final paragraph or paragraphs create a conclusion that restates the thesis with reference to support ideas and analysis. Students should also reflect on how their argument differs from previous scholarship, suggest questions or sources of interest for future scholarship, and reflect on what their paper demonstrates about the history of the second World War.
maccol
paper_directions.docx
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