Paper - General Guidelines
Your research paper will be based on primary sources--texts, documents, images, and other material culture from the period. PLEASE NOTE THAT PAPERS THAT DO NOT USE PRIMARY SOURCES CAN NOT EARN A GRADE HIGHER THAN AN 80. It can be on any topic that you want as long as it fits into the topical framework of the course. The paper will have a thesis statement or argument, which will be underlined in the final draft. It will be your job to try to convince me of your point of view. Under no circumstances should you write a narrative paper that just describes a series of events. The paper should be footnoted according to the guidelines in the Chicago Manual of Style, double-spaced, in 12 pt font, with page numbers, and one inch margins all around. The length should be 20-25 pages, PLUS a title page, and a bibliography page. Staple it (no paper clips, please) and do not put it in binders or folders.
All students should consult with me on their topics. I am happy to discuss your ideas with you, help you with references, and assist you in refining your thesis. I will not, however, give you a topic. When you come talk to me, please come with ideas already in mind. Finally, you should start the research paper as early as possible. Your particular sources may be difficult to find and it may require that you get them from other libraries. In other words, do not start working on this the weekend before it is due.
On march 8th, you will be required to turn in an abstract. The abstract should include a one paragraph summary of your topic, including a working thesis, and a bibliography with at least 6 primary and 6 secondary sources. When looking for sources do not forget the journal literature. Your secondary sources should not come exclusively from books, but also from journal articles. Among the secondary sources included in your abstract, at least 2 must be articles, while the rest can be books.The abstract serves two purposes: to get you working on the paper early enough and to ensure that you have a viable thesis and source material. If you're unsure how to do one, you can click here for a sample abstract.
On April 19th, you will have the option of turning in a draft of your research paper. The draft does not need to be the finished paper, but it needs to be at least 12 pages long and in essay form (not a long outline of what you're planning on doing). The draft is worth 15% of your grade. You can choose to not turn in the draft. If you do not turn in the draft then your final paper will count 15% more.
The final paper is due on May 17th in class.
Finally, here are some useful links: