- Identify your topic.
- Distill some of your main ideas and concerns.
- Pose your research question.
- Write your thesis (this can change, but provide a sentence or two that formulates your argumentative response to your research question).
Research Paper Requirements:
- Have a clearly defined thesis, argument, paragraph structure, and organizational system.
- Proofread for grammatical correctness, academic style, and spelling.
- Be sure to properly cite the texts you use and all Web or outside sources.
- Include an abstract. See Purdue’s OWL or your Little Brown or Little Seagull on how to construct an abstract (100 words maximum).
- All papers should conform to proper MLA or APA style, including headings (both styles) and cover pages (APA).
- All drafts should be double spaced, printed, and proofread for error.
- In addition to quoting from the primary sources (the texts) themselves, you must use at least three scholarly sources (a scholarly book, a scholarly journal article, conference proceedings, etc.). These must come from Walters State or other academic databases. Contact Julie Lewis ([email protected] ) or myself for help.
- You will submit a rough draft. It will be graded, and if you are happy with your initial grade, you may keep it and not complete a final draft, as long as that rough draft meets all requirements of the assignment.
- Final Drafts should be no less than 1000 and no more than 1200 words, not including your 100 word (maximum) abstract, Reference Lists/Works Cited, and (if APA) cover page.