GUIDELINES FOR RESEARCH PAPER

A scholarly research paper is based upon your own formulation of a research topic, identification of relevant sources in the academic and popular literature (books, journals, newspapers), careful combing of the information in those sources, and your own thoughtful presentation of the information learned and the conclusions you have reached.

Any topic dealing with Africa is acceptable as long as it relates to human beings. For example, you could consider the controversy surrounding the ban on trade in ivory but a paper that only looked at the biology of elephants would not be acceptable.

A good research paper demonstrates the writer’s originality, resourcefulness and creativity. Merely cutting and pasting information together does not produce a good research paper. To ensure that you don’t rely on cutting and pasting, I would recommend (but won’t require) that you write a research paper with a point of view, in which you argue for a position.

One approach would be to imagine yourself in a position of responsibility in a development agency, health ministry, etc. and argue for a course of action based on your evaluation of the evidence you have assembled. Another approach would be to argue for the truth of a controversial statement, e.g., Women’s options have increased with colonization and modernization; Western historians have seriously underestimated the detrimental impact of the slave trade on African societies; African countries should pursue tourism as a major means to develop their economies. Support your position but also show that you are aware of arguments on the other side.

Your research must draw upon at least 6 sources, including at least 3 academic journals or books. An interview can count as a source of data.

Copying from published literature, the Web or other students’ papers is PLAGIARISM. This is the cardinal sin of American academia, a sin that is punished in this life.

Submission of paper

Submit a brief description of your research topic and a list of three promising sources on March 7. The completed paper is to be submitted on May 9. Be prepared to provide a 5 minute class report on the points of your research that you found the most interesting during one of the last 3 class periods: May 2, 7, 9.

The paper must be typed double spaced with standard 1” margins on both sides as well as top and bottom. Include a title page and number the pages. The narrative of the paper, not including the bibliography, should be about 5 pages. You can follow any standard format for bibliographic references, e.g. APA, ASA, MLA.

Annotated bibliography

A very important part of your research is careful reading and evaluation of your sources. That process will be reflected in the paper but I am also requiring an annotated bibliography that will allow you to comment on the literature that you consulted.

Write one or two paragraphs on each source. Indicate how much of the source you used for your paper. Include at least some of the following points:

Overall description of the topics covered

Author’s purpose in writing the work

The audience the work was intended for

The method of obtaining data

The author’s principal conclusions

Your estimation of whether the conclusions are justified

How this work compares to others you consulted

How this work contributed to your paper