Term Paper: Final Report Submission
Due Saturday April 27th, at 11:59 pm
SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE PAPER
Your paper must include some background research and some activity, e.g., an interview or a physical site visit.
Don’t just report. Discuss pros and cons. Evaluate. Use your own words. Quote where appropriate. Give citations for facts and quotes. Discuss how your topic relates to material covered in the text and/or in class.
The paper should be approximately 2500-3600 words (double-spaced, 1-inch margins, 12-point Times New Roman font).
OUTLINE FOR THE PAPER (ROUGHLY)
Cover page with title, and your name.
Introduction/overview of topic and issues to be discussed
Background, description, and/or history of the issue
Issues, various points of view
Results of interviews, observations, etc.
Your comments or evaluation
Summary
List of references (Use standard formats and styles)
Appendix
USEFUL GUIDELINES AND RECOMENDATIONS
Use information and/or quotes from your interview or site visit in the appropriate place(s) within your paper.
The Appendix should contain the name, position, and company (or other relevant information) for the person(s) you interviewed or the places you visited.
For interviews, the Appendix should include your list of questions and indicate if the interview was in person, by phone, or by email. (In-person interviews are best, but may not be available for some topics.) Include the person’s answers. (A summary is ok.)
The Appendix does not count toward the 3600 word requirement.
Use primary sources only. Encyclopedias like Wikipedia are NOT primary sources.
REMINDERS AND WARNINGS
Remember what this course is about. A few students have handed in papers that are purely factual or historic (e.g., a history of the Internet, a summary of computer technology used in the military). Such papers will not get high scores. You must include discussion of issues.
One of the most common problems with papers is poor organization. Write an outline. Organize your thoughts. You may use section headings to indicate the topic or purpose of sections of the paper.
A few students have waited until late in the semester to get started, then discovered that information on their topic was unavailable or people they wanted to interview refused. Start early in case you have to change topics or find a new interviewee or activity.
Use a variety of sources for information and arguments. Remember that there’s a lot of junk and unsupported opinion on the Web. Pay attention to quality of your sources. (If your topic is covered in the text, do not use the text as a main source. Report in more depth and/or on newer or other aspects of the topic.)
Now and then, a student hands in a paper he or she did not write at all or in which large segments are copied from other sources. Please don’t do this. It is dishonest, unfair to your fellow students, and unpleasant for both you and the instructor. Plagiarism is reported to the UNT Office of Academic Integrity and results in a failing grade for the course. Write in your own words. Start early; talk to the instructor if you have problems.
