| 
  • If you are citizen of an European Union member nation, you may not use this service unless you are at least 16 years old.

  • You already know Dokkio is an AI-powered assistant to organize & manage your digital files & messages. Very soon, Dokkio will support Outlook as well as One Drive. Check it out today!

View
 

Research Paper Guidelines

Page history last edited by Geof Duncan 10 years, 7 months ago

Back to Advanced Studies

 

The preparation of a research paper is required by every student. Students are to select a topic that has application and implications within their chosen career pathway and lends it to performing a skill or producing a project. The paper uses the acquisition of knowledge through researching, writing, interviewing, and synthesizing in conjunction with applying real-world skills of time management, organization, self-discipline, persistence, and problem solving.

 

Guidelines for research are as follows.

  1. Research is an integral component of the course. Students are expected to make a diligent and critical inquiry into their topics. The recommended length of the paper should be 4 to 5 typed, double-spaced pages, with a minimum of five primary and secondary sources. Paper may include additional supporting documentation such as pictures, charts, graphs, etc.
  2. Each paper must cite a minimum of three different sources. Students should strive for variety and balance in their selections. Only one general encyclopedia (wikipedia) may be used as a reference in the final bibliography.
  3. Students should learn to examine and interpret research in terms of possible bias, validity, reliability, and credibility.
  4. Research may take a variety of forms, primary and secondary, traditional and non- traditional. Students may design and administer surveys, conduct interviews, access on- line databases, or consult portable database projects. Students should tailor the type of research to the topic of research.
  5. Students must carefully document all research information in their papers. This should include parenthetical documentation within the paper and a list of works cited at the end of the paper.
  6. Students should apply the most recent edition of a standard form of writing style that includes the appropriate documentation within the paper and a list of works cited at the end of the paper.
  7. Students should be thoroughly informed of research ethics.
  8. Students should be thoroughly informed that acts of plagiarism will result in a failing grade.

 

Writing the Paper

 

The paper is to be a carefully developed, third person exploration of the student’s research of facts and ideas. The two types of papers that will fulfill the requirements of a research paper are (a) a report-type paper and (b) an interpretive paper. The report-type paper may entail the use of statistics, maps, graphs, illustrations, or tables, and is a compilation of detailed information carefully organized and documented, on a well-defined topic. The interpretive paper gives the writer the opportunity to develop a thesis or conclusion based upon what his or her research shows. The writer interprets the research and draws a conclusion. An important element for students to concentrate on is the organization of the paper.

 

The length of the paper may depend upon the nature of the topic. The paper should be around fifteen hundred words in length or about 4 to 5 typed, double-spaced pages, not including the title page, outline, bibliography and/or supporting documents. Only one general encyclopedia (wikipedia) may be used as a reference in the final bibliography, which must contain at least five sources of reference.

 

The working draft or “rough” draft is usually not given to the teacher/facilitator(s). Revising and refining the draft(s) will reflect proficiency. Careless errors will be costly to the final grade.

 

Back to Advanced Studies

Comments (0)

You don't have permission to comment on this page.