Thesis: School violence increases the incidence of suicides, mental instability, substance
abuse, and incarceration rates in the Unites States.
The Works Cited section on the following page contains one source of my online
research that supports my argument (thesis).
Good topic and thesis but a note about “mental instability.” The term mental instability
is fine but do not allow your research paper to wander too far into the technical language
or jargon of what is psychological. In other words, if I have to read a research paper
packed with language written like a physician’s diagnosis, I will be inclined to put the
The research paper must be six pages minimum, eight pages maximum in length, typed, MLA (essay) format.
If you are confused about the MLA format, that format in this course is the model essay in the “Handouts”
section. Click here to review the model essay format.
The page count requirement of the research paper includes the Works Cited section.
The completed research paper must use and cite a minimum of eight separate online scholarly sources. An author (both first and last name) and complete date (dd/mm/yyyy) must be cited for all sources. Ask the
instructor about exceptions.
IMPORTANT NOTE: I must have unfettered access to every source (no registration, no login). However, the use of
the Faulkner Nichols Library databases are acceptable.
The Bible counts as one source no matter how many times it is used in the paper. Thirty-two separate issues of the Armed Forces Journal count as one source. Citations (works cited sources) in the research paper must be current (within five years). Ask the instructor about exceptions. Since I am not located on campus, “on-campus
only” sources may not be used.
Avoid using sources that have already done the research for you. These sources include encyclopedias,
quotation Websites, Yahoo Answers, Ask.com, About.com, Wikipedia and other Wiki sources, social
publications such as People Magazine, Jet Magazine, other social and “Give-Me-an-Answer” Websites, and
Weblogs (blogs). Instead, do some serious research.
Dictionaries, The Holy Bible, and other reference sources may be used only in connection with other credible sources. Do not use the dictionary as a source unless you are providing an unusual definition of a word.
Assume that your audience possesses a vocabulary. Since this is not a course in law, do not use the JSL
databases.
In addition to the above source guidance, do not use other research papers as a source.
At least one direct quotation (no fewer than two complete lines of text) must be provided from each source;
however, do not submit essays or a research paper in which a large part is quoted material. I want your writing based on your research. Short quotations (two to four lines of text) are permissible, but only one long direct quotation (between 5 and 10 lines of text) is permitted in the research paper. No more than one quotation is allowed in each paragraph.
An in-text citation is required each time that a research source is used.
When you review the model formal essay handout, notice that there is one short quote (from research) in the paper. Most of the writing in the paper is done by the student, not quoted from another source.
Quotations are not permitted in the first paragraph or the last paragraph of the research paper.
Similar to the essays, the research paper needs a title on Page 1 above the first paragraph, but do not include a title page or an abstract. The heading, title, and body of the research paper must be formatted in MLA style like all essay assignments. Refer to the model essay for formatting guidance. The research paper must also
conform to the “English Composition Checklist.”
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Subtitles are not necessary or assigned in the research paper.
The citations on the Works Cited page must include the complete URL of the Website researched. For
example, if I were writing a paper on whether God created us with a desire to sin, I might develop the following
the citation that includes the full URL.
Miller Citation
Notice that the complete URL is cited, not just apologeticspress.org. Also, refer to the model essay and the
“Additional Example of a Works Cited Page,” by clicking here. Use the information in the course “How To”
folder to help construct citations.
While conducting research on your topic, make notes and save (bookmark) everything. Frustration is normal when compiling research. Frustration is a bully. My advice is to look at frustration in the eye.
Embedded Image
If you need more instructional help embedding an image, there is an excellent tutorial below.
Watch Video
Any image used must be set at the left or right one-inch margin.
Students who use a current version of MS Word often take advantage of using the "References" tab on Word to help build citations and to save research. If you use that feature, understand that MS Word does not format
exactly like the examples that I provide; however, adjustments to conform to that format are easy.
Research Paper Calendar
Week 1 –Consider and develop a topic. Work on a thesis. Remember, the thesis is the argument that you want to present and support in your research paper. Click here to read “A Word about the Thesis.”
March 13 – Submit the “Research Paper Topic and Thesis” assignment. When you receive a graded favorable response from me about the topic and the thesis, begin serious work on the research paper. NOTE: Any student who has previously taken my EH 1302 course may not choose the same or closely related research paper topic. Additionally, review p. 129 of the Faulkner University Student Handbook, a Week 1 reading assignment. The same paper may not be submitted for more than one course