The following information will serve as a comprehensive guide for the research paper that is required for this course. In addition to this following information, please be sure to check the Grading Policy found in the Start Here section of this course for the weighted grade applicable to your research paper. Your instructor will also be offering additional guidance on how to properly complete this major assignment throughout the term. Guidelines The research paper must follow basic APA style guidelines as adopted by NAU. Additional details relative to APA style are available on NAU’s Virtual Library. The paper must be a minimum of 5-6 content pages in length. Title page, attachments, appendices, and reference pages are not included in the content page requirement. Choose a specific subject related to a topic of interest in the course. The subject must first be approved by your Instructor. The first paragraph should identify the subject and state your thesis. The body of your paper should support the thesis presented in the introductory paragraph. The paper must end with a conclusion paragraph pulling everything together. The last page of your paper is the Reference page. All of the resources used must be cited, including the 6 reference minimum: three sources must be print or electronic books, research journals, periodicals or electronic database references; two sources may be web based, with no more than on non-juried/non-refereed Internet site being used. Review your paper for appropriate grammar, punctuation and spelling before submitting it to your Instructor. Directions for submitting the paper are listed below. A comprehensive list of activities, requirements and deadlines can be found on the Research Paper Suggested Deadlines A Student Checklist as captioned below. Research Paper Suggested Deadlines A Student Checklist The following checklist includes suggested timelines for completing the steps that are typical to the proper construction of research papers in writing-intensive courses. Students are encouraged to refer to this checklist to record their progress toward their successful completion of the research paper. Deadline Format Date Completed Paper should adhere to APA style including correct in-text citations, double spaced, 1-inch margins, 12-point font, title page, abstract, and correct reference page, etc…The research paper is approximately 5-6 pages in length. Please refer to additional APA resources offered in this course, as well as by the . Pre-Writing Strategies By the end of the second week of class Understand the assignment. Choose an approved topic, selected for the content of the course. Submit to Instructor by end of second week of class Select and focus on the topic. Email your instructor for his/her approval of your topic. By end of third week of class Refine your topic (if necessary). By end of third week of class Design a method of development: description, narration, example, process, comparison/contrast, *argument, classification/division, cause/effect, or demonstration. By end of third week of class Submit to instructor by end of third week of the class Decide on a research strategy and keep careful notes, with sources clearly indicated. Write the thesis statement to express the main point of the paper. Place the thesis statement in the introductory paragraph. Submit to instructor for grading (10 points) Evaluation of Sources and Thesis Development By end of fourth week of class Conduct a general Web search for credible resource data. By end of fourth week of class Locate, review, and evaluate books, journal, magazine, and newspaper articles. By end of fourth week of class Keep careful notes, with sources clearly indicated. By end of fourth week of class Create an introductory paragraph with an introductory sentence that identifies the subject and includes an attention getter to capture the reader’s interest. Submit to instructor by end of fourth week of the class Complete abstract and submit to instructor for grading (15 points) Body of Paper Submit to instructor by end of fifth week of the class Write the first draft of the paper. Use the assignment drop box to submit your first draft to your instructor for his/her grading/comments and feedback. (25 points) Due by sixth week of class Be sure that the main ideas support the thesis presented in the introduction. Due by sixth week of class In each paragraph, include a clear topic sentence, expressing the central idea of that paragraph. Due by sixth week of class Create paragraphs of appropriate length throughout the paper. Due by sixth week of class Be sure that all main ideas are developed and presented in the body paragraphs to produce unity. Due by sixth week of class Make your paragraphs lead the reader logically from one section to another; use transitions to make connections between ideas easier to follow, contributing to the smoothness of the paper. Due by sixth week of class Find supporting details for each main point. Due by sixth week of class Base the entire paper on logical assumptions and focus on the main ideas. Conclusion Due by sixth week of class Include a sentence in the concluding paragraph that restates the thesis or summarizes the main points. Language Due by sixth week of class Edit your paper to be free from grammar errors: dangling modifiers, subject-verb agreement, verb tense shift, pronoun-antecedent agreement, and diction errors. Due by sixth week of class Use appropriate punctuation and spelling throughout the paper. Due by sixth week of class Use appropriate syntax in the paper: no fragments or run-on sentences. Documentation Due by sixth week of class Use print or electronic books, research journals, periodicals, and electronic database references. Select no more than one non-juried/non-refereed Internet site (a site that contains material that has not undergone professional peer review). Use APA style throughout the research paper, with appropriate in-text citations and reference page. *Argumentation (if applicable) Due by sixth week of class In an argument, choose a problem or issue that allows for differences of opinion. Clearly state this difference. Due by sixth week of class State the position taken in the paper. Offer proof to support that your position is reasonable. Due by sixth week of class Anticipate objections to the position and address these objections. Restate the position. Due by sixth week of class Use two or more methods of development in the research paper: description, narration, example, process, comparison/contrast, classification/division, cause/effect, or demonstration. Revisions � Final Paper Submit to instructor by Eighth week of quarter Be sure that your paper shows multiple revisions with improved focus and clear writing for a general audience. Use the assignment drop box AND the research paper icon submission to submit your final paper.
