Politics in the Middle East-Get Research Paper Help

Politics in the Middle East-Get Research Paper Help

MEST 319: Politics in the Middle East

Spring 2018 –

 

Research Paper Instructions

 

General Instructions                                                                                                                                                                                          

 

Each student will conduct a highly-focused, comparative research project that falls within the geographical region we are considering this term, roughly including any country between Morocco and Iran.  This project will result in an 8-10 page research paper and should be prepared along the following guidelines:

1. No less than 8 full pages and no more than 10 pages, in addition to a separate bibliography / works cited page as well as a cover page stating your name, the course, and the title of your paper.
2. Formatting: 11 to 12 pt. non-Comic Sans font; standard margins (2.54 cm on each side); double-spaced.
3. Citations and the bibliography / works cited page must consistently follow MLA, Chicago/Turabian (footnotes or endnotes), or APA format. See the following websites for help:
   1. MLA: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/08/
   2. Chicago: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html
   3. APA: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
4. No fewer than 6 published, scholarly, secondary sources and 2 primary sources, all of which must be cited as you use them in your paper AND listed in a bibliography / works cited page at the end of your essay.
5. No web-based sources, except for those available through the AUD Library (e.g., J-STOR, EBSCO Host, and other scholarly databases) or by special permission from Prof. W. If you do want to request an exception, please email Prof. W. with the following: 1) a link to the site, 2) title and author of the material, and 3) justification / rationale for the request. I almost always grant exceptions for government archives, recorded interviews, and other primary sources.
6. Submission: hard copy (see below) as well as soft copy to Turnitin. Prof. W. will provide the class with instructions for Turnitin submission closer to the due date.

The final draft of this paper will be due in hard copy on Wednesday 18 April (Section A) or Thursday 19 April (Section B). 5 points will be deducted from papers submitted 5 minutes or more after the beginning of class, and additional 10-point deductions will be applied for each subsequent day of lateness.

 

Approach to Topic                                                                                                                                                                                              

 

Each student should choose a comparitive topic that adopts one of the following broad approaches to understanding a specific topic related to politics in the Middle East.  Suggested (but not required) options include the following approaches:

• Compare and contrast the political ideology of 2 or 3 regional states or movements, either in their contemporary or historical forms.
• Compare and contrast the long-term impact of Western intervention in the political experience of 2 or 3 regional states.
• Compare and contrast the use of political violence by 1 radical Islamist movement and 1 non-Islamist movement over the last half-century.

Regardless of your choice of topic, you must begin your paper with a general introduction and a clear thesis statement (specific argument) that ties together the analysis and evidence of your research.  I would also strongly recommend that you organize your paper by 1) providing a brief introductory section that lays out your focus of comparison, 2) separately describe the essential elements and context of each separate context you’re comparing, and then 3) describe the points of comparison (compare/contrast) between and among those 2 or 3 contexts. You should, of course, tie your paper together with a well-crafted summary conclusion.