In this class we will learn various techniques and methods for research. Towards this, each student will write a research paper on a topic of their choice and apply techniques learnt through the semester. Goals: 1. Improve your ability to think critically and write effectively on politics surrounding a topic of your choice 2. Apply research techniques from class to improve academic writing and communication skills Select one topic of interest to you. You can choose based on issues salient in the news or areas you would like to build your knowledge and understanding. Write a 12-15 page (single-spaced) research paper that analyzes your issue and presents findings based on your research. Your paper MUST pose a research question for investigation. It should also bring evidence to bear on your topic, and using this evidence, you should try to answer your research question. For example, if I was interested in writing a paper (for another class) on educational policy, I would narrow this topic to a research question: will introducing school choice improve educational attainment? After articulating this question, I would need to conduct a thorough literature review to understand what factors influence educational attainment. In particular, I would examine: a. What type of research has already been conducted in educational issues, and school choice in particular b. What are some of the themes of this literature? What are the important theoretical approaches to understand important relationships affecting educational attainment? c. What are my conclusions, after having examines all of the important documents on my topics? All papers must include the following elements: 1. An explicit research question stated in the introductory section of your paper (Papers that pose analytical research questions as opposed to descriptive research questions are preferable). 2. Sections or headings organized to answer your research question. Papers should consider the following elements:

A. Abstract (summary of your question, methods, findings) B. Introduction/Background C. Literature Review – Theoretical perspectives (if appropriate), what do we know from previous research and where are the gaps, how does your paper fit within the larger scholarship D. Data and Methods E. Results/Findings (possible answers to your question based on your literature review) and discuss the broader implications of your work (discussion and conclusion). 3. Citations and Sources (you MUST use 15 sources at a minimum, and at least 10 of these must be drawn from peer reviewed). Use parenthetical citations when writing your paper (author, year) and a standard reference list following a common format at the end of your paper. Cite adequately and appropriately according to APA or humanities style. The paper should be typed and proofread carefully. Additional Details: 1. Papers are due on Sunday May 3 by 11:59pm uploaded on Blackboard. Late papers will be assessed a penalty of a letter grade per day. 2. All papers must be typed and single spaced. Font – Times New Roman, 12-point size, single-spaced with an additional line between paragraphs. Papers should have 1 inch margins. USE HEADING AND SUB-HEADINGS to help organize your paper and improve the flow of ideas/arguments. 3. Papers should be between 12-15 pages in length (the page limit does not include reference lists). 4. Avoid using too many direct quotations in your paper. Too many quotes make a paper look weak and disjointed. Paraphrase and cite properly. 5. Avoid the passive voice. 6. Aim for clear, parsimonious sentence structure. Be direct and professional in your writing style. 7. Do not plagiarize!! Be VERY careful to cite properly other people’s work. It is your responsibility to be familiar with the complete definition of plagiarism. Student’s who plagiarize run the risk of failing both the assignment and the class. 8. Please come to see me if you have questions about your research topic.