Notes on writing term papers

1) You will need to put in extra effort with the paper. I am tougher in grading the papers than in any other part of the course. Your paper represents a finished product and it should be acceptable in the professional setting.

2) Do not plagiarize; merely re-writing the words of others is totally inadequate as w ell as unethical. Paraphrase, using your own words and cite the source. Use direct quotes very sparingly, and then only in quotation marks.

3) I will not accept a paper which is substantially similar to one submitted in another course.

4) Flaunt the geographic perspective - be sure to approach the subject as a GEOGRAPHER. Make explicit use of geographic concepts that were introduced in class.

5) Use the class texts - refer to material found in the class text and cite the class text (& the class readings) at least three times in your paper. No encyclopedias are allowed.

6) Follow the prescribed citation method - (author date, page).
         ... making a distinction between strategic and critical minerals (Haglund 1986, 234).

The list of references at the end of the paper should be alphabetized with book titles and names of journals in italics
(as found in the Annals, Association of American Geographers).
       Dando, W. 1980. The geography of famine. New York: Wiley.

Haglund, D.1986. "The new geopolitics of minerals". Political Geography Quarterly, 5(3):221-240.

7) Internet sources should be cited as (http .... including the date); no more than 2 internet sources are allowed.

8) Incorporate maps into your paper and use these maps; refer to them directly in your discussion. Maps and graphs taken from other sources must be accompanied by a title and a citation of the source.

9) Everything must be in typed font, even the captions and sources on the maps.

10) Do not right-justify.

11) Use comparisons to clarify your discussion - e.g. when referring to population density, draw comparisons with the U.S. density.

12) Keep your verb tenses consistent; correct spelling is essential. Common spelling errors:- precipitation; Gandhi; site integration; Colombia; environment; government; Namibia. Be clear on the proper use of there and their.

13) All pages must be numbered.

14) The paper must have an abstract.

This is how your term paper will be graded.

                                                            --------------------------------
Research Paper

Content ..............          30  ________
& hypothesis

Geographic approach .. 30  ________

Grammar & syntax ...... 20  ________

& following style instructions 

Maps & charts ............ 10  ________

Citations ..................... 10  ________
 

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