1. Size 12, Times New Roman font, one-inch margins.

2. 1000-5000 words [not including title page or bibliography].

3. Bibliography page (MLA/APA/Chicago citations)

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1. What makes a strong topic:         

   •  Specific: Is your topic nuanced and not too broad?           

   • Arguable: Is the answer to your question clear? Can it be argued in two ways?         

   • Relevant: What are the modern-day implications? Why is your topic important?   

   • Something you’re interested in!

2. Start with a question you’re looking to answer – the end goal is to have a thesis (a sentence or two that summarizes your argument)

   •  A helpful step in drafting a thesis is to write out the question you are trying to answer.

   • Example:

i. Question: Why did America develop imperial ambitions in the early 20th century?

ii. Thesis: The United States, a nation founded on opposing the British empire, ironically became a global imperial power itself through the exploitation of foreign territories and their people for the sake of America’s rapidly developing economy.

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1. Cite at least 5 sources with a bibliography

2. Follow Chicago-Turabian, APA, or MLA citation formatting – recommended websites for citations include Noodletools or Zoterobib!

3. How to look for sources (Primary & Secondary Sources):

   • Evaluate the credibility of the source. 

     1. Origin: Where did the source come from?

     2. Purpose: What was the purpose of the information?

     3. Value: How useful is this source? 

     4. Limitation: How reliable is the source? 

   • Recommended places to find good sources: 

     1. Google Scholar

     2. SciHub

     3. Filtering google searches

     4. Public libraries → JSTOR access

     5. Online Databases: Britannica, Gale, ProQuest, est.

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1. Organize your research and sources:

   • Research your topic using reliable sources. Make sure to keep track of all your sources.

   • Background information (Who, What, When, Where, Why, How)

   • Using your background information, start drafting a thesis. 

2. Create an outline for your paper:

   • Introduction

     • Background Info

     • Why is your paper important

     • Thesis

   • Body Paragraphs

     1. Topic Sentence

        • Presents the main idea of the paragraph which relates back to the thesis

     2. Supporting Evidence

        • Evidence that links back to the topic sentence and supports the paper’s argument

        • Integrate your evidence. Explain why it is relevant

     3. Subsections

        • Consider splitting your body paragraphs into subsections for clarity.

   • Conclusion

     • Summarize your findings

     • Highlight the strongest/main points of the paper

3.  Consider using the AIMRAD structure if it fits your topic:

   • Abstract: summary of your paper’s purpose and findings.

   • Introduction: the problem you intend to address (the research question)

   • Methods: what do you do to answer the question 

   • Results: explain what you observed/learned while carrying out your “method”

   • Discussion: what do those results mean?

4. Learning “academic” language:

   • http://amirreza.info/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Academic-Writing-Cheat-Sheet.pdf

   • Use Active Voice! (subject → verb → object)

     • Eliminate passive voice: The house was painted by Anna

     • Use active voice: Anna painted the house.

   •  Avoid using informal slang

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1. ABSTRACT (optional but recommended)

   • Context/background information (brief)

   • Explanation of your specific topic, central questions, thesis, etc

   • The specific nuance of your paper, how it builds on past papers (if applicable)

   • A brief note about your findings that you will expand on in your conclusion

2. INTRODUCTION

   • Background/context/crucial definitions

     • What is considered important context? 

     • How much context is too much context?

   • Explain the importance of your research/study

   • Outline what your paper sets out to do… in this paper we first… then …next… and conclude

   • State your thesis which concisely states the main argument/conclusion from the paper.

     • How do you formulate a good thesis?

3. SUBSECTIONS (BODY PARAGRAPHS)

   • How to write an effective topic sentence:

     • The topic sentence must provide the direction or main ideas for the paragraph (think of the umbrella metaphor), as well as a link back to support the thesis.

     • How to effectively transition between different subsections

   • Deciding on the most strategic/best way to organize your ideas chronologically, by argument, by differing perspective, by sub-topic, etc

   • Integrate your evidence (Make sure to draw on a variety of sources)

   • Analyze your evidence and explain how it supports the thesis

4. CONCLUSION

   • Start off with a restatement of your thesis

   • Summary points – in the introduction you previewed points and you held back the best details, now show off your strongest points because this is your last opportunity to “show off” and drive home your ideas.

   • Conclusion technique: “end with a bang”

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1. Things to check for:

   • Proper in-text citations (follow Chicago-Turabian format)

   • Correct grammar and spelling

   • Flow - make sure that your paper isn’t making analytical jumps

   • The ratio of evidence to analysis. 

     • Have ample evidence but make sure to integrate them well.

   • Be consistent with capitalization, formatting, and stylistic choices

2. Who can you ask to help you revise?

   • Teachers, Parents, Mentors, etc. 

3. Rewrite your paper until you feel comfortable and good with the final product

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