Research Methods

  
CJL 305 Research Methods
Assignment 3: Term paper
This will be the third of three papers that you construct for this class. The assignment is an 8 page paper concerning the literature, research methods used, and assessment of the body of research knowledge pertaining to your chosen topic this semester. The first two assignments together will be incorporated into this final research paper. This does not mean that you can simply copy/paste your previous paper onto this assignment. This does mean that you will use the information and some sections of previous papers, but will rewrite them for transitions, continuity, and to avoid self-plagiarism (aka turning in the same paper for a separate assignment). Follow these steps to complete your assignment.
1 Build an outline to organize your term paper from the start. This outline should be comprised of I.) title page, II.) abstract, III.) Introduction, IV.) literature review, V.) methodology, VI.) discussion, VII.) conclusion, *VIII.) reference section.
2 Now you will need to shape your discussion section. A discussion can be organized any way that makes sense to you. Some general advice would be to discuss common points, theories, or findings among all of your articles that you find worth expanding upon. This section will require you to cite your sources regularly and properly.
3 While constructing your paper remember the following questions for each of your points/sections in your discussion. What is your point? Why does it matter? How does your thesis fit into the larger topic? Who benefits from the knowledge gained (perhaps best saved for your conclusion)?
4 Now you are prepared to construct a term paper (assignment 3) about your topic. In short, this the final part of building your research paper for this class. This third paper combines what you have learned about your topic through these three assignments this semester. 
*If you are going to include your previously built tables, they would go in the appendix between the end of the paper and the reference section.

Papers should be 12-point font, double-spaced, with one inch margins. Methods section should be structured like essays, complete with an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Put together a title page with a working title—this will change and evolve but offers an opportunity to be creative and consider the scope of your overall findings up until this point in your research. Every paper needs a reference section to cite who and where you found your information.