Research Paper Information and Requirements

· Follow the Modern Language Association (MLA) style throughout your paper. There is a sample MLA research paper in The Bedford Researcher. As you might have done with previous writing assignments, you also may consult the MLA.org website for MLA documentation and format requirements.

· Your research paper must be submitted in two ways: 1) via TurnItIn.com and 2) as a printed hard copy given to me in class for grading by hand. You also will be handing in note cards (> 100) and bibliography cards (> 10). Your Research Paper cannot be graded unless it has first earned a Similarity Index of 24% or lower at TurnItIn.com.

· A title page is required. Follow the title page format shown in the accompanying attachment. MLA requires your research paper use a 12‑point Times New Roman font that is double-spaced throughout. Use black ink on white paper.

· The text in the body of your paper should be 2500-3000 words in length.

· Your finished paper must cite at least five different types of sources (e.g., book, magazine, scholarly journal, newspaper). Open sources (such as Wikipedia) may not be used. Information from the databases that the MDC Library provides is greatly preferable to information found on the World Wide Web.

· You may select your topic, but it must not be biographical or autobiographical. Remember that your topic should lend itself to research, discussion, development, and exposition and be suitably focused for such a short research paper. It is preferable to go into depth about a well-focused topic than to give a general overview of a broad unfocused topic.

· The final hard copy of your printed research paper should be unbound. Submit your printed paper inside of a 9 x 12 inch (a/k/a No. 90) brown or manila metal clasp envelope on or before the scheduled due date. The note cards (> 100) and bibliography cards (> 10) generated during the research process also should be enclosed in the envelope. Sequence the note cards in the order they were used in the research paper with unused cards placed at the end of the sequence. Hold the note cards together with a rubber band or similar elastic. Do the same with the bibliography cards in a second stack. Clasp the envelope closed, but do not glue it shut. On the outside front of the envelope type or print your name, class name, class reference number, class meeting days, class meeting time, and class room number.