Contents of this page
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Guidelines/specifications for the paper Reminders and warnings Requirements for submitting your topic description Tips for interviews |
Grading criteria References on writing Deadlines |
Guidelines/specifications for the paper
Investigate the topic. Use articles and books, etc., for background. Your project must include background research and may include some activity, (e.g., an interview or a site visit).
Don't just report. Discuss pros and cons. Evaluate. Use your own words. Quote where appropriate. Give citations for facts and quotes. Discuss how your topic relates to material covered in the text and/or in class discussions.
The paper should be approximately 4000 words.
Outline for the paper (roughly)
Use information and/or quotes from your interview or site visit in the appropriate place(s) within your paper. The Appendix should contain the name, position, and company (or other relevant information) for the person(s) you interviewed or the places you visited. For interviews, include your list of questions and indicate if the interview was in person, by phone, or by e-mail. (In-person interviews are best, but may not be available for some topics.) Include the person's answers. (A summary is ok.) If you identify the person fully and quote extensively from the interview in the body of your paper you do not have to include the appendix. The Appendix does not count toward the 4000 word requirement.
The project is to be done during this course. Do not turn in a paper done earlier for another course or for your job.
Remember what this course is about. A few students have handed in papers that are purely factual or historic (e.g., a history of the Internet, a summary of computer technology used in the military). Such papers will not get high scores. You must include discussion of issues.
One of the most common problems with papers is poor organization. Write an outline. Organize your thoughts. You may use section headings to indicate the topic or purpose of sections of the paper.
Start early!
Use a variety of sources for information and arguments. If you use articles from the Web, give the URL and the organization sponsoring the site. There's a lot of junk and unsupported opinion on the Web. Pay attention to quality of your sources. (If your topic is covered in the text, do not use the text as a main source. Report in more depth and/or on newer or other aspects of the topic.)
Now and then, a student hands in a paper he or she did not write at all or in which large segments are copied from other sources. Please don't do this. It is dishonest, unfair to your fellow students, and unpleasant for both you and the instructor. You will definitely fail the course; you may be expelled from UIC. Write in your own words. Start early; talk to the instructor if you have problems.
Requirements for submitting your topic description
(Due Friday, February 6 by 5:00 p.m. (end of fourth week of classes) for 1.5 bonus points for the course). Submit topic description by email to me (Prof. Sloan).
Include a title and one or two paragraphs describing what you plan to do. Be specific if you can. Include at least one good reference you plan to use (e.g., a book, an article, a Web site).
There will be a limit on the number of students doing any single topic, so it will be good to have a second topic in mind in case you choose one that has too many people.
Use ingenuity in choosing and finding interviewees. Choose someone in a position to have special knowledge of the topic. Don't be afraid of asking well-known people, but be prepared for refusals.
Start early. It may take time to find someone, schedule the interviews, and do follow-up.
Plan; write up your questions in advance. Start with easy questions, getting general information. Ask about positive things before asking about problems. Take notes so you get details right.
Be polite. Identify yourself and your project. Thank the person.
The project is worth 28% of the course grade (subject to minor changes). It will be graded 0-20. A few points of your grade will be based on your critique of another student's paper.
Grading criteria include: background or history, presentation of issues and various points of view, optional interview or other activity, quality of argument and analysis (principles, examples, counterexamples), structure/organization, clarity of writing, sufficient references, sufficient length, and originality. You should define terms where necessary. Be sure to read and edit your final copy before handing it in.
References on writing and research
Strunk and White, The Elements of Style.
Also available on line.
Joseph Williams, Style: Ten Lessons on Clarity and Grace.
Gordon Harvey, Writing With Sources: A Guide for Students
(Hacket, 1998).
Evaluating
and Citing Web Sites
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Topic description due. Paper due, to be read and critiqued by another student. Critiqued papers to be returned, with comments. Final paper (and commented draft) due. |
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